How Gifted Unboxing’s Are Stealing the Show at Paris 2024

Every Olympics introduces a unique and unconventional sport that captivates audiences. Paris 2024 is no exception, but some of this year’s most-watched events occurred even before Friday’s opening ceremony, as hundreds of Olympians hosted their own ‘opening ceremonies’ through the unboxing of gifted items.

Athletes from around the globe have been showcasing not just their kits but also a variety of gifts, including reusable cups, notepads, and the renowned Olympic Village condoms. Local and international sponsors like July and Samsung have also cleverly capitalised on this trend, generating massive coverage by including limited editions of newly released products in the gift bags.

These unboxing videos from athletes have grabbed our attention, with some of the athletes’ top performing posts not featuring their athletic achievements but rather the excitement of unveiling their gifted items. For example, Aussie tennis hopeful Daria Saville’s unboxing video has amassed 3.2 million views.

The practice of influencer gifting is not new, but when executed correctly, it remains highly effective. So what’s the secret sauce to making your gifting efforts pop off?

1. Remove the obligation to post: Audiences can often tell when posts are required, and are more often
   than not sceptical about the influencer’s motives. By asking recipients to post only if they genuinely
   like the product not only makes endorsements more genuine and enthusiastic, but it also gives the
   influencer more creative freedom. In an added bonus, the increased trust between brand and creator works wonders for long term relationships.
2. Relinquish brand control: Samsung have no doubt invested millions into their Olympic sponsorship,
   however within the channels of the athletes, it’s not the polished or highly messaged posts that are
   getting them ROI – it’s the unfiltered chatter of athletes talking about their new flip phone in any way
   they see fit. Allowing influencers to speak in their own terms, even if done in a way that may make a
   Brand Manager wince, makes the content more endearing and authentic.
3. Don’t surprise & delight unnecessarily: Yes, you read that correctly! Gifting influencers with products they are likely to have no interest in is not only environmentally unsound (as highlighted by Abbie Chatfield) but also decreases the chances of success. Unless you are 100% confident your product is of need, make sure to put the work in up front to see if the recipient is genuinely interested. The chances of resulting endorsements and coverage will be far higher.
4. Find hyper-relevance: While databases and marketplaces simplify the process, strategically targeting influencers who, along with their audience, will value hearing about your product will bring far better results. And as the Olympians are showing, targeting doesn’t have to be limited to micro or nano influencers if the recipient aligns perfectly with the product and its value.
5. Flood the feed: Whilst periodic gifting to singular or small groups of influencers is valuable, doing it at scale around a singular moment multiplies the social buzz and can be far more likely to generate
   curiosity and inspire in action within your audience.
6. Personalisation is the way to the heart: Curating and / or personalising the gifts helps build a better
   connection with your recipient. Even if it’s just a handwritten note, when influencers receive a gift
   that feels tailor-made for them, they are more likely to develop a sense of loyalty and appreciation
   towards you and your brand.

The ongoing shift towards more realistic content, the fatigue and scepticism around sponsored content, and the ever-increasing number of social creators is fuelling a resurgence in product gifting. Whilst most brands’ gifting budgets and resources don’t extend to that of some of the Olympic sponsors, done right, it’s a cost-effective way to generate social proof, user-generated content, and brand awareness.

Interested in levelling up your product gifting strategy? Ernie is a specialist gifting offering, that gets brands products into the hands of hyper relevant influencers at scale. To learn more visit helloernie.com.au or get in touch at info@helloernie.com.au.