the do’s and don’ts of branded boxes

Branded boxes allow companies to send their audience a swath of fun, attractive, and wow-worthy products that keep the conversation going. They’re especially helpful if you serve a global audience — since you can mail a box to pretty much anyone, you can reach customers where they are.

After spending years sourcing promotional products and executing branded boxes for clients like Coinbase and Google, Boundless knows what it takes to design unique boxed experiences.

Don’t Do pick a theme

Send Without Context

If your audience didn’t ask for a branded box, you’re going to have to give context that explains the gift. Recipients are going to be wary of a box just appearing on their doorstep, so your packaging needs to explain:

• Who you are

• Why you sent this package

• What the recipient should do next

You’re creating branded boxes to forge tight relationships with your customers, so be sure to clarify and give an explanation. If you’re using paper inserts, be very careful during the packaging and shipping process; make sure those inserts are included!

Themed boxes are all the rage. Not only do they help recipients get into the right mindset to use your promotional products, but they also make it way easier to pick products in the first place.

What kind of theme would resonate with your audience? Consider themes like:

• Quirky holidays (think, National Talk Like A Pirate Day)

• Seasons of the year

• Fun locations, like Hawaii or Switzerland

• Decades, like The Roaring Twenties or Neon Nineties

Plan At The Last Minute

While doing a promotional product campaign with a few weeks of lead time is possible, it’s a much better idea to plan it in advance. It can take months to source the right products for your campaign — and sometimes longer if you want something more unique.

At a minimum, it’s a good idea to plan a branded box experience at least three months before your desired drop date (more if it’s during a busy season, like a holiday). This way, you get the exact products you want without the stress of tight deadlines.

Do personalize

Your customers are bombarded with generic messaging on their social media feeds and email inboxes. While a branded box will definitely stand out, you can take things a step further by personalizing each experience.

At a minimum, you can add the recipient’s name to the box or printed note. You can also personalize by:

• Selecting items based on the person’s shopping preferences, hobbies, or attendance

• Customizing a product to include their name

• Including a hand-written note

Don’t

pick low-quality products

Choosing lower-quality goods to make the most of a limited budget is tempting, but that approach can seriously backfire.

When in doubt, it’s better to send a few higher-quality goods than a slew of low-quality options. You can always order product samples and see them in person first before you put in a purchase order.

Do print creatively

You might be doing a boxed experience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t think outside of the box! One of the best ways to create a jaw-dropping experience is to get creative with your printing.

For many of our clients, that means printing full-color text right onto the inside of the box itself. Coinbase had great success printing branded images and a stock ticker symbol inside of a box to celebrate its IPO.

This “inside-the-box” printing reduces the need for paper inserts, allowing you to add cheeky messages to the box. A quick “Open for magic” teaser outside the box alone will make recipients giddy.