🔥 What Marketers can steal from Labubu…

How Labubu Became The Hottest Toy of The Year

For Marketers, TikTok is 1 of the most powerful research tools in the world.

You don’t need a research firm.

You just need For You Page.

And lately my FYP has been overrun by 1 gremlin-looking, snaggle-toothed little toy.

Labubu.

It’s not cute. It’s not cuddly.

But that’s kind of the point.

So how did a weird little vinyl toy become the It Girl of collectibles?

Let’s break it down:

So what exactly is a Labubu?

Labubu is a designer toy from the Pop Mart universe, a collectible brand out of China.

Pop Mart launched in 2010, but really found its stride in the late 2010s when it leaned into limited-edition collabs, vending machines, and online hype.

Out of all their works, Labubu is their most popular product line BY FAR. 

It was created by artist Kasing Lung, who describes Labubu as a mischievous forest spirit.

Suffice to say, they nailed the look.

They come in dozens of outfits and themes like pirate Labubu, bunny Labubu, vampire Labubu.

But here’s the thing: You can’t just go to the store and buy a pirate, bunny, or a vampire Labubu.

They come in blind boxes.

You don’t know which 1 you’re getting until you open it.

It’s like Pokémon cards meets Supreme drops.

And it’s taken the internet by STORM.

In just the last 2 years, Pop Mart’s numbers have SOARED with them already doubling 2024’s revenue numbers.  

So how do you unlock that type of hyperbolic growth?

4 steps…

1️⃣. Keep Them Blind.

Blind boxes are the biggest unlock in Labubu’s explosive growth.

By not letting people know what they’re getting, it turns every purchase into a gamble and every unboxing into a moment.

It hits the same dopamine loop as pulling a slot machine or scratching a lotto ticket.

Anything could be in the box.

A rare pull. A secret edition.

You’re not just buying.

YOU’RE PLAYING.

And when the stakes are fun and social?

People don’t just buy 1. They buy 5.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE Embrace randomness. I’ve talked to countless ecom founders who were able to move their excess inventory by introducing a mystery box SKU. (And it’s worked on me more times than I’d like to admit). People love a gamble as long as the stakes are low and the surprise feels worth it. Here’s your homework: Launch a mystery bundle, track the AOV lift, and encourage unboxings (and repost the best 1’s!!) Randomness isn’t chaos, it’s a growth lever.

But it also unlocks an interesting consumer behavior…

2️⃣. Unboxing Leads to More Boxes Sold.

The first time I heard about Labubu was through a TikTok unboxing video.

Seeing the consumer’s excitement and joy, hit harder than anything I had seen that day. 

And that moment sells.

Because unboxing isn’t the end of the journey but rather the start of someone else’s.

You see the excitement.You feel the FOMO.

Next thing you know, you’re clicking “add to cart” (more on that in a second).

That loop is TIKTOK GOLD.

It’s word of mouth at scale, driven by dopamine, and wrapped in cute (creepy?) vinyl.

Speaking of creepy…

3️⃣. LET’S GET WEIRD!!!

There’s no way to get around this.

These things are WEIRD…

But in the best way possible.

I get the appeal of Hello Kitty, Pokemon, and Beanie Babies (will never forgive my mom for throwing mine out).

But I don’t get this, and I think that’s the point.

Labubu isn’t designed to be universally loved.

It’s designed to stand out, spark obsession, and make people feel something.

Even if that something is mild horror.

In a world of copy-paste aesthetics, being a little freak goes a long way.

Normal is forgettable.

Weird is viral.

Speaking of normal…

4️⃣. You Can’t Buy These Like Normal. 

No Amazon 2-day shipping.

No “add to cart” and move on with your life.

Labubus drops RANDOMLY.

They’re sold in limited runs.

Some are only available in vending machines, some only in Asia, and some you even have to trade for.

It’s intentionally inconvenient.

Which makes it feel exclusive.

The friction is the feature.

Because when something’s hard to get, it becomes easier to want.

You don’t just buy Labubu.

You hunt for it.

MARKETING CHEAT SHEET (WHAT TO LEARN FROM THIS STORY):

1️⃣. Planned Randomness is a Growth Lever: Labubu took off because of blind boxes. You don’t know which 1 you’re getting until you open it. That surprise triggers dopamine. Every purchase feels like a game, not a transaction. It’s why people buy five at a time and film the reveal. The unboxing IS the experience. Ecom founders are already borrowing the playbook. Mystery bundles move slow inventory, lift AOV, and fuel user content. Randomness done right isn’t risky. It’s a growth strategy.

2️⃣. The Unboxing Is the Funnel: Labubu didn’t go viral from ads. It went viral from TikTok unboxings. Someone opens a box. Reacts with shock or joy. That moment becomes content. That content drives FOMO. The loop writes itself: Joy leads to curiosity. Curiosity leads to cart. Smart brands optimize for that. They make packaging worth filming. They showcase top reactions. They turn every customer into a creator. If your product isn’t built for the camera, it’s not built for modern Marketing.

3️⃣. Weird Wins: Labubu is weird. That’s the whole appeal. It’s not trying to be universally liked. It’s trying to be unforgettable. In a sea of copy-paste brands, standing out matters more than fitting in. Labubu sparks obsession because it’s different. That difference creates community. Mass appeal is overrated. You don’t need everyone. You need a fanbase that cares. Don’t be afraid to get weird. That’s where the brand magic happens.

4️⃣. Friction Creates Value: You can’t just buy Labubu on Amazon. They’re sold in limited drops. Sometimes only in vending machines. Sometimes only in Asia. The hassle is the feature. The hunt is part of the story. Scarcity isn’t just supply control. It’s emotional Marketing.

IN A MEME (OG LABUBU’s)