Why Are People Watching Unboxing Videos?

1. Identify your tentative “underappreciated” genre (or subgenre)
Kid Toy Unboxing Videos
2. What is interesting to you about this genre? Or, why might it be significant or otherwise worth paying attention to?
Since its conception under the YouTube platform, the amount of views and revenue accrued from these videos conceptualizes the relationship between content creators and a viable audience that hasn’t been realized.
3. Tentatively, define/describe your corpus (collection of texts/examples)
From collective research on YouTube, and a cursive search through the internet for reputable reviews and analyses of this genre and its growing influence over an incumbent generation of toddlers and adolescents, its not going anywhere. They describe children and/or the family being filmed while they are experiencing unopened toys and/or kids’ related products. Whether it’s the participants finding the products more than intellectually stimulating or rudimentary in its concept, it’s the experience of these individuals that relates to its audience who may not be able to experience these commodities.
4. Provide links (and/or titles) of five samples. (Try to gather samples from more than one “place” [or type] in order to obtain a diverse and accurate representation of the genre. For now, choose samples without significant deviations).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zf6blVaP_k

Describe the Context

1. Setting: Where (in what context or medium) does the genre appear? How and when is it used? With what other genres does this genre interact? How?
This genre appears in a video format specifically because of its apparent purpose and execution in showcasing the effectiveness/fulfillment of the kids/family product being shown in the video. This genre meets written toy reviews due to the videos eliciting specific reactions from the audience due to the perception of the reviewers and the level of bias and authenticity showcased through the edited product released on the content creator’s respective channels.
2. Subject: What topics, issues, ideas, etc. are common to this genre? When people use this genre, what are they communicating about?
Depending on the product, whether it be a small car that can be driven in or an action figure from the most popular children’s tv show, branding and marketing are explicitly and implicitly shown throughout these videos. The effectiveness of the toy in its ability to relate with the child in their fantasies and interests plays a big part in these video unboxings. While it may not be pertinent to the child for the product to have substance for them, a parent reviewing and unboxing in a video would discuss the impact the toy has in its longevity and positive influence. The issues that come up with these product unboxings in the editing and seemingly forced scenarios of children “enjoying” products. In the media culture of today, audiences find it necessary for the creator and by proxy, their content, be authentic.
3. Writers: Who writes the texts in this genre? Are multiple writers possible? What roles do they perform? What characteristics must writers of this genre possess? Under what circumstances do writers write the genre (e.g., in teams, on a computer, in a rush, for their profession? for fun?)?
I believe this genre wouldn’t find as much success through writing, although I couldn’t say that it’s an impossibility. I think that with the access permitted through cameras visualizing lives outside of our own, watching people experiences a toy that costs hundreds of dollars allow for a measure of fun and pressure for the child(ren) and their parents, respectively. This genre doesn’t necessitate a calculated hand in capturing the best moments that relays the emotions that wants to be conveyed by the editor(s) who may, and sometimes are, the parents/hosts alongside their child(ren).
Readers: Who reads the texts in this genre? Is there more than one type of reader for this genre? What roles do they perform? What characteristics must readers of this genre possess? Under what circumstances do readers read the genre (e.g., at their leisure, on the run, in waiting rooms)?
Again, working with the medium that this genre is situated in, the audience/reader for these kid toys unboxing videos are mainly children who are looking for toys that they may or may not already possess. Regarding my last comment, it is the authentic experience of others in this digital age that impresses people, for better or worse. It is at their leisure to consume this content, and with the anonymity of the internet that doesn’t require your government information to gain access to these videos, the true representation of this audience remains to be seen. It can be generally assumed to children who express interest in new toys or parents who want to have some measure of existing knowledge about a product they may consider spending their money on.
4. Exigency/Purpose(s): Why do writers write this genre, and why do readers read it? What purposes does the genre fulfill for the people who use it?
It is a form of life fulfillment for the audience/reader in one way or another. Through this form of consumption, life experiences are being commodified. The views that are being accrued translates into ad revenue, while children halfway across the world view Play-Doh being unboxed in its new packaging. While the consensus is out there—that the execution if these videos remains in a place of childish excitement and fulfillment—this form of media consumerism allots millions of dollars to children by the time theyre seven. It moves beyond a child’s experience and shifts into new territory.