Why Are Both Adults and Kids in China Going Crazy Over Labubu?
How Collectible Games Are Redefining Brand Engagement in the Chinese Market
In today’s Chinese social media landscape, luxury products like Hermès and Chanel still symbolize status — but fewer young people are willing (or able) to pay the price. Instead, they’re turning to a more accessible form of self-expression: collectibles like Labubu, the quirky designer toy that’s become a viral hit. For the price of a meal, they can own something "celebrity-approved," post it on Xiaohongshu (RED), and instantly gain recognition. Affordable, emotional, and socially visible — a small investment with high return.
This shift reveals a deeper truth:
Lightweight, symbolic purchases are replacing high-cost displays of wealth. Mini-collectibles, trading cards, and designer toys are becoming a new generation’s social currency — digital-age equivalents of past status markers.
The human need for belonging and validation remains constant. But every generation expresses it differently.
Older Chinese consumers collected Maotai, jade, and rosewood furniture. Today’s young people invest in Labubu, Molly dolls, or collectible foil cards. It’s the same psychological mechanism, just in a smaller, gamified, and more emotional format.
1. From Luxury Aspirations to Labubu: A New Mass Obsession
A recent post went viral on Chinese platforms: “Labubu sold out everywhere; even elementary schoolers are trading collectible cards.” What seems like a quirky phenomenon is actually part of a larger behavioral pattern: Collectible Games — a strategy that combines gamification, scarcity, and social interaction — is reshaping how Chinese users engage with brands.
Labubu, created by Thai artist Kasing Lung and distributed by POP MART, started as a niche designer toy. With its mischievous face and "anti-cute" aesthetic, it stood out — and that very strangeness turned it into a meme favorite. Over time, POP MART used a powerful mix of blind boxes, limited editions, and brand collaborations to build hype. In secondary markets, rare Labubu figures now sell for thousands of RMB.
Meanwhile, in schoolyards across China, children are developing their own collectible economy. They trade shiny cards, build ranking systems, and mimic adult social structures — learning early how identity and status are shaped through possession and exchange. This “cross-age craze” shows how gamified collecting resonates with core human behavior, regardless of age.
2. Why Collecting Works: The Psychology Behind It
Collecting is deeply wired into human psychology. It taps into:
- Goal-setting (completing a series)
- Reward-seeking (dopamine from opening blind boxes)
- Identity projection (owning something that reflects “me”)
- Social comparison (showing off rare items to gain attention)
Blind boxes in particular trigger what’s known as the “slot machine effect” — users keep buying for the chance of something rare. Scarcity amplifies this further. The result: emotional investment often far exceeds monetary cost.
For adults, Labubu figures are playful escapes — "emotional candy" in a pressured life.
For children, a rare card means status at recess.
Different groups, same motivation. This is what makes the Collectible Game model so scalable and effective.
3. Japan Did It First — and Did It Well
This isn’t a Chinese invention. In fact, Japan perfected Collectible Games decades ago. From Pokémon cards to capsule machines and Sanrio character drops, Japanese brands have long used collection + narrative + social interaction to build sustainable IP ecosystems.
The key strategies include:
- Small-batch drops
- Character development arcs
- Time-limited or location-specific releases
- Constant reinvention of old favorites
Chinese brands like POP MART are catching up fast — but they’re building on a mature playbook.
4. How Chinese Brands Can Leverage Collectible Games
Here are three ways brands in China can adopt and adapt this model:
- Merge Collectibles with Social Interaction
Enable card trading, point unlocking, or blind-box exchanges within online communities. WeChat Mini Programs, Xiaohongshu campaigns, and offline pop-ups are ideal platforms. - Create Story-Driven Universes
Each item should be more than a design — it should belong to a narrative. Whether it’s a seasonal theme or a character backstory, emotional connection drives repeat engagement. - Design an Expandable Collection System
Don’t just release one-hit items. Build a whole universe with city exclusives, cultural collaborations, festival editions — giving users ongoing reasons to collect and connect.
5. Final Thoughts
Labubu isn't just a hot product. Shiny cards aren’t just a school trend.
Together, they show how Chinese consumers — across age groups — are drawn to Collectible Games as a cultural, emotional, and social ritual.
For brands, this is more than a hype cycle. It’s a long-term strategy.
When done right, Collectible Games create ecosystems of loyalty, identity, and storytelling — much more powerful than any one-off sale.
The next big hit in China’s consumer market?
It may just be hiding in the next card or toy you design.
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