How To Make PR Mailers & Influencer Gifts That Get Noticed
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Time to read 4 min
This is your sign to stop sending mediocre PR mailers.
You’ve seen them. The cinematic unboxings. The glowing Instagram Stories. The coveted front-row seat to your brand’s vibe. Great PR mailers aren't just boxes of stuff—they're your brand’s personality, values, and story landing in someone’s hands (and hopefully, on their social channels).
But let’s be real: most PR mailers are forgettable. Too many brands still treat them like a last-minute afterthought. Toss in some product, slap a sticker on a box, and pray for a tag? That’s not a strategy—it’s a waste (of your money and their time).
Whether you’re sending editor kits, influencer gifts, or buzz-worthy seeding boxes, here’s how to make sure your PR mailers actually do their job: getting attention, getting shared, and getting remembered.
83% of people report feeling closer to a brand after receiving a thoughtful gift.
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1. Make the unboxing experience count
The number one mistake brands make with PR mailers? Skimping on the presentation. Remember: if it's not designed to make someone pause mid-scroll, it’s not doing enough.
PR mailer and influencer gifts live or die by the unboxing moment. If your PR mailers don’t make someone pause mid-scroll—or reach for their phone to hit record—you’ve missed a huge opportunity. Smart packaging is one of the most effective ways to get your PR mailers noticed, shared, and remembered.
Here's how to do it:
• Brand from the outside in
Start with a custom shipping box or mailer envelope that reflects your visual identity. Even small details like branded packing tape or a bold exterior color instantly builds excitement that carries through the whole unboxing moment.
• Keep branding cohesive throughout
From the outer box to the tissue paper, every layer of your PR mailers should feel intentional and on-brand. Use your brand colors, fonts, and tone in everything—labels, stickers, insert cards, gift boxes, pouches, etc. Cohesive design builds trust and elevates your products before they've even been touched.
• Invest in thoughtful presentation
Custom inserts, unique box structures, and specialty finishes (like foil, embossing, or magnetic closures) all elevate the perceived value of your PR mailers. But even if you're branding on a budget, even basic packaging can go a long way if it's well designed. It doesn’t need to be fancy—it needs to feel considered.
• Make it social-ready
Influencer mailers are made to be shared—so build with that in mind. The more photogenic and story-driven your unboxing is, the more likely it’ll show up on someone’s feed.
2. Personalization = performance.
It's simple: the more personalized your PR mailers, the better their performance. This doesn’t have to mean including a hand-written letter in each box (although that would be amazing). Even a well-written insert that speaks directly to the recipient—by name, interest, or niche—makes your PR mailers feel human. Influencer gifts don’t perform well when they feel mass-produced. Make it feel like a one-on-one connection, not a press blast.
3. Be clear about the why
PR mailers should always have a purpose—and that purpose needs to be obvious to the recipient.
If you're launching a new product, make sure its features and benefits are front and center, not buried under filler. If you're highlighting a seasonal refresh (say, your cult-favorite skincare line just dropped in travel sizes or limited-edition packaging), design the mailer so that update is unmistakable.
And remember: not all PR mailers need to push a physical product.
One of our clients, the email software company Flodesk, sent PR mailers to brand ambassadors filled with productivity tools like a sleek notebook and artisan coffee—to reinforce the feeling of using their email platform: calm, creative, and focused. Read more about Flodesk's project here.
Another client client, an AI platform for accountants and fractional CEOs, sent ultra-luxurious branded robes to early adopters—paired with messaging that their product saved users so much time, they could finally afford to lounge.
Whatever the message of your PR mailers, don’t assume the recipient will connect the dots on their own—make the takeaway as clear as the design.
Vera early adopter PR mailers
4. Make it easy to share
Great content creators don’t just need good products—they need a story to tell. Make sure your PR mailers have a campaign name, hashtag, QR code, or suggested prompt (“We’d love to see your take on X!”) to help them create. A little structure goes a long way when you're fighting for screen time.
5. Think beyond the product(s)
Yes, you want them to try the thing. But what else makes it memorable? Can you pair your beauty launch with a satin hair wrap? Your cookbook with a gorgeous branded spatula? These small add-ons elevate your PR mailers from "free stuff" to thoughtful gifts.
And of course, whatever you're promoting might not be a physical product at all. It might be a service, new software, or — in the case of our client Boxwood Hospitality — a place.
To promote their partnership with Walden Resorts, Boxwood sent wedding planners PR mailers that brought the venue’s rustic charm to life. The boxes featured full-color photos of the property and included a branded camp mug, pour-over coffee, and a campfire-scented candle—plus a Boxwood business card and an insert about the resort.
The result? Boxwood told us they'd never gotten so much amazing feedback from their list of highly sought-after (and much marketed-to) wedding planners. They got a ton of earned media thanks to a bevy of social media posts about the beautiful boxes.
Boxwood Hospitality PR mailers
6. Timing is everything
Your PR mailers should land early enough for recipients to try your product and prep content before your big campaign launch. Bonus points if it aligns with relevant events—award season, summer travel, back-to-school, etc.
7. Don't forget the follow-up
Just because it landed doesn’t mean they’ll post. Following up PR mailers and influencer gifts with a friendly, non-pushy check-in (“Hope it landed safely—let us know if you need any assets or info!”) can make a big difference. Make it easy to say yes.
Whether you’re wooing editors or creators, PR mailers are about more than just gifting. They're a brand-building, content-driving, relationship-deepening tool—when they’re done right.
YouTube influencer mailers (click for full case study)