How the unboxing experience delivers on today’s expectations 

McLean, Va. – Tis the season to deliver delight and brands that use a thoughtfully crafted unboxing experience to engage shoppers may just have the advantage. In fact, 75% of Americans feel that cardboard and paper packaging allow for more creative packaging designs than other packaging material. Research on how Americans feel about cardboard and paper packaging, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Paper and Packaging Board (P+PB), further revealed:

71% say they are more likely to buy brands that package their products in paper or cardboard than in other materials,

78% say they are more likely to buy products packaged in paper or cardboard than other materials because they are better for the environment,

84% agree that cardboard packaging is less wasteful than other packaging; and,

81% agree it is more in line with today’s expectations than packaging made from other materials. Read the full report.

Brands that want to deliver delight to the doorsteps of their customers may want to take heed. Working with P+PB’s marketing campaign, Paper & Packaging – How Life Unfolds®, Nancy Kruger Cohen, president, co-founder and chief creative officer of Mouth.com (an online indie food store curating packages of unique products from across the U.S.) opened up about developing great packaging designs and unboxing experiences. “We wanted to gather a range of these products in one place and create a highly branded unboxing experience. We wanted the box itself to be the gift and wanted the gift experience to start immediately upon opening the box. There was no better material to work with than paper packaging.”

“Offering a unique gift-giving experience helps differentiate brands from their competitors,” says Mary Anne Hansan, president of P+PB, “and, perhaps nothing delivers delight more so than the packaging things come in. We want people to know that the paper box offers the best experience, can be reused and then recycled.”

Paper and cardboard also deliver on expectations that purchases arrive in packaging that is easy to recycle. In 2018, 96.4% of all cardboard boxes consumed in the U.S. were recovered for recycling, and over the last three years, 92.7% of corrugated cardboard was recycled, which is the highest of any packaging material. 

P+PB offers tips on recycling at the holidays like opting for products packaged in materials that are easy to reuse or recycle, like cardboard boxes. Watch the Mouth.com videos and learn more at www.howlifeunfolds.com.