Start here
The plastic bag nobody threw away.
Since 2014, Glossier has shipped orders in a pink bubble-wrap pouch. Customers kept it, used it as a makeup bag, carried it everywhere and posted it. It became so recognisable that Glossier registered it as a trademark.
- 2014
- The year the free pink pouch started shipping with every Glossier order.
- 98
- customer statements Glossier filed to prove people knew the pouch on sight.
- 2020
- The year the pouch was registered as a US trademark.
Sources: USPTO filing as reported by The Fashion Law and Finnegan.
Why it works
- 1
They keep it
Something useful or pretty survives the unboxing instead of going in the bin.
- 2
They show it
Every time they use it in public, your brand gets seen, for free.
- 3
Creators film it
A keepsake gives creators a moment worth filming beyond the product.
The 10 ideas
Pick one that fits your brand
How each idea is laid out
Best for
The product categories it suits.
What it is
What goes in the box.
Why they keep it
The reason it survives the unboxing.
Brand it
How to add your brand without making it look like an ad.
Rough cost per box: $ under $2 · $$ $2–6 · $$$ $6+. Prices vary a lot by supplier, quantity and country.
Not sure where to start?
Smallest budget
03 Sticker Sheet or 04 Pin-Up Card. Under $2 a box and filmed in almost every unboxing.
Creator boxes
10 Personalised Piece or 06 Plushie. The most personal, so the most likely to be filmed.
Repeat customers
09 Collectible Series or 01 Reusable Pouch. Reasons to come back and to show it off.
The Reusable Pouch
Packaging that becomes their makeup bag.
- Best for
- Beauty, skincare, accessories, small electronics
- What it is
- A zip pouch that holds the order, in your colour, sturdy enough to use daily
- Why they keep it
- It solves a problem they already have: something to carry small things in
- Brand it
- Logo small and clean on one side. Make the colour do the work.
Proven: Glossier's pink pouch, above.
The Tote Bag
A bag they'll carry to the shops for years.
- Best for
- Fashion, food, books, home goods, any brand with a fanbase
- What it is
- A cotton or canvas tote in place of a mailer bag, or folded inside the box
- Why they keep it
- Totes get used weekly and show up in outfit and haul videos
- Brand it
- One short line or a small logo. A tote that looks like merch gets left at home.
The Sticker Sheet
Cheap to print, filmed in almost every unboxing.
- Best for
- Every brand, especially beauty, stationery, snacks and tech
- What it is
- A sheet of 8–12 stickers: your logo, product doodles and in-jokes from your community
- Why they keep it
- They end up on laptops, phone cases and water bottles: free placement everywhere
- Brand it
- Mix one logo sticker with fun ones people actually want to stick on things.
The Pin-Up Card
A card too nice to bin.
- Best for
- Any brand, best for art-led, wellness and stationery brands
- What it is
- A thick postcard or mini art print with an illustration or a quote, plus a short note on the back
- Why they keep it
- People pin it to a mood board, mirror or fridge, where it stays for months
- Brand it
- Put the brand on the back. Keep the front pure art.
The Box That Becomes Storage
The shipper is the keepsake.
- Best for
- Skincare, jewellery, candles, tea, gifts
- What it is
- A rigid box with a lid or drawer, printed inside, sized to hold small things after the order is used
- Why they keep it
- A good box gets reused for jewellery, cables or letters instead of recycled
- Brand it
- Print the inside lid: a pattern or a line that greets them every time they open it.
The Plushie or Mascot
A character they'll name and keep on the bed.
- Best for
- Beauty, snacks, kids, any brand with a mascot or a fun product shape
- What it is
- A small plushie or figure shaped like your product or mascot, with a zip or pocket for the products
- Why they keep it
- Toys feel too personal to throw away, and they get filmed again and again
- Brand it
- Make it look like the product. A plushie of your bottle is instantly your brand.
Proven: Joyun's boba plushie PR box, filmed in 19 creator Reels.
The Scrunchie or Headband
Wearable, and seen in every routine video.
- Best for
- Skincare, haircare, beauty, wellness
- What it is
- A spa headband, scrunchie or hair clip in your brand colour
- Why they keep it
- It goes on before every skincare routine, often on camera
- Brand it
- A small woven tag or embroidered logo. Pick a colour people want to wear.
Seen in: Joyun's PR box included a branded spa headband.
The Useful Little Object
A tiny tool they'll use every day.
- Best for
- Beauty, tech, coffee, stationery
- What it is
- A pocket mirror, bag clip, phone grip, measuring spoon or keychain that fits your category
- Why they keep it
- It earns a spot in their bag. Every use is a quiet reminder of you.
- Brand it
- Give it a fun shape. A plain branded mirror is forgettable; a novelty one gets posted.
Proven: one creator's Reel of Glossier's laptop-shaped mirror passed 1.6M views.
The Collectible Series
One piece per order. They'll want the set.
- Best for
- Brands with repeat customers: coffee, snacks, skincare refills, clothing drops
- What it is
- A numbered card, pin or charm that changes with each order or season
- Why they keep it
- Collecting turns one order into a reason to order again, and to show the full set
- Brand it
- Number each piece ("3 of 8") and show the full set on a card so they know what's missing.
The Personalised Piece
Their name on it. Impossible to throw away.
- Best for
- Creator gifting, VIP customers, launches
- What it is
- A name tag, keychain, cup or card printed or hand-written with the creator's name
- Why they keep it
- Nobody bins something with their own name on it, and it's the first thing they show
- Brand it
- Hand-write it if you can. Imperfect and personal beats printed and perfect.
Real examples
See it done for real
Real brands and creators, on camera. Tap a video to watch it here.
Before you order 500
The keep test
0 of 7 done
