With nearly four in five (77%) consumers thinking more favorably of brands with prominent packaging, according to Macfarlane’s Unboxing Survey 2024, brands are keen to exploit the power of packaging to boost brand perception and connect with consumers on a deeper, more personal level.

First Impressions: The Value of the Unboxing Experience on Consumer Engagement

As the first physical encounter with the brand and product, creative packaging and labelling plays a pivotal role in shaping brand perception and differentiation. According to NAPCO Research’s Digital Packaging: The Pursuit of Prosperity Report (2024), personalized, high-graphic packaging designs are now a strategic priority for nearly half the brands surveyed as they push to create memorable unboxing experiences to enhance brand engagement.

The power of unboxing to drive brand value is compelling: on YouTube alone, videos with “unboxing” in their title have received over 25 billion views in a single year. For more than half (56%) of consumers surveyed in Macfarlane’s Unboxing Survey 2024, branded packaging encourages repeat purchases; while two-thirds of Millennials and Generation Z consumers consider the unboxing experience important, with 53% of Generation Z respondents considering ‘pretty packaging’ as the most important factor, according to Mondi Group’s eCommerce trend report.

Many brands are now utilizing design as a strategic tool, regularly refreshing visuals to maintain momentum and relevance. Limited-edition packaging tied to cultural moments or global events keeps the brand topical, sparks conversation, and sets trends that often ripple across the category.

Making a Connection: The Power of Digital Printing

Digital printing technology is a key enabler for this new, agile approach to packaging design and production. Digitally printed packaging and labelling removes the traditional constraints of high minimum order quantities, lowering the entry barriers, and helping even smaller brands to access high-quality, custom packaging solutions previously limited to larger players.

Short print runs support the diverse, frequently changing packaging variations required by brands to enhance market presence. Furthermore, digital printing speeds up packaging development cycles through rapid prototyping, and supports greater supply chain flexibility with shorter lead times. In this dynamic scenario, the converter’s role is evolving from a transactional printer or brand supplier to a strategic brand partner, supporting brands in achieving packaging design and consumer engagement goals.

Digital printing can also add value when it comes to sustainability, which is close to the heart of many brands, enabling just-in-time production to avoid printing waste and obsolescence of overrun stock.

Connected Packaging: A Platform for Connection and Community

Looking ahead, digital printing – particularly digital variable data printing – is swiftly becoming one of the key tools for brands seeking to foster long-term loyalty and community. Research already confirms an increasing demand for interactive and smart packaging features, such as QR codes, visual search, NFC tags, and augmented reality triggers, which help brands to continually elevate the consumer experience.

According to Merkle’s 2025 Connected Experiences Research Report, over a third (37%) of consumers are more likely to purchase a product because it offers a connected experience. And, perhaps consequently, according to NAPCO’s Research, 83% of brands believe it is important or essential for their printing partner to be able to produce personalized or variable packaging with QR codes that enable first party data collection.

Why Converters Must Embrace Digital Printing for Packaging

As consumer expectations evolve, packaging is expected to do more than protect – it is increasingly recognized as a key driver of brand engagement. For converters, this shift represents a clear opportunity to add meaningful value to their brand customers. By offering digitally printed packaging and labels with connected features like QR codes that link to immersive content, interactive experiences, and personalized messaging, converters enable brands to deepen engagement and build lasting loyalty.

By helping brands produce digitally printed packaging that resonates with consumers, converters deliver added value. They can enable brands to harness digital printing, accelerating packaging innovation, and mass customization, as well as one-of-a-kind packaging that adds a special touch.

As packaging continues to evolve into a strategic brand asset, converters who embrace digital printing will be well-positioned to support innovation, sustainability, and consumer engagement in today’s demanding retail landscape.