Labubu, a fairy doll with pointed ears, exaggerated big eyes and cunning expression, is becoming popular among young people at an alarming rate. From the “hard to find a baby” at the trendy toy exhibition, to the “show baby” craze on social platforms, to the soaring prices of some limited editions in the second-hand trading market, the popularity of Labubu is no longer a self-entertainment of a niche circle, but has become a social consumption phenomenon worthy of attention.
Why is Labubu so popular? On the surface, it is a concrete expression of young people’s rebelliousness and pursuit of unique personality. The contrast of “ugly, unique, and different” builds an emotional connection between Labubu and young people. In the eyes of the “Z generation”, it is not just a toy, but a unique medal in the circle of friends and a self-evident identity code on social platforms. The Labubu placed on the workstation seems to be announcing to the world: “Look, I understand the trend, I have taste, and I belong here.”
Behind this craze, the new trends and new logic of the current consumer market are reflected. In recent years, the market size of trendy toys has continued to expand, and chain stores featuring dolls, blind boxes, and trendy toys have spread across major commercial centers in various cities. Young consumers, especially young white-collar workers and students in first- and second-tier cities, constitute the main purchasing force. What drives their consumption is far more than simple material needs.
Labubu, which relies on blind box sales, is precisely the young generation’s obsession with “collecting the complete version” and their pursuit of “surprise experience”. Because you can never know which one you will draw, and you are full of expectations for the next hidden version. This lack of certainty, the need for constant testing, and the continuous completion of the consumption process itself is full of emotional experience. Maybe buying a Labubu is not the most important thing, but when you finally get the doll you want and take a photo and send it to the social platform, the complete process of emotional feeding is considered to have completed the last step. This sense of accomplishment brought by collecting a complete series and the sense of anticipation when opening the blind box have surpassed traditional shopping and become a comprehensive experience consumption that integrates multiple attributes such as entertainment, collection, and social interaction.
The explosion of Labubu is the result of the combined effect of the mood of the times and consumer culture. It reminds us that contemporary consumer behavior is becoming more and more complex. Material satisfaction is only the foundation. Deeper symbolic identification, emotional connection and experience value are becoming the key forces driving consumption. For the market, understanding and respecting this deep-seated demand and creating products and services with more cultural connotations and emotional warmth are the keys to winning the future. For consumers, when enjoying the fun brought by trendy culture, it is wise to remain rational, act within their means, avoid being overly obsessed with symbolic pursuits, and let consumption truly serve a better life itself.
