Mailers Are Having a Main Character Crisis

Once upon a time, watching someone unwrap an over-the-top PR package on YouTube was peak escapism. The drama! The luxury! The pile of tissue paper and tiny serums! If you were part of the late 2010s beauty internet, you know the vibe.

But the culture has shifted. And it’s not just because we’ve aged out of obsessively watching strangers open cardboard boxes.

Gifting isn’t new—it’s a core tactic for building buzz, getting products into the hands of creators, and hoping they shout it out to their followers. But the golden rule of gifting in 2025? Read the room. Because today’s audiences are harder to impress, quick to call out waste, and living through an affordability crisis where excess doesn’t hit like it used to.

Some brands are catching the vibe. Take Meta’s PR drop for the Jane Fonda VR workout series on Quest Supernatural—equal parts nostalgia, novelty, and function. Recipients got Fonda-inspired workout sets (yes, leg warmers included), sweatbands, and QR codes to demo the immersive fitness experience. Cheeky? Yes. Thoughtful? Absolutely. And it made sense—Fonda is iconic, the mailer was recyclable, and the whole thing sparked organic content that felt fun, not forced.

So what’s the move for brands in 2025?

Here’s how to get PR mailers right (without getting ratioed):

• Ask first. Seriously. Check that creators want what you’re sending. Bonus points if you let them opt into specific product categories.

• Make packaging work harder. Reusables are a start—coolers, tech organizers, lunch bags—but what about seeded paper, compostable fillers, or repurposed materials from past launches?

• Design with a second life in mind. Not every influencer wants 14 shades of the same lip tint. Include a prepaid label or direct path for donation so excess doesn’t end up in a landfill (or on r/BeautyPRFails).

• Lean into cultural relevance. A good mailer feels like a moment, not just a box. Tap into nostalgia, seasonal rituals, or cultural icons—just like Meta did with Jane.

• People still love a good unboxing. We’re just in an era where intention matters more than impression. The brands that win will be the ones that can deliver both.