​If you’re new to the concept, a media kit box (also known as a press kit box) is a gift box with your businesses' product(s) and product information, which is sent to an individual in a company, a social media influencer or a reporter, as an advertising vehicle to showcase your new (or existing) product in a way that can create excitement for the receiver, and of course get you product physically into people’s hands who will then help promote it for you, to your target market.

If that sounds confusing, here's another way to explain it: lets say you are a business owner who makes and sells lipsticks. You are bringing out a new line of lipsticks and you want to get them into the hands of your favourite influencers on Instagram who have thousands of genuine engaged followers who are your target market, AND you want specific shops to stock them, because you have identified that your target market frequent these shops (either physically and online). You also want a free write up in the magazine / newspaper or online blog that your target market reads. In other words you want to get your new lipsticks noticed by your target market, with the end goal of gaining sales. 

You know that sending a friendly but professional email won’t cut it. You know that once people get their hands on your beautiful lipsticks they will rave about them, stock them or write glowingly about them. This is where media kit gift boxes come in. You CAN get your products into the hands of the people you have targeted.

But, remember everyone has the same idea. So you need to stand out. This is where you need to get creative. You need to think about:

1. how you can catch the eye of this buyer, reporter or influencer in the first place to actually OPEN your media kit
2. think about the unboxing experience - how can you make it memorable and exciting 
3. and of course you'll need to think about how the product and information is displayed in the box

Here are the steps you need to take when creating your amazing media kit box:

1. Decide on the purpose of the media kit. What exactly do you want the media kit to communicate?
2. Design of the box / box shape. This is where you can let your imagination run wild. Try to think of a box shape that will really stand out. Using the example above, you could have a box in the shape of a lipstick. OR if you’re a chocolatier, and want to promote your chili flavoured chocolate, you could present your chocolates in a chili shaped box. Many packaging manufacturers have design limits, so make sure you check with them before you go too far down the design tunnel to avoid disappointment with your amazing idea*
3. Ensure your product is presented beautifully in the box once the box is opened. This can be achieved in numerous ways. You can get custom made inserts to hold the product in place in the box. You an custom print the insert or if it’s a luxury product, you can have a silk or velvet overlay insert with your product nestled in the middle.
4. Graphic design / artwork on the box, including the messaging. These days people often create a hashtag around the promotion. That means if they post a picture of your box or product on social media they (may) use the promotion hashtag. This is great for keeping track of how your promotion’s going (in particular for Influencers).
5. Your Business Story and fact section if need be. This can be written on the box itself or on a separate card placed in the box. If it’s a new product that people have never used before you’ll likely need to provide a product instruction or fact sheet. If it’s your gorgeous new lipstick, then a bit of information on a postcard about how these lipsticks are superior or different, including your brand or personal story to give a personal angle to your product.
6. Provide your company’s media assets (when sending to the reporter in particular). Including photos of the product and professional, on-brand photos of you, a press release about the product you’re sending them, even links to past press releases and of course all your contact information: email, phone, socials, website. Preferably neatly in a USB, Just make sure its really easy for the receiver to quickly learn about the product and brand, and access all the photos and marketing materials they can use easily. The last thing you want is a reporter who LOVES your product but needs the story and images for a 2 hour deadline but cant get hold of you to get these on time. By the next print deadline they might have forgotten about you

Media kit boxes are a great way to promote your product and get your product in the hands of targeted people. Make sure your media kit box passes the wow test. Meaning when people see your media kit they say ‘wow’ because its so unique, interesting and beautiful.
 
*Custom Printed Bags & Boxes can work to almost any design – and can often provide the dieline template for your Graphic Designer to work off. If the design is too technical, we work with a preferred (and magnificent) Packaging Designer who can make the magic happen more often than not. We love working with brands of all sizes and industries to find the best marketing packaging solution to wow their customers.

Contact us to discuss your influencer or media kit box needs
 

If you have been tasked with organising a presentation box for your company's medical product, there are a few tips below to save you time and ensure you recieve the best experience from your packaging supplier.  

1. If you can, provide the packaging manufacturer with the product die line template so they can ensure the packaging is the correct size for the product(s) - especially if they are supplying laser cut foam inserts, or even just to ensure the box size is as accurate as possible. If you cannot provide the product dieline to the packaging supplier, lay out your product(s) on a flat surface like a table and measure around the product as close as you can. This will give an approx size guide for you to be able to obtain a rough quote. If your product is quite intricate, you will need to send it to a specialist Packaging Designer (your packaging supplier should be able to refer you to one), to get a dieline template designed - this is if you need a detailed foam insert to ensure your product sits beautifully and professionally in the box and is well protected.

2. Information: what information needs to be included on or in the packaging. You can include information that can be displayed on each side of the box, even on the inner lid and on top of the foam insert. This is a great way to provide information if the parts are quite tricky. 

3. Once you have collated all the information you need, you'll need to work with a Graphic Designer to design the layout of the text, images and logo on the box dieline template. You packaging supplier should be able to supply you with the dieline template of the box design so your Graphic Designer can pop the artwork on and send it back in the correct file format to the packaging supplier. 

4. Get a printed sample or plain prototype made before placing the bulk order. It's important that you test your products in the box / foam inserts to ensure they are a snug fit, and you're happy with the overall look, feel and design before placing a bulk order.  Any last changes can be made at this stage before the bulk order goes into production.

We hope these quick tips have helped! 

If you need a packaging supplier to assist with your medical supplies or medical product packaging needs, Custom Printed Bags and Boxes can assist clients from all over Australia and New Zealand. We custom make each order from scratch (we dont carrry any stock) and can assist with short run requests. We supply premium quality packaging and can cater to almost any design requirement.

​Contact us to discuss your packaging needs! We look forward to working with you! 

Think back to the times in your life when you wanted to purchase a product or service. You may do a bit of research online yourself, but at the same time, likely you reach out to people you know for their personal recommendations. If you spend time on social media, its likely you have found some pages and groups that are relevant to your interests (parenting style groups, vegetarian groups, refurbishing furniture groups....) - the admins of these groups could be paid or unpaid influencers. People 'know' them and trust their recommendations.

For example I've been interested in refurbishing some old fashioned furniture to make it more modern. I found a woman on Facebook who posts images of her before and after refurbishments. She does such a great job that I started to wonder what products she uses. I scrolled down to find a video of her showing her viewers the brand of paint stripper, paints, even the brand of paint brushes she uses, and the website to go to to purchase the products. As I dont have time to research the best brands, and I wouldnt even know where to start comparing and what I was needing to compare, I just jumped on the website she recommended and purchased the products I needed because I trust that she knows her stuff, and I trust that she wouldnt use or recommend bad products. 

Im not alone. In fact, 49% of consumers claim that they depend on influencer recommendations to help them decide for their next purchase (Fourcommunications, 2018). This just shows that consumers indeed trust influencers. 

If you have identified an Influencer who aligns with your brand and whose followers are your target market, you'll need to think about how to make the most out of your investment (as likely you'll have to pay them to spruik your product).

The most common way of influencers to feature or review a product is through an unboxing video posted as a vlog in Youtube, Instagram video or Instagram story. This is why marketing teams of businesses are sending out packages to influencers hoping for their products to be featured and reach more people.

Here are some tips below: 

To put it bluntly, your influencer kit should be amazing. The influencer (and their viewers) should feel excitement and satisfaction as they unbox your package. Your product should stand out. Here is the simple guide on how to make your influencer kit packaging amazing:

1. It is important that your packaging exudes uniqueness. Your packaging can be unique in terms of its shape. Take a look at this Innisfree packaging. It is a cute little house! If you have a lipstick brand, why not supply your lipstick in a lipstick shaped box? You can use your imagination! 

2. Having unique compartments where the product is placed will surely amaze influencers. It is like giving them a one-of-a-kind experience before the product is revealed. But, you have to make sure that it is not too complicated to explore as it can lead to frustration. 

Take a look at Worldwide Axcess unique packaging for Marc Jacobs Decadence. It features a unique placement of the product inside the package. It looks very elegant and luxurious.
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3. Never forget to clearly communicate your message through the packaging. It is significant that the packaging itself speaks for your brand. Since you cannot physically be there to explain about your product, let your packaging do the talking.

4. The theme of the product launch or the tagline can be introduced through a hashtag. This will help people remember your brand easily and quickly search for you. 

Worldwide Axcess packaging for Make Up For Ever “UHD” includes a hashtag on its packaging itself.​

5. You could also include uplifting little cute reminders (if that suits your brand image). This can make the influencers feel that you really take time to create personalized messages for them. You can be viewed as an authentic and thoughtful brand. 

Glossier puts a “smile always” reminder that can be read when the influencer opens the box.  
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Research shows that the visual appeal of a product is a major influence on a consumers buying decision.
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According to Color Psychology, the colour, look and feel of a product affect 93% of the buying decision of consumers. Depending on your target audience, your packaging colour can draw your audience in or chase them away. 
⁠
Specific colours, when used in your packaging, can elicit certain emotions that can influence the way
buyers perceive a product, and some particular hues can increase appetite!
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In a study on the impact of colour on marketing, researchers have found out that up to 90% of quick
judgements made about products can be based on colour alone albeit depending on the product.
But how do you pick colour hues that suits your brand, associates it to your product, and appeals to your audience?

Keep these things in mind:

Think of your audience
⁠Always keep a laser focus on your target audience. They are, after all, who will consume your products. Identify and understand their needs and motivations. What is their age, gender, economic status, education, etc? This will help you narrow down colours to a few that you think will appeal more to them.

Know your message
The packaging colour should communicate about the product and the message you want to send to your audience. For example, the colour you chose for the products packaging associates it with the composition of your product. Example, a red packaging when a product has a cherry or strawberry composition in them. Moreover, do you want them to think about the product as fun? Do you want it to appear luxurious? 

Maintain design and font consistency
The colours you choose should be cohesive with the design and font as these also send a message across to your buyers. Never go overboard as you lose out on communicating your brand’s voice. Your brand and products story should flow seamlessly through your packaging design, font, and colour.

Stick to your brand colours
Keep in mind that your audience should be able to recognise your brand no matter what the packaging or colours. Always maintain colour consistency and brand identity. Most of the influential brands have colours that they are easily recognised by—the effectiveness of colour and design consistency can be seen in consumer recall.
​
Let’s explore the infographic created by Iconic Fox to know how each colour influences emotions and purchasing decisions.

According to forbes.com, 95% of new products fail every year. While there might be a lot of
factors that contributed to this, this one is the simplest reason—most customers don’t have the time
and energy to go through every detail of each product they see on the shelves and which ones go to
their shopping carts. They use a simple solution and that solution is looking at the product’s
packaging.

Your packaging is just as important as your product. Investing in great packaging will not only lead to
customer attraction, but packaging alone can lead to increased sales.

No matter which industry you are in, chances are you have competitors. And it’s crucial to
differentiate your product from the competition.

One of the biggest struggles you may be facing as a business owner in an already crowded space of
online selling or just putting your products out there, in general, is building an image that encourages
your customers to make repeat purchases.⁠ For emerging brands, it's more important than ever to
make their name in the industry let alone get noticed by their target audience. ⁠

Most of your potential customers make their first impressions about your product and your company
based on the way your packaging is presented. Your packaging is what most of your customers see
first when interacting with your brand—they develop an image about your brand which contributes to your overall branding and this will play an essential part in your business since this can mean your
brand will get noticed and recognised easily for their next purchase.
⁠
Did you know that 61% of online shoppers say that branded, gift-like packaging makes the brand
seem more upscale, and 38% of online shoppers say that premium packaging gets them more
excited about opening a package.⁠ (Source: mytotalretail.com).  

A well-designed customised packaging goes beyond just about it looking aesthetically pleasing for
your customers, but your product’s packaging actually motivates your customers to take specific
actions such as share their experience with the brand through recommendation or even a repeat
purchase.⁠

Needless to say, good packaging in and of itself is a great marketing tool for your brand. People who enjoyed their purchase will naturally recommend it and word of mouth is a fantastic way of getting your brand name across the market.⁠

Packaging, when done correctly and creatively, is ultimately what sells your product. It's more than
just putting your logo on a package. It draws attention, sends a message through the essential
information you put in your packaging, and ultimately, makes consumers feel a certain way.
⁠
For some businesses, packaging is an investment, not a cost. More and more businesses, whether big or small, are using premium quality custom packaging as one of their marketing vehicles as it plays a big impact on their sales.

Your product packaging goes just beyond colors and branding. You may even agree when we say
that the total value of your product cannot be determined by its packaging. However, most often than not, your packaging can be your only chance of winning over a customer.
​

Custom Printed Bags and Boxes specialies in supplying premium quality custom printed paper bags and boxes including product packaging. We custom make each order from scratch, and can supply unique product packaging designs Australia and New Zealand wide. 

Contact us to discuss how we can assist you with your bespoke product packaging needs! 

​A Media kit tells your target market, prospective collaborators and influencers everything they need to know about your brand.  It is a first impression, which means your media kit should standout.
 
For anyone trying to build a brand, media kits are essential. They are a marketing tool that can help you reach out to clients, showcase your work, and ask for collaborations with influencers.
 
Think of a media kit as your resume – highlight your offerings.
 
A Media Kit is a great opportunity to reflect your personal brand and demonstrate your professionalism. As an establised business you should have already decided on your personal brand style guide – fonts, colours, logos, visuals – so remember to keep any marketing mateials going into your media kit clean and consistent. Create a media kit that resonates your brand.

What to consider in creating your media kit?
 
Your media kit can be a written document or “Think Outside the Box”. Everybody loves to receive a gift. Why not send a media kit presentation box to your prospective target market, collaborators and influencers. Have them try your product first hand.
 
But the gift alone may not sell your pitch or tell your story. That’s why it is important to put it in context and make the connection.
 
Here are some of the things that you need to remember when crafting a media kit presentation box:
 

• Clear Strategy – know why you are doing this and what you want to get from it. Set a goal and define what you want. Eg do you want brand awareness, people to engage with your brand on social media, increase sales, introduce yourself or launch a product?  A Media kit presentation box is effective if your goal is to engage and build your customer trust.

 

• Budget – given that the products you are sending have a significant value, but you are likely to need to double this per box to allow for treats, packaging and posting. It is essential that every element reflects your brand, so spending a little bit more will be worth it, and will help you to get noticed.

 

• Packaging – your product's unique selling proposition is one thing, but your media kit presentation box needs to be eye-catching and unique. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, have fun, and get creative in your thinking. For example you can theme your box with an event that is coming on -- a Christmas tree shaped box for Christmas or a lipstick shaped box for a new lipstick launch....

 
Your packaging should reflect your brand. It should have the right look and feel as per your brand image as discussed briefly above. If you are in the cosmetics industry and you have a luxury brand, you might want to try glossy finish, metallic inks, full colour print or coloured spot UV to highlight certain graphics. 
 

• Timing –  timing is everything. If you've got a product launch coming up, make sure you organise and develop your media kit presentation box at least 3 months in advance to ensure you get your kits out as part of the overall marketing campaign. You need to remember you need time to develop the overall concept, decide on the goals, get the copywriting right, work with your graphic designer to get the design right, get a sample box manufactured to ensure your products fit as they should and ensure you have time to make small adjustments if need be, then of course take into consideration the time for your bulk box order to arrive - which could take a month. 

Pitfalls and what NOT do
 
Media kit product boxes are used to catch the eyes of your audience so you want to make sure that you media kit will be remembered. Put your best foot forward.
 
You want to make sure you DON’T do the following:
 ​Don’t be generic – be unique and create a remarkable presentation that will be difficult for your competitors to copy. Stand out, be visible. By having qualities that lets your audience know that you are the star in your industry.

If you've been tasked with creating a media kit and require media kit presentation boxes / packaging, Custom Printed Bags and Boxes specialises in supplying (manufacturing) media kit presentation packaging to your unique size, style and print requirements. We offer low minimums. Please contact us to discuss your unique needs and we'll work with you to create a premium quality, stand out media kit box! 

Some examples of media kits / product launch boxes that we have supplied are in the gallery below:

Product launches can either make or break you. Your goal should be to leave a remarkable impression to your customers. Here are ways to level up your marketing campaigns with smart promotional packaging ideas.

1 . Think outside the box
Attention- grabbing packaging ideas can grab your target market’s attention. One of a kind promotional packaging will make you stand out in your niche. Remember, packaging equals branding. The way you present your VIP boxes and  media kits speaks about your creativity.

​Try to come up with something that will surprise and delight your customers. It’s time to pump up your creative juices. Try to think of innovative and quirky promotional packaging ideas for product
launches, conferences and events.

What about packaging in the shape of your product?

​2. Aesthetics is the key
Presentation is very important.  The best way to get nods is through an eye-popping visual. This will create a connection between you and your target market. They may even keep the custom boxes instead of discarding it. It leaves a mark knowing that you aren’t just into a quick-sell strategy, but you want to really make them feel special.

Also, think personalized--- boxes with your company logo or name of the event printed are great ways of promoting your brand.

3. Invest in quality
You have to think of it as your only shot to impress your ideal customers.Premium quality promotional packaging does not only convey your company’s worth but also adds value to your customers. The right color choice can make your packaging look elegant and expensive.

Play with hues like gold, silver, or metallic for premium- looking boxes. Memorable, unique packaging could be your way of getting organic leads.

​For example, attendees could post pictures of your event including your media kits on their social media accounts. That can be a great start to building brand awareness.

Too often, few businesses still view packaging as an afterthought or an expense rather than an investment. But here’s the truth: packaging can make or break sales. If you’re not convinced, a survey done by IPSOS unveils that 7 out of 10 consumers agree that packaging design can convince their purchasing decisions. So, if you’re wondering why consumers may choose one product over the other?

The answer may just be as simple—and it’s in the product’s packaging.

Packaging is the first interaction that your potential customers can have with your product—it sets the tone of the entire buyer-seller relationship, it showcases your brand, it tells a story and it gives your brand a unique identity. 

How To Use Packaging As a Marketing Tool:
Product packaging can serve as a useful marketing tool. Here are ways packaging can be an essential tool for marketing.

1. Repurpose your packaging
Innovative design is one of utmost importance in marketing. More and more businesses are coming up with clever ways to repurpose their packaging to inject an added value. A lot of consumers look at
packaging beyond its main purpose. Sometimes, you can draw in more interest if your packaging can be reused or repurposed to fulfill a different interest. You can design your packaging to serve another
purpose (e.g. packaging where it can be cut out and converted into toys, packaging that can be
converted into pop-up pictures, etc.) Your options are endless on this one.

2. Prize/Reward Promotion
One of the best ways to grab the attention of your potential customers is through marketing promotions involving prizes. There are endless of ways you can incorporate a prize or reward scheme into your packaging to stir the interest and grab the attention of your potential customers. Aside from the fact that consumers love personalised rewards and/or incentives, rewards can also accelerate brand loyalty. In addition to providing relevant information on your packaging, some companies offer customers the chance to win mouthwatering attractive and hard-to-resist prizes. To do this, Ideally, you should choose a prize that perfectly matches your goals and your customers' needs or wants.

3. Print Valuable Information
Consider your packaging as your salesperson. When your product is sitting among varieties of other
products in the aisle, the information you put in its packaging will differentiate you among all the other brands out there. Use the information you put on to your advantage. First and foremost, make sure the information is detailed and appealing enough to attract your target market. 

Consider the needs of your customers when crafting and deciding on the information you’ll put on your packaging. Your product packaging design, tone, etc should resonate with your customers’ needs. Some businesses may even take advantage of big upcoming events/holidays by printing information related to it or decorating in the seasonal colours or images.

All the above marketing strategies will come in handy when planning for your next product’s packaging. So make sure to keep this in mind as they are the pillars of a great packaging. Don’t be afraid to have fun and craft your packaging backed by what you know most about your ideal audience.


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Custom Printed Bags & Boxes can assist you with your bag or box needs, by supplying fully customised bags and boxes (to almost any colour, size or design) you require for your business or special event, Australia or New Zealand wide.

Please note: we are not a wholesale supplier. We specialise in custom-making for specialty projects, therefore we do not have wholesale pricing (especially for short runs). If you have a budget we will work with you to supply the best option for your budget. 

We can assist with bespoke branded media kit boxes, influencer boxes, handover boxes, settlement boxes, product packaging, gift boxes, VIP boxes, branded paper event bags, conference bags, gift bags, retail bags with logo printed in particular.

Contact us to discuss your bespoke printed paper bag or box needs. We look forward to working with you!​

2020 is set to be an excellent year poised to surprise all of us with the most creative packaging trends in recent memory. Whimsical fonts, cheery colors, sleek illustrations that are reflective of a brand are all coming together to craft a product packaging that will break through the clutter of the competition.

Brands face more competition than ever and your product packaging plays an increasingly important role in determining the success of your product by ending in a shopping cart of customers.
​
We have curated the packaging trends that will pace in the market that will prepare you for a strong sprint for the year ahead:
​

1. Packaging that tells a story

People are drawn to good stories. Storytelling plays a part in successful marketing and packaging is no different; it can speak volumes with no words at all.
Consumers are creatures of habit. They buy and reach out for the same products they know and are familiar with—often with barely any conscious thought process. By choosing to level up your packaging and use it to tell your brand story, it weaves a story in the mind of your consumers which in result, your brand instantly feels more relatable—and this enhances customer experience. 

2. Heavily detailed packaging

Simplicity is a trend that’s been around for almost a decade and lasted. And while minimalism will always have a part to play in the packaging world, maximalism is a trend that features a more attention-grabbing, intense colors, full of details, and beautiful graphics kind of packaging.

​As consumers are slowly turning to be more drawn to packaging that reflects opulence and luxury, it’s not a surprise that this trend is one among that will dominate the retail space for the year ahead.
More brands will develop their packaging that communicates a luxury experience that focuses on over-the-top embellishments, richer color palettes, and more prominent patterns.  

3. Sustainability and environment-friendly packaging

Last but definitely not the least, sustainable packaging is the trend we should all be embracing. Safe to say that sustainable materials will be the cornerstone of future packaging and far-sighted business owners are sure to jump on this train the earliest possible opportunity to ensure their competitiveness.

Driven by the fact that consumers are more willing to pay for more eco-friendly and recyclable products, customers are becoming more empowered and aware in their choice between single-use plastic packaging and ecologically aware packaging.

From this year ahead, as growing number of consumers are actively and consciously supporting social or environmental issues, expect to see more brands switch and make responsible choices when it comes to choosing packaging materials.

Now that you know the packaging trends that will dominate the world for the year ahead, all that’s left for you to do is embrace them—and use them to take your product packaging to new heights this 2020.

Custom Printed Bags and Boxes specialises in supplying premium quality bag and boxes within Australia and New Zealand. Contact us here to discuss your bespoke paper bag or packaging needs