Case Study: How Labubu Dolls Became a Viral Obsession Without Saying a Word

What do you get when you mix a mischievous expression, limited supply, and a whole lot of TikTok drama?

Answer: The Labubu doll craze. A silent, wide-eyed creature from the POP MART universe that went from obscure art toy to international sensation, and in the process, rewrote the rules of modern brand storytelling.

This is not just about a toy. It’s about how emotion, exclusivity, and community can explode a niche product into pop culture.

Let’s decode the story.

The Beginning: A Quiet Character Enters the Scene

Labubu was created by Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong-based illustrator and character designer. Known for his whimsical, eerie illustrations, Lung brought Labubu to life as part of his "The Monsters" series. Labubu, with its jagged teeth and oversized eyes, stood out even among other art toys.

It first gained cult recognition in Asia around 2016, but remained niche, beloved by collectors in China, Taiwan, and Japan. POP MART, a Chinese company that specializes in designer toys, saw potential. They signed Kasing Lung and introduced Labubu into their growing line of mystery-box collectibles.

Yet, for years, it remained an underground sensation.

That is, until TikTok found it.

The Trigger: The Power of Scarcity and TikTok FOMO

POP MART mastered the psychology of desire. Two key strategies built the hype:

• Blind Box Sales (Buyers don’t know which figure they’ll get, creating a game-like thrill)
• Limited Edition Drops (Some figures, like "Forest Labubu" or glow-in-the-dark variants, were released in ultra-small batches)

This created manufactured scarcity.

A cornerstone of scarcity marketing, where perceived rarity increases emotional value. POP MART releases often sold out in minutes.

Then, in early 2023, TikTok and Xiaohongshu (China’s Instagram-meets-Pinterest) exploded with Labubu content. A single unboxing video by a Korean influencer gained over 12 million views in 48 hours, triggering a domino effect across Asia.

• TikTokers posted themselves sobbing after receiving a duplicate
• Fans lined up for 5+ hours outside POP MART stores in Tokyo and Bangkok
• #Labubu on TikTok crossed 400 million views by early 2024

Labubu wasn’t just a toy now.
It was a lifestyle, a moment, an emotional currency.

The High: Viral Explosion and Identity Marketing

What truly elevated Labubu into viral territory was its emotional weirdness. It didn’t look like a typical toy. It wasn’t traditionally cute like Hello Kitty or Barbie. It looked... odd. Mischievous. Lonely. Whimsically chaotic.

This strangeness became Labubu’s strength.

People began to project personal meaning onto Labubu. Some said it resembled their inner child. Others saw it as a quirky comfort object in a world full of stress. The character began symbolizing uniqueness, emotional resilience, and the ability to be weird without shame.

"Labubu looks like it’s been through something. Just like me," 

wrote one viral comment.

Online subcultures embraced Labubu:

• Weirdcore and soft goth communities adopted it
• Indie aesthetic influencers matched outfits to its color themes
• Cosplayers began crafting Labubu makeup looks

It was identity marketing in full swing: people buying a product because it represented who they were or aspired to be.

The Low: Reseller Culture, Fake Drops, and Brand Missteps

Success brought chaos:

• Labubu figures priced at $15 retail were resold for up to $700 on eBay and Taobao
• A black market of counterfeit Labubus emerged, some of which were nearly indistinguishable from the originals
• Pop-ups in Hong Kong and Shanghai saw riots and arguments over drop queues

Even loyal fans started accusing POP MART of feeding the reseller culture. When certain figures were re-released without notice, collectors who had paid premium prices felt betrayed.

The backlash hit its peak when a batch of Labubu "leaked early" on resale sites, leading to accusations of insider profiteering. POP MART denied it, but trust had taken a hit.

The company had to make a move.

The Climax: Giving Labubu a Soul

The company has officially established a film studio and plans to launch an animated series titled "Labubu and Friends," followed by a feature-length film. The first draft of the script for season one of "Labubu and Friends" was completed on January 15, and the copyright was registered on March 18.

There will be no dialogue. No text. Just music, movement, and feeling. Labubu was no longer just an aesthetic or collectible. It was a character with a story. A misunderstood friend. A quiet hero.

Conclusion: What We Learn from Labubu

In an era where attention spans are shrinking and content is everywhere, Labubu made people stop, feel, and connect. It reminded marketers that stories don’t always need words. That odd is beautiful. That niche can become mainstream if it hits the heart.

Sometimes, a jagged-toothed doll can teach us more about branding than a billion-dollar ad campaign.

 

What Marketers Can Learn: Key Lessons

1. Sell Identity, Not Just Product: Labubu isn’t just a toy, it’s a reflection of how Gen Z feels: misunderstood, quirky, soft inside.
2. Master the Drop Culture: Create scarcity intentionally. Make people wait, compete, and desire.
3. Gamify the Purchase Journey: A blind box adds mystery. A lottery adds anticipation. Turn a transaction into a game.
4. Let the Community Amplify the Brand: Pop Mart didn’t push Labubu—fans did. They made the memes, the videos, the meaning. Brands need to enable expression, not just messaging.
5. Ride the Resale Economy: Create products so desirable that resale itself becomes part of the ecosystem. Think luxury, but playful.
6. Emotion Beats Logic: People cried over Labubu because it meant something to them. Emotional branding wins every time.

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