Okay so you know those YouTube videos where a creator is sitting on her bedroom floor surrounded by pink tissue paper, opening box after box after box from brands you’d literally die to work with??
SOME of those boxes didn’t just show up. A HUGE brand reached out for a collab and she agreed to include it in her weekly unboxing on youtube!
And honestly? Iconic. Because if you’re trying to grow on YouTube before you’re monetized, this is the #1 strategy I’d give you, bestie. PR unboxings. Let’s gooo!!
Why YouTube, why NOW
YouTube is the platform you can charge brands the MOST for. Like it’s not even close!! A reel is basically old news after 48 hours. A YouTube video sits in search for YEARS, and brands pay for that shelf life.
And the timing is so good right now. Ad money spikes in November and December (holiday campaigns, girl), then January comes and RPM (what you actually earn per 1,000 views) drops 30 to 50% in almost every niche. The creators who win the next wave are the ones who already have a library of videos sitting there when the money shows up.
So build the library NOW, before you’re monetized, and every single video is already working for you the day you are!!
Why PR unboxings work so well
Three reasons and they’re all kind of genius.
People search for them!! “PR unboxing” and “PR haul” are things people literally type into YouTube. Search is how small channels get found, because a search result doesn’t care that you have 200 subscribers.
You look like the girl brands are obsessed with. Viewers see box after box from big brands landing at your door and assume brands are lining up for you. And guess what? So do other brands!!
It becomes proof. Once you’ve done a gifted collab with a brand people recognize, it goes on your media kit. When a brand is deciding if you’re a safe bet, they look at who already trusted you.
Meet the queen: Adelaine Morin
Watch Adelaine’s Youtube Channel Here
If you want to see this done at the highest level, go binge Adelaine Morin. She’s THE queen of luxury unboxings and hauls. Her whole channel is basically a masterclass in this format.
But don’t copy her. Brand hijack her!!
Okay so here’s what I mean. Watch her unboxings with your notes app open and write down every single brand that shows up. Every one of those brands already told you three things: they have a gifting budget, they send product to YouTube creators, and they love this exact format.
Congrats bestie, that’s your list!!
The sneaky part (and the not sneaky part)
So here’s what a lot of creators are quietly doing. They request a gifted collab, the brand ships it, and they unbox it like it just magically appeared on the doorstep. Viewers assume it’s PR rolling in and nobody asks how it got there. Sneaky? A little. Smart? Very!!
The ONE thing you never skip: saying it’s gifted. Out loud in the video AND in the description. The FTC requires it, so it’s not optional, babe.
But here’s the best part. “This was gifted” or “Thank you [brand]” doesn’t tell anyone whether you asked for it!! That part stays between you and the brand. 🤫
Adelaine will also include things she actually orders and pays for herself. AND sometimes you’ll hear her say “I selected x, y and z”. That’s code for gifted brand deal.
How to ask for a gifted collab
Pick 10 brands from your hijack list. Mix a couple dream brands with a few smaller brands who are hungry for content (they say yes faster!!).
Find the door. Scroll to the bottom of the brand’s website and look for “Press,” “Collaborate,” or an influencer program. A ton of big brands have a creator application form, so you don’t even need an email!!
Keep it short and cute. Who you are, the video it’ll be featured in, and who watches you. You’re asking for product, not money, so it’s an easy yes for them.
Stack 3 to 5 brands per video. Title it the way people search: “PR Unboxing: [Brand], [Brand] + [Brand].” More brands = more searches you show up in!!
Send them the link. When the video goes live, email the brand the link with a cute thank you. That little email? It’s the start of the PAID conversation. 👀
Then it goes on your media kit!!
Every brand you unbox goes on your media kit under “Brands I’ve worked with.” And yes, gifted counts!!
Which brings me to my question for you...
Spoiler: it should be!! When a brand finds your channel at 2pm on a random Tuesday, your stats and the brands you’ve worked with should be ONE click away. Not stuck in a DM they’ll forget about by Thursday.
So go open your notes app, start that hijack list, and build your library before the money shows up. Future you (with a closet full of PR and a media kit that slaps) is gonna be SO thankful!!
x, Brielle
PS. Brand deal camp starts in ONE WEEK! And if you’re not already on the waitlist girl what are you doing hop on now! www.branddealcamp.com!