The Marketing Masterclass of a Tiny Monster: How Labubu Became a Global Icon

In July of this year, my Instagram feed suddenly became filled with content about a specific subject: Labubu. The content ranged from unboxing user-generated content (UGC) to celebrity endorsements, with brands capitalizing on this trend and memers crafting memes. This weirdly cute-looking monster was literally all over the place. The journey of Labubu is a modern marketing fairy tale. These whimsical, elf-like creatures, often sold in "blind boxes," have transcended their origins to become a global phenomenon, with fans lining up for hours and paying exorbitant prices on the secondary market. Labubu's success is a direct result of a perfectly executed viral marketing strategy that leverages psychology, social media, and a sense of exclusivity to create an unstoppable wave of hype.

And definitely curiosity hit me as well and I wondered what Labubu is. And the next scroll on my gram enlightened me. 

Birth of Labubu

Labubu is one of the characters created by illustrator Kasing Lung from his series The Monsters back in 2015. These characters are cute forest dwellers who are influenced by Nordic myths and folklore. Labubu gained an initial following within the niche world of art toy collectors. The character's unique "ugly-cute" aesthetic set it apart from typical mass-produced toys. The pivotal moment occurred when Lung formed a partnership with Pop Mart, a Chinese toy giant that specializes in selling designer toys in a "blind box" format. This collaboration, which began around 2019, transformed Labubu from a niche collectible into a scalable brand with global potential.

Labubu dolls are on sale at a Pop Mart store on June 4, 2025 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. Credit VCG/VCG via Getty

The Viral/Hype Marketing Campaign

Labubu's rise to global phenomenon was no accident; it was a meticulously planned campaign that operated on several key principles of modern marketing:

Strategic Use of Social Media

It might look like a simple and quite repetitive form of social media marketing, where the target audience unboxes their toy box, but Pop Mart utilized the elements of suspense and surprise at their best, turning the packaging into a blind box. Every time a person unboxes the blind box, it creates excitement for both the owner and their friends or community who are watching. If the person hits a unique character/design, it becomes a jackpot event for the person and hype for others, which starts a ripple effect and authenticates that the brand has hidden the uniquely designed Labubu as stated, but the only thing is it will be either limited or scarcely available.

Scarcity Marketing

This brings us to another strategy of the Hype Marketing Campaign. By genes, humans have always been either hunters or gatherers. And Pop Mart understands that well. Remember Pokemon Go! It’s the same, maybe a little better because it's the most real thing in the era of virtual reality. So, every drop triggers a sense of urgency to take an action, in this case hitting the “Purchase Button.” No wonder the toys get sold out in seconds. And this strategy indirectly labels the item as a luxury piece. 

Influencer/Celebrity Partnerships

Talking about luxury and not having the icons of luxury  onboarded on the Labubu bandwagon would be a shame. Especially when they have shaped the youth culture through their works. Waves of Labubu desirability went a notch higher when Blackpink’s Lisa posted about her passion for Labubu collectibles on her gram, triggering a massive surge in global demand. Soon, many other celebrities began sharing posts about their Labubu collections. Now, the quirky-looking furry elf monster was not just a toy for children but rather a way of expression for adults.

The Art of Storytelling, Personalisation and Building Association

The Pop Mart marketing team nailed it; take a bow, please. Every other day, every other brand struggles with the idea of building products and campaigns that include personalization. The clever strategy of transforming the toy into a charm was truly impressive! And for a person, like me, who grew up watching animation from the land of Disney and the world of Anime. I totally get it. I am guilty of having figurines of my favorite characters on my desk, and occasionally I do indulge in buying cutesy key rings, for which my peers not only high-key judge me but also  low-key adore this side of me. I believe that marketers have recognized this trend well. The adults of this generation like to carry a little bit of the memories and thoughts as they explore different tangents of life. Products like charms, mugs, and mini-sized toys form the comfort space for an individual.

Close-up detail view of  3 fluffy Labubu charm dolls in the color turquoise, yellow and blue hanging from a Handbag. Credit- Photo by Edward Berthelot/ Getty Images

Labubu and the world

The viral success on social media provided the perfect launchpad for a global expansion strategy.

Distribution Partnerships

POP MART has over 550 stores in 30+ countries and regions, more than 2,500 ROBOSHOPs (vending machines), and operates across multiple cross-border e-commerce platforms, reaching consumers in over 90 countries across Asia, Oceania, Europe and North America. The company has also partnered with major e-commerce platforms like Lazada and leading retailers worldwide to ensure Labubu's availability, though demand often outstrips supply.

Pop-Up Events and Exhibitions

To further build the brand and community, Pop Mart has also branched out into animation studios, art galleries and even a theme park called Pop Land. It organizes large-scale pop-up events and exhibitions, such as the Pop Toy Show, which was recently hosted in Singapore, which draw thousands of fans. These events provide exclusive collectibles, artist meet-and-greets, and immersive installations, fostering a deeper, more personal connection with the brand.

The entrance to POP LAND. Credit Photo-by Juliana Castelo from Brazil

Merchandise Beyond Dolls

Labubu has successfully expanded beyond just collectible figurines. The IP has been licensed for a wide range of merchandise, including apparel, phone cases, home goods, and even jewelry, turning it from a toy into a full-fledged lifestyle brand.

Unboxed Labubu toy placed in front of LV bag. Credit: Fashion & Law Journal

Labubu's journey from a niche art toy to a global phenomenon is a masterclass in modern viral/hype marketing. It also provides invaluable lessons for marketers to understand how consumers of today interact with a product. Pop Mart strategically applied various nudges to human behavior, utilizing artificial scarcity, influencer partnerships, the thrill of the unknown, and emotional branding, which transformed an odd-looking puffball into a cultural sensation.

I wonder how long the impact of Labubu will last but I am sure it will be an icon for both toy enthusiasts and marketers, who will keep coming back to it time and again to gain perspective on how it became a powerful engine for building community and driving consumer behavior in the digital age.

References

https://www.media-outreach.com/news/malaysia/2025/08/22/403972/lazada-partners-with-pop-mart-to-launch-new-ip-collectibles-and-timed-release-of-labubu-v3-and-crybaby-during-super-brand-day-in-malaysia/#:~:text=POP%20MART%20has%20over%20550,from%20all%20over%20the%20world.

https://www.modernretail.co/marketing/from-e-l-f-to-pillsbury-brands-bet-on-labubu-to-generate-their-next-viral-social-media-moment/#:~:text=Meanwhile%2C%20apparel%20giant%20Uniqlo%20has,internet%20trends%20to%20stay%20relevant.

https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/pop-culture/2025/08/20/pop-mart-what-is-middle-east-expansion-store/#:~:text=From%202016%20onward%2C%20Pop%20Mart,Oceania%2C%20Europe%20and%20North%20America.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chelseatobin/2025/06/05/what-labubu-teaches-businesses-about-viral-marketing/

https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/pop-toy-show-singapore-2025-470076

https://rahulmalodia.com/blog/labubu-toys-marketing-lessons

https://fashionlawjournal.com/labubu-ip-alert-the-high-stakes-of-brand-protection-in-the-toy-industry/