Labubu’s meteoric rise from a 2015 niche toy to a $1.8 billion global phenomenon illustrates a powerful intersection of psychology, marketing, and social media dynamics. Initially created as a cute, Nordic-inspired character, Labubu gained viral momentum when celebrities like Lisa from Black Pink were seen with it, sparking widespread content creation on platforms like TikTok. Keychain design enabled public visibility, turning the product into a social conversation piece and a conversation starter in daily life. The blind box model, offering mystery and emotional reward, taps into psychological cravings for novelty and dopamine, while also fostering community through trading and collecting. This aligns with broader societal trends like economic downturns, loneliness, and the "lipstick effect," where people opt for small, emotionally fulfilling purchases. Labubu’s success mirrors how brands now prioritize content-driven, shareable products that integrate into real-life moments. Its rise also reflects a self-fulfilling cycle of social proof and FOMO, where visibility fuels demand. While the trend signals a new era of consumer behavior—where emotional connection and exclusivity drive value—critics highlight environmental concerns and the risk of cringe culture. Ultimately, Labubu’s story exemplifies how consumer trends in the digital age are shaped by human psychology, social dynamics, and the power of viral content, with predictions of a full media empire—like Disney or Pokémon—on the horizon.
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Did you know that Labubu has done $1.8 billion in sales,
making PopMart now one of the most popular app stores in the world?
It's worth $34 billion, which is more money than Mattel, Hasbro, and Sanrio combined,
which were previously the three biggest toy companies on Earth.
And what's crazy is this toy was actually invented in 2015.
Yet 10 years later, he's seen with Rihanna, the Lakers, Lisa.
He's at fashion shows.
There are entire floral arrangements made out of him.
And every time we think it's going to end, it somehow just gets bigger.
You could even make the. Argument that Labubu is another example of the
it-takes-10-years-to-be-an-overnight-success stories at this point.
But how was Labubu even created?
Why did he randomly become so popular?
And how did this become a multi-billion-dollar empire a decade after its inception?
Well, that is exactly the question we set out to solve here today.
Because I have a theory that this is the result of sociology, recession indicators, psychology,
and this very fascinating thing we are seeing on the Internet.
So. With that, welcome back to Nicky at Night.
I'm your host, Nicky Reardon.
And I'm very excited and interested to talk about Labubu today.
I've been thinking about this a lot.
And I also feel like people are talking about it all the time.
I think the marketing of Labubu is so fascinating.
I think it is also just this, like, epitome and epitome of, like,
a lot of things going on in the world that have all resulted in this.
Like, this trend of collectible toys.
The way we consume things and trends online.
This, like, TikTokification.
of products that we've seen essentially um and labubu was just somehow like perfectly at the
epicenter of all of these things um but before that a few housekeeping items i haven't gone
for a while um i at this time you guys will have seen the episode with sam which is awesome as i
love doing interviews very excited to do more of them um but before that i was gone for an entire
month i went to the can film festival um i also went to japan for two weeks can was for work
japan for two weeks was just my friends for fun and i had never taken off three consecutive weeks
of work in my entire life i've also uh never been to can i'd never been in japan it was just a
really crazy once in a lifetime opportunity and i was living in the moment and then when i got back
i really underestimated how much being gone for three weeks can like disrupt your life in terms
of like doing laundry for three weeks and like having to buy food and all this stuff so i'm very
excited and back to be in the swing of things um i miss you guys i miss doing this um and yeah i
don't know i just love making these videos and guys we are so close to 100k oh my god we are
3 000 subscribers away which is crazy that's insane like our little baby channel uh like she's really
really getting there um so please please make sure hit subscribe button if you haven't um tell your
because i was gone for a while i'm gonna try and do a few bonus episodes this month
so make sure you turn on the notifications because those are not always going to come
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notifications and y'all check out this on spotify apple podcasts you name it listen to us on your
car ride to work at the gym you know the drill um if you're listening there now give us a five
star rating it is so so helpful for growing the show um but with that let's dive into i guess just
like the business and origin of the boo-boo um i think i'll start a bit with more of like the
history and also the marketing and then kind of end with this sort of like prediction i guess but
also like i think really like what is indicative of our society like when you see something explode
in this way across countries continents and age groups this quickly like something becoming a 30
billion dollar industry almost in a year like it is not a coincidence it has to be some sort of
greater sociological factor psychological factor something that we are either craving or an emotion
that we are feeling that this thing is validating in some way we're not able to get in other aspects
of our life and i think that is really like the interesting thing when it comes to studying trends
like this you know like you really want to understand the why and the sociology behind it
because once you understand i think that human emotion aspect you can kind of be ahead of it
and have more understanding of it going forward
so let's dive into the lore of the boo-boo because do you know this lore of how the boo-boo was
invented because he actually first appeared in 2015 he was designed by an illustrator named
kasing long who was born in hong kong but raised in the netherlands which is why
la boo-boo is based off of nordic mythology he first appeared in this series in 2015 called
the monsters that were all references to nordic folklore what's interesting though is la boo-boo
wasn't even really the main character there actually is another leader of the group and a
main character and other characters like mo coco pato spooky taiko but la boo-boo was for some
reason the one that really got popular he is based off of the niece which is sort of a nordic myth
for an elf and all of the monsters have this sort of cute rabbit look to them or they have
different animal ears they were all again sort of based off this way but um in 2000
he sort of grows in popularity this franchise sort of grows in popularity a little bit
until eventually they do a licensing deal with pop mart to do toys however his first key chain
line was not until 2023 so what was the catalyst that made la boo-boo so viral lisa from black
pink that is literally the answer she was spotted with a la boo-boo in april of 2024 and if you look
on tiktok you'll see that la boo-boo is a character that was created by la boo-boo and
tiktok at the trend data for hashtag la boo-boo it is literally flat every year until then keep in
mind this toy was made in 2015 until you see at the very end at the beginning of march and april
2024 there is a spike in popularity literally lisa from black pink was the first thing that
got this viral it created this huge trend in thailand and other parts of southeast asia
and by august of that same year it had done
800
million dollars in sales which is insane nearly a billion dollars because lisa from black pink
was spotted having a cute little toy and this is why the marketing of la boo-boo is so genius
because they have gotten a free endorsement from lisa rihanna kim kardashian dua lipa david beckham
and made 870 million dollars in four months because it was a key chain because the product
was displayed publicly on something that you see every single day right you take your purse to the
grocery store you take your purse to the club like it goes everywhere which means when these people
had the thing it was photographed everywhere they were getting millions upon millions of dollars
worth of free promotion and endorsements from the biggest celebrities on earth because it was a key
essentially which is so insane and smart and also just the concept of it like something about the
key chain to like incentivizes you to have multiple right if you have different purses and different
colors you're wearing different outfits with different colors like it makes it so they make
more money per customer than any regular business does right you buy a pair of shoes you buy in
white maybe you want one other color maybe but more than that you buy a different pair of shoes
right the booboo really tapped into making it this thing that people bought and bought multiple of
and what's also fascinating is i think it makes the product a tool for community right
when it's on your purse it becomes this conversation topic whether you love it whether
you hate it it's something you go and converse with somebody about or if you and someone else
are both on the subway and you both have a little booboo like it's a way that sparks a conversation
which creates this like emotional attachment with the product i also think because of again this
different colors this mystery box structure you trade them with your friends right if you get two
of the blue one then you give one of the blue ones to your friends and they do something else and
that is again it's creating this conversation and it's creating this conversation and it's creating
this community around the product like it's not just something you buy it's something that has
become a conversation piece an outfit piece uh part of your aesthetic your look when you go out
into the world and they really amass millions of dollars for the free promotion off of this it's
it's so so interesting and i think also something that we'll see more of you know i think similarly
lububu tapped into something similar that the hayley bieber like road phone case did with the
lip gloss right because it was displayed everywhere because you saw people taking
selfies with that or if they were recording a video you saw it in the thing like that made
it so viral and i think what's interesting about
the marketing and the products these days is now like how do you create a product that is the most
like instagrammable how do you create a product that is filmable um is like something we're really
really seeing work or something that just effortlessly integrates itself again like the
labubu on a purse or the lip gloss in your phone case like it just makes it so something you're
already doing now has the product tied into it just going to the grocery store just taking a
selfie in the mirror is now an advertisement for the brand and that is a really interesting thing
that i think we're going to see a lot more brands try and tap into um you know it's always been
something of clothing you can think very back to like the early you know mall days and it was like
the big logo clothing was in and the big hollister t-shirt and the abercrombie t-shirt like they
created this sort of subculture and piece of identity around the brand and that logo or that
image um and now that the i think logo era is behind us we don't
really know what's going on but i think it's going to be a big thing and i think it's going to be
a big thing and i think it's going to be a big thing and i think it's going to be a big thing
logos on things anymore um we found ways to do that with symbols especially cute little fuzzy
symbols again like this is how disney built a multi-billion dollar empire right pokemon is
another fantastic example like there is just something in the human condition that we love
cute little things like i don't really know why i don't know how i don't know where it stems from
but there is like something innate about us that we just love that um and finding ways to you know
integrate that into your brand is is genius
i mean something when i really noticed when going to japan is it is everywhere like every brand
everywhere has a cute little animal mascot on the subway the notice signs that were like police
officers instead of a picture it's like a cute little cartoon drawn police officer saying like
you can't walk down this way unless you paid your fare ticket like whatever it is like they've just
really understood this um emotional attachment we have to cuteness and how that draws really lasting
i think is so interesting like nostalgia and cuteness have so much intertwinedness with each
other think pokemon think beanie babies think furby think like all these things webkins these
club penguin these things that we remember from our childhood are somehow always cute and cuddly
and somehow nostalgic um and i don't think that it's a coincidence that those two things are
always linked with one another um and again that's something that labubu really tapped into
now um and i think why honestly a very big reason is that it's a coincidence that those two things
was even more successful than a thing like sony angel which is another product in the same category
at the same time was like labubu found out how to be a keychain so you could clip it and take it
anywhere and labubu was like cute and fuzzy and so honestly like that is really crazy how well that
works i also think the blind box is one of the craziest marketing tools i have ever seen in my
life because it is essentially selling the idea of gambling like you might get that rare one worth
more money and that dopamine rush
is addictive like it is psychologically proven we get this dopamine rush we become addicted to
when there is this gambling aspect that's why you can develop a gambling addiction right
and they have found a way to integrate that with like a cute fuzzy toy i also think it just makes
content right there are 1.6 million posts of just hashtag labubu on tiktok alone and if you always
knew what was inside the box it's not a video but the fact that what is inside the box
can be one of 10 different things makes it content right like it makes it so there's something to
actually watch and like a result at the end that you can't predict i also think because of that you
see pretty much all of these videos of unboxings is more than one pretty much it's always like two
or three or ten whatever because again there is this mystery element am i gonna get the same one
that i already got or am i gonna get this cool one that i really really want i really want this one
it also adds this emotional stake right like if you know what
you're gonna get it's not that exciting but when there is a chance that you didn't get it or maybe
the first two and you only bought three and you didn't get the first two and you're begging begging
begging on the last one is your last chance like something about that makes it an enticing video
and labubu really didn't have to do some massive global campaign or marketing like they just created
a product that was filmable they created a product that was worthy of being content just by purchasing
that made it again they got over a billion views on just tiktok alone like it is outrageous i also
think again there's it creates this value to buy multiple it's this value to trading with friends
and also the mystery creates a secondary resale market they do collab lines with anime or music
or shows and then oh well you have to get your favorite one from that show too but then oh my god
there's 10 different characters and i really want this one character so i had to buy three of it
even though i already own a labubu
but this one piece collection is exclusive so i have to get it now and then i got two of the
characters that i don't want so i'm going to give one to my friend and then that makes my friend
love his labubu so now he puts it on his little bag or puts it on his outfit and then somebody
else asks him about it right like do you see how these like social conditions of the products are
really i think like the the most interesting driving marketing force behind it you know like
it's not like you you see labubu billboards or you watch a youtube video and there's a big labubu ad
in front of it it really is a big ad and it's a big ad and it's a big ad and it's a big ad
this like thing that caught like wildfire organically and i think that is what is is so
fascinating but it's so hard to do that as a market like if any marketer could do that with
any product like it would be happening eight times a day right um and i think the reason
is is this social dynamic of it it's like what's so interesting about it to me it's
it's tied into this element of like humanity and mystery and what's fascinating is like the only
reason this is not technically considered gambling is because there isn't an option to go
bankrupt right like if you play a game of blackjack like you can play until you're out of money but if
you spend 40 on labubu like there is gambling in the sense you might get that one super valuable
one but there's no like option of zero right like at the end of the day you're still getting the
product you paid for um but it is tying in that dopamine and that addiction and that rush into
the thing and that is so terrifying because they still get to manipulate the odds so that they
always win right
like that's the same way a casino does like a casino doesn't care if you play 10 rounds of
blackjack and you make 50 000 like it literally does not matter to them because they know that
in the 100 000 rounds of blackjack played that night more people lose than wins with the casinos
up right like that is why it all it is this game of averages in large quantities in large scale the
house always wins and in this case pop mart is the house right like they are adjusting the frequency
of the ones that they know that you want to make them appear less often so that you buy more labubus
like that is what mystery boxes are like you are gambling you're buying lottery ticket um and it
doesn't feel that way because there's a cute little thing in front of you in a fun box but
like there is that element to it and i think that this is absolutely a trend that we will see other
places the idea of a mystery box is here to stay like that is a trend that is going to continue in
all products my prediction is that somebody's going to buy a mystery box and they're going to
do with sneakers what labubu has done with the mystery box like nike is going to sell a mystery
box pair of shoes where like one of the options is like a shoe that's worth 10 grand but all of
the other shoes are like normal like air force ones or whatever and you pick your size and you're
guaranteed to get a shoe in your size but you don't know what you want or what you're going to
get and that concept of like the mystery box is going to be something that i think integrates
uh streetwear cultures you know sneaker heads is so easy to do because they're already accustomed
to this idea of like that one exclusive thing or that one limited edition product that's very much
the way fashion has monetized itself always um and i think that it's really happening right now
with toys but i could totally see it expanding um and that's just how secondary resale markets
work like did you know there are three labubus worth over two thousand dollars each there is
this one called the zimono king which is like a little bit more expensive than the zimono king
which is worth twenty five hundred dollars the zimono altair that is thirty two hundred dollars
and then the most expensive one is the labubu vans old school which is a collaboration they did with
vans of him wearing all these old school vans clothings and what's fascinating is that this
is the exact same tactic that designer fashion brands use it is called engineered exclusivity
you create a certain limited edition line of the product with a fixed supply
so that they resell for a ridiculous amount like you intentionally do not sell as many as you know
you can so that it becomes a status symbol it becomes exclusive so having that thing kind of
becomes a flex you see it at fashion shows or with major celebrities or these big events or
how a labubu art piece recently sold for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars it now has become this
symbol of like high fashion high art so that once it's a status symbol it becomes a status symbol
it becomes desirable for normal people so they all want to go and buy the cute little forty dollar
version they can afford so you create this limited edition thing to sell less to inflate the demand
so that when you do buy one with a more affordable like a forty dollar price point they sell more of
them um nike has done this all the time again like there are nike sneakers worth you know 10 grand 20
even more than that sometimes but most of the nikes you see on a daily basis are you know 100 bucks 50
70 bucks, whatever.
But by doing that, they created this ideology around this brand, the status symbol around
the brand, so that wearing Nikes, owning Nikes is more desirable.
And that is what Labubu was doing, essentially.
It's super, super interesting.
And that is the way that psychology intersects with marketing.
At the end of the day, the way we consume things and desire things and want things is
a result of our own psyche, what we find desirable, what we find undesirable.
And that is, I think, where this psychological aspect really comes in.
I have a theory that the popularity of Labubu is because of our psychology in the epidemic
of loneliness and this sort of declining economy.
It is so fascinating to me that in a time where we have less third spaces, less human
connection, it's harder to date than ever.
We are just lonely people that a cute little fuzzy toy that you carry around everywhere
has become a multi-billion dollar product, right?
It is kind of selling.
It's selling you on this idea of, like, one, that quick hit of dopamine in your mystery
box, and then two, oh, you have this cute little thing.
You are almost, they're trying to sell you on the idea of companionship, right?
Like, when you don't have a person around you to make you feel good, at least here's
this cute little thing.
I also think it is indicative of the recession.
I made videos about, there is this principle called the lipstick effect, which is a thing
that you, we have kind of, I think it was invented in 2001 by one of the people, the
former CEO of Estee Lauder.
Where they noticed that in times of a recession, lipstick always became their number one selling
product.
Why?
Because when the economy is bad, people don't have money to spend on the big things, like
a big makeup palette or whatever.
So, they want something for that quick hit of dopamine still, but they don't have the
money to spend on a nice big thing.
So, they buy something small, something cute, something you can fit in your purse to fulfill
that need for them, right?
That is where lipstick has been linked with, like, every. I think every recession we've had since then, the 2008 recession, the 2001 recession, the
pandemic, and I think La Boo Boo was a perfect example of that, like stuffed animals also.
You know, you can think of Beanie Babies around Y2K or Furby around Y2K.
You can think of, like, Webkinz around 2008.
You can think of Squishmallows during the pandemic, and you can think of La Boo Boos
now, right?
Like, there's something tied to this idea of, like, I can't buy something big and nice.
I can't buy a new purse.
Let me buy this cute little thing I can put on a purse I already have.
I'm feeling lonely and anxious, so let me buy this cute little thing that I always get
compliments on or always starts a conversation or just makes me feel good or is fun to dress
up, you know?
Like, it's so interesting to me that when nobody can afford to have babies anymore,
that people are buying La Boo Boos and putting little clothes on them, like, doing all these. Like, you're nurturing it.
You are treating it like a child, and that is because we don't have disposable income.
Like, the number one reason people aren't having kids is not because we don't want to.
I think lots of people love the idea of becoming a mother.
We're a father, but, like, a kid, on average, costs 500 grand, and it's years of, like, development.
Like, that's. Nobody can afford that, so we're buying a La Boo Boo for 40, you know?
And, like, that also, it makes you feel less guilty, blah, blah, blah.
Like, there's just so much interesting. Again, like, I think that the way we respond to the world around us is so often done through consumerism.
Like, when we really. The way we spend our money is so indicative of the way that we feel as human beings.
It is really, like, a Gen Z millennial thing.
Like, most of the people buying this are not children.
They are working adults.
And, again, that's, like, kind of adding to my feeling, I think, about anxiety and, you know,
this idea of not being able to have children and this idea of, like, economic uncertainty.
Like, it is not really a kid's toy.
Like, I don't really see La Boo Boos on backpacks of the kids walking home in my neighborhood.
I see La Boo Boos on the purse of full-grown adults at a restaurant.
You know, like, it's so interesting that the majority of this viewer and consumer base is actually adults.
Like, we're selling toys and dolls to adults, which is super, super interesting.
I also think, like, something interesting we're really seeing, and I haven't thought of a term for this.
It's something I would love to, like, do a full video about one day, is trends keep getting bigger because they are documented more and more because of the Internet and social media and short-form video.
And that has created. And that has created this self-fulfilling prophecy, right?
Like, is it actually growing in popularity or did you just see a video of a line at the store and see a video of someone putting it on their bag and then seeing them online on an Instagram photo and seeing videos of the pop-ups and the content?
So that makes you think, like, oh, a lot of people like this thing.
I should buy one.
I feel left out.
It's this FOMO marketing.
And that creates this self-fulfilling prophecy because you felt left out that you should go and buy one, which then is actually increasing.
So, like, in actuality, is it actually growing in popularity or are you just subjected to seeing these things more, right?
Like, you saw a line of 100 people outside of a Pop Mart.
So you're like, whoa, this thing is so cool.
Whoa, this thing is exclusive.
Whoa, this thing is hard to get.
Whoa, there is this social proof element of other people like this thing.
So if I don't like it or if I'm not familiar with it, what do I like about the thing?
And I think this is true of, like, all Internet phenomena.
You know, like, something. I very much felt this with, like, Chapel Roan blowing up in music last year.
I felt, like, it was so. I had many friends even tell me this.
And I also just think, like, I observed it on the Internet of, like, when she really started popping off, like, her shows at the music festivals kept getting so big that it kept being reported on that she would have to, like, be moved from the small stage to the main stage.
Or she had a bigger crowd than the headliner.
So then there became all of this buzz about, like, seeing Chapel Roan at that music festival.
So then the next festival, she would be even bigger, which made it so she was bigger than the headliner again.
Or they had to move her stages again, which, like, right?
Like, it created this self-fulfilling prophecy almost where, like, the dominoes just kept falling down.
It kept snowballing.
And that is this, like, aspect of the Internet that I think is super, super interesting of, like, you know, like, you can never. Sometimes you're not even sure if the thing is more popular or are you just, like, subjected to seeing it more often is a really interesting thing.
And I also think it really proves that, like, the best. The best marketing of today is, like, things that can be turned into a TikTok.
Like, things that can be turned into a video.
You know, like, that is why the Hailey Bieber road phone case went viral.
That's why La Boo Boo goes viral.
It's why all the things about Brad and the Brat Wall and all these things went viral, right?
Like, they were focused on creating real-life experiences that were documented for the Internet, which is very kind of existential in this weird way.
You know, like, I think about this all the time with, like, billboards especially.
I'm like, who spends money on a billboard?
Like, a billboard is so stupid.
But really, like, what the point of a billboard is in 2025 is, like, to be somebody's Instagram story, right?
Like, that's where the return on investment is coming from.
Like, nobody's really paying attention to it while you're driving.
But if you can do something that's, like, funny and clippable or just worthy sharing or sending to a friend, now that becomes extremely positive return on investment.
And a lot of the best billboards are things, again, talking about, like, the Brat Wall.
Like, that was a genius marketing ploy because thousands. And thousands of people kept going to it and filming it and documenting it.
So it made more money because of the Internet.
And it's interesting that I think some of the most viral campaigns on the Internet are now things that are done in real life, which is weird.
Again, also, I think there's this exclusivity factor about it, like, seeing a video of something that's, like, only in New York City.
You know, you're like, ah, like, that's so cool.
Air One is another fantastic example of this.
Air One blowing up on the Internet so much.
Like, I think most Californians, people, someone who lives in Los Angeles, like. We don't really care about Air One that much.
Like, it's an expensive grocery store, dude, you know?
But, like, every time I have a friend that wants to visit, it's like, oh, my God, can we go to Air One?
Oh, my God, can we go?
I want to try the smoothie, blah, blah, blah.
And I think so much of that desire came from this denial.
Like, they didn't get to have it.
So now, at the one time they have the opportunity to, it's like, you have to.
But I feel many different ways about La Boo Boo as a concept.
I think one of the initial scary desires is, like, La Boo Boo is so bad for the environment.
Producing fabric.
Producing fabric is so bad for the environment.
You don't need four La Boo Boos, and you're going to throw them away in five years.
Just the same way you did with Beanie Babies.
It is the exact same thing.
No one cares about Beanie Babies anymore.
Ten years from now, you are not going to care about La Boo Boos anymore.
And they're all going to end up in a landfill.
Like, next to the Furbies, next to the Beanie Babies, next to the Webkins is going to be a pile of La Boo Boos that just sit there for 40 years destroying our planet.
Like, that is a really terrifying thing to me.
But also, like, I can't judge because I just. I just went to Japan and spent $400 at the Pokemon store.
It's weeknight dinners.
Sitting around the table, everyone talking all at once.
Here's a tip.
The Apple Sports app.
So, like, is the call coming from inside?
the house? Absolutely. Absolutely it is. You know, just because
Because Labubu hasn't, like, gotten me the same way.
And I don't have this, like, deep-rooted nostalgia the same way I do for Pokemon.
You know, it's very easy to judge from the outside.
But it's something I think about.
You know, like, this producing fabric is so bad for the environment.
Also, I have a theory that Labubu is going to be, like, a generational cringe the way that the millennial mustache was.
Or when Homegoats used to put, like, an avocado on every random product.
There is this theory called the snob effect, which is essentially when something becomes liked by so many people, psychologically people want to dislike it to feel some feeling of superiority or some feeling of, like, I'm not like other girls, essentially, right?
There is this psychological word called reactance, which is a motivational response where people do the opposite of what's popular or expected because they feel that their freedom of choice.
is being threatened.
I think this is very much perpetuated and grown on the internet.
And I also think a lot of these products operate in sort of, like, a cringe curve.
You know, something starts niche, and then it becomes exclusive.
And because it's a status symbol, it becomes viral in this topic of conversation.
And then when it's viral, it becomes oversaturated and overdone.
And then it becomes cringe because so many people have it that it's kind of annoying until five years later it becomes nostalgic.
And, like, that is the life cycle of every random cute product all the time.
The only ones that have really been able to do it well, I think, are things like Sanrio.
Hello Kitty is huge in Japan.
Huge.
I always knew it was huge in Japan, but did not realize how much it was until I went there.
In America, it's Disney and Pokemon.
Disney and Pokemon.
I think Pokemon is actually the most valuable IP on Earth.
I mean, they, like, some marketing thing.
I think it was, like, because of, I don't remember.
Something I saw said that.
And Disney is for sure up there.
But the reason Disney was able to maintain that momentum is because they, like, built a lifestyle around the thing, which leads us into the prediction section of this video where, mark my words, there is going to be a Laboo Boo movie in development in less than one year.
Like, they are at a point where they need to copy the Disney playbook or the Pokemon playbook if they want to stick around.
And the two things that those brands really need.
You have to do was create a media empire around the product, right?
Like, the reason that we are all still excited about Stitch is because there was Stitch movies and a remake and he's at Disney World and then he's on T-shirt and he's on merch and then it's a little stuffed animal and then you put a stuffed animal in your backpack, blah, blah, blah, right?
Like, they knew how to create a life cycle around this thing.
And Laboo Boo is at that stage where I think a Laboo Boo animated movie would absolutely crush.
If done well, and it could be very adorable.
You know, Pokemon did this and they understand this so well, right?
They had TV shows, they had movies, they did that to sell the cards, to sell the video games, to sell the products, right?
Like, if Laboo Boo is going to stay, it needs to follow that sort of playbook.
And I'm very interested to see if they can pull that off.
Because no one has really, I think, pulled it off to that degree since Pokemon, which again was made, I think the first game was in 1999, question mark?
Maybe even earlier.
And also has been kept.
I, if I, again, they're being a video game all the time.
Also, could we get a Laboo Boo video game?
Would not surprise me.
And this is something that Mattel really has finally figured out recently, right?
Like, Hello Kitty has had TV shows and movies.
Pokemon has had TV shows and movies.
Disney has had TV shows and movies.
And finally, they realized how much the Barbie movie did for their brand.
Especially, again, in terms of building that nostalgia so that they could sell more products.
And now, we have a. We're getting. We're getting a Polly Pockets movie, we're getting a Hot Wheels movie, we're getting, right, there's going to be a Mattel Cinematic Universe.
So, like, it's very interesting to see how Laboo Boo can, you know, integrate himself that way, or if he does.
I think what is so interesting about Laboo Boo is it is this, like, perfect storm of marketing in the age of the internet.
You know, it is the mystery boxes that create viral content because you have to buy multiples of them and you don't know what the ending is.
And there's always going to be a big reaction.
It is this accessibility, the fact that it's on a purse so it gets spotted with celebrities and they get paparazzi-ed, which makes it more viral.
It is this community factor of how people like to trade them and collect them and talk about them.
Like, that is what marketing has become.
It is creating a real thing that is good at being documented on the internet.
That is what the Haley Bieber phone case did.
It is what Pokemon has done.
It is what Disney has done for decades.
And it is what Laboo Boo is at. Where Laboo Boo is at now.
And we are. We are really going to see, like, can Laboo Boo become Disney?
Can it become Hello Kitty?
Can it become Pokemon?
There's a very strong chance it can.
Like, this is how. It is so popular.
It is $1.8 billion.
And this was not even, like, a really sellable product two years ago.
And that is such a. Like, we're really going to. I don't know.
I just think I'm very fascinated in it from that perspective.
It is terrifying in the stage. In the essence of, like, late-stage capitalism, ultimate consumerism.
And very indicative of how, like, quick people are to hop on a trend.
And, like, you just, like, ah, cute, bye.
You know?
Like, there is this interesting human psychology element of that.
But I do think that Laboo Boo is this, like, indicator for where we are in the world of how we desire things.
And how we covet exclusivity.
And how we deem something desirable and valuable.
Like, you can trace an example back tied to Laboo Boo to all of those things somehow, someway.
Which is so interesting.
So, I hope this was an interesting one.
I don't know if you guys really like this as deep as a marketing on a toy.
It's kind of like a new video topic for me.
But I'm very interested in what is going to happen with Laboo Boo from here.
And let me know.
Do you guys have one?
Are you into it?
Are you a hater?
Are you experiencing a bit of that snob effect where everyone has one so it just makes you not want one?
I kind of get it, you know?
But, again, also, I spent $400 at the Pokemon store.
So, like, what am I going to do?
But thank you all so much for listening.
Don't forget to subscribe.
Follow us on Spotify.
Please.
We're so close to our goal of 100K.
You're going to see me cry on camera when that happens.
So, get used to it.
And, again, turn on your post notifications for bonus episodes.
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For everyone.
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Bye.
Podcast Summary
Key Points:
Labubu, a cute fuzzy toy invented in 2015, exploded in popularity after being spotted by celebrities like Lisa from Black Pink, triggering viral trends on TikTok and social media.
Its success was driven by strategic marketing, including free celebrity endorsements and the design of a keychain that allows for public display, creating organic content and social interaction.
The blind box model, offering mystery and unpredictability, taps into psychological rewards like dopamine, addiction, and FOMO, fueling repeat purchases and community trading.
Labubu reflects broader societal trends such as economic uncertainty, loneliness, and the "lipstick effect," where people opt for small, emotionally satisfying purchases during financial strain.
The product has become a status symbol through engineered exclusivity, with high-value collectibles reselling for thousands of dollars, mirroring fashion and toy industry strategies.
Its rise highlights a shift in marketing toward content-driven products that are inherently filmable, shareable, and documented on platforms like TikTok, turning everyday life into viral content.
Labubu's growth exemplifies a self-fulfilling prophecy in online trends, where visibility and social proof amplify demand, creating a cycle of increased popularity.
The phenomenon underscores deeper psychological and sociological patterns, including cringe culture, reactance, and the human need for companionship and belonging in times of isolation.
Summary:
8 billion global phenomenon illustrates a powerful intersection of psychology, marketing, and social media dynamics. Initially created as a cute, Nordic-inspired character, Labubu gained viral momentum when celebrities like Lisa from Black Pink were seen with it, sparking widespread content creation on platforms like TikTok. Keychain design enabled public visibility, turning the product into a social conversation piece and a conversation starter in daily life.
The blind box model, offering mystery and emotional reward, taps into psychological cravings for novelty and dopamine, while also fostering community through trading and collecting. This aligns with broader societal trends like economic downturns, loneliness, and the "lipstick effect," where people opt for small, emotionally fulfilling purchases. Labubu’s success mirrors how brands now prioritize content-driven, shareable products that integrate into real-life moments.
Its rise also reflects a self-fulfilling cycle of social proof and FOMO, where visibility fuels demand. While the trend signals a new era of consumer behavior—where emotional connection and exclusivity drive value—critics highlight environmental concerns and the risk of cringe culture. Ultimately, Labubu’s story exemplifies how consumer trends in the digital age are shaped by human psychology, social dynamics, and the power of viral content, with predictions of a full media empire—like Disney or Pokémon—on the horizon.
FAQs
Labubu was first created in 2015 by illustrator Kasing Long, who was born in Hong Kong and raised in the Netherlands. It is inspired by Nordic mythology, particularly the concept of an elf, and first appeared in a series of monster characters.
Labubu gained massive popularity in 2024 after being spotted by Blackpink’s Lisa, which sparked a viral trend on TikTok. This led to widespread social media sharing, increased visibility, and a surge in sales across Southeast Asia and beyond.
Labubu is highly viral because it's easily shareable, filmable, and fits into daily life—like being on a purse or bag. Its mystery box design creates excitement and social interaction, while celebrity endorsements and collectible traits drive consumer engagement.
Labubu has generated $1.8 billion in sales and is now worth $34 billion, surpassing the combined value of major toy companies like Mattel, Hasbro, and Sanrio. It has become one of the most valuable toy brands in the world.
The mystery box element creates psychological engagement by offering unpredictable outcomes, triggering dopamine-driven excitement. This design encourages buyers to purchase multiple units and fosters a sense of anticipation and emotional investment.
Yes, Labubu reflects trends like loneliness, economic uncertainty, and the desire for affordable, emotionally rewarding products during recessions. It also highlights the rise of digital content and social media-driven consumerism.
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