# The Labubu Phenomenon: Understanding the Viral Sensation

## Introduction
Labubu, a character and brand of collectible plush toy monster elves created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and marketed by Pop Mart, has become a global phenomenon that has captured the attention of teenagers and adults alike.

As a parent seeking to understand your daughters' fascination with these toys, this report will explain the cultural and commercial factors behind Labubu's viral success.

## Pop Mart: The Power Behind the Phenomenon
Pop Mart (泡泡瑪特) is a Chinese toy company that has revolutionized the designer toy industry.

Founded in 2010, the company has built a comprehensive operation platform covering the entire industry chain of designer toys.

According to the documents, Pop Mart has signed numerous renowned designers including Kasing Lung (creator of Labubu), Kenny Wong (creator of Molly), and Pucky, launching many popular designer toy IP products.

The company's success is built on a unique business model that integrates designers, retail channels, and industrial chains.

Pop Mart has established a global presence with over 250 offline direct-operated stores and more than 1,687 robot stores worldwide, covering 103 cities in China and expanding to 23 overseas countries and regions including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea.

## The "Kidulting" Phenomenon
One key factor in understanding Labubu's popularity is the growing trend of "kidulting" - adults purchasing toys for themselves.

According to a 2021 Toy Association survey cited in the documents, 58% of parents who bought toys had done so for themselves.

Additionally, The NDP Group reports that people over the age of 12 buying toys helped toy sales grow 37% during the first two years of the pandemic.

This trend reflects a broader cultural shift where adults seek comfort, nostalgia, and emotional connection through collectible toys.

As Jazwares president Laura Zebersky noted, "The idea of having something that was nurturing, cozy, cuddly, it was affordable and accessible.

Instant gratification.

" This emotional connection helps explain why teenagers, who are navigating the complexities of adolescence, might be drawn to these toys.

## The Collectible Aspect and Limited Edition Strategy
Pop Mart has mastered the art of creating demand through limited editions and exclusive releases.

The documents describe how Pop Mart stores attract collectors with limited edition products, such as the "SKULLPANDA Plum Blossom Soldiers" limited to 3,000 pieces globally, with only 80 available at a specific store opening.

These limited quantities create scarcity and urgency among collectors.

The company also collaborates with popular brands and artists to create special editions, such as the SpongeBob SquarePants collaboration "MEGA SPACE MOLLY 400% Patrick Star" priced at $5,980 and limited to 54 pieces.

This strategy of creating exclusive, limited-edition items drives collectors to line up at store openings and purchase products quickly before they sell out.

## The Role of Social Media and TikTok
Social media platforms, particularly TikTok, have played a crucial role in popularizing Labubu and similar collectible toys.

The documents note that videos of adults purchasing and unboxing toys are proliferating on TikTok, with users sharing their personal connections to these items.

For example, one document describes how adult women in the US are posting videos of themselves buying Barbie dolls that look like them, creating emotional content that resonates with viewers.

Similar trends likely exist for Labubu, with users sharing unboxing videos, collections, and personal stories related to these toys.

The global reach of social media is immense, with the top 3 platforms (Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp) having a collective 7 billion active users.

This vast audience allows trends like Labubu to spread rapidly across different countries and demographics.

## Celebrity Influence
Celebrity endorsements have further amplified the Labubu phenomenon.

The report statement mentions that Rihanna has been spotted with these toys, and the documents reference other celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga posting images of similar plush toys (with Lady Gaga calling them her "real friends").

When celebrities share these products on their social media accounts, it significantly increases visibility and desirability among their followers.

## The Psychological Appeal
The documents provide insight into the psychological appeal of collecting these toys.

One collector of Squishmallows (a similar product) compared the feeling of acquiring new toys to "winning at a slot machine," suggesting that the unpredictable nature of blind box purchases (where buyers don't know which specific toy they'll get) creates excitement and anticipation.

This element of surprise, combined with the satisfaction of completing a collection, creates a compelling psychological loop that encourages continued purchases.

As one collector mentioned, "I try to ride that high because if the high goes away too quick … I'm at the store again two hours later looking for another one.

"

## Conclusion: Understanding Your Daughters' Interest
The Labubu phenomenon represents more than just a passing toy trend.

It's a combination of clever marketing, emotional connection, social media influence, and the psychological appeal of collecting.

For teenagers, these toys may represent:
- A form of self-expression and identity
- A connection to a global community of collectors
- The excitement of the hunt for rare items
- A tangible connection to digital trends they see on social media
- A comforting presence during stressful times

By understanding these factors, you can better appreciate why your daughters are drawn to Labubu and perhaps even find ways to share in their interest, whether by discussing their collections, learning about the different characters, or even joining them in the hunt for special editions.

This phenomenon represents a unique intersection of art, commerce, and digital culture that resonates deeply with today's youth.

# The Labubu Phenomenon: Understanding the Viral Sensation

## Introduction
Labubu, a character and brand of collectible plush toy monster elves created by Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and marketed by Pop Mart, has become a global phenomenon that has captured the attention of teenagers and adults alike.

Title:

Content: Simplemost

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Squishmallows are more popular than ever, thanks to adults

Posted at 5:30 AM, Jul 28, 2023
and last updated 2023-07-27 16:52:57-04

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Do you have a collection of Squishmallows? I’m guilty — my set is small, but growing. I successfully denied myself the Funko Pop trend and I only buy a couple (OK, maybe four) Lego sets a year, but I just can’t resist these adorable plushes, especially when I’m traveling and see them at a gas station, or when I happen to be at Five Below and I have a sweet 17-year-old girl with me who really, really wants one.

I have also been known to fall under their spell at comic book conventions, and to grab the ones in blind bags or mystery boxes off grocery store shelves just because I can’t tell which character/food item/animal is in there. Don’t you want to know which one it is, too? Yes, I’ve fallen for the hype. But they’re so cute!

Check out the San Diego Comic-Con exclusives, which were being sold earlier this month and are seen here on Twitter:

It turns out, though, that I’m just one of thousands of fans — and I’m in the good company of many adults just like me.

MORE: ‘Barbie’ fans are driving up the price of an obscure Allan doll

The Squishmallows Craze, In a Nutshell

First designed by Sunny Cho from Kellytoy and released in 2017, the first Squishmallows were hard to get, but a larger company called Jazwares acquired the company in 2019 and was able to increase production. They blew up during the COVID-19 pandemic and became a viral TikTok sensation, with 73 million toys sold by March 2021 (the last number made public that year had Squashmallow sales at 100 million).

“Even though the craze was coming before the pandemic, it certainly hit a fever pitch in the past year, and this craving for comfort is a big part of it,” Kelly Deen, senior vice president of marketing at Jazwares, the parent company of Kellytoy, told The New York Times that year.

So what’s the appeal, exactly?

“There’s a real comfort in squishing them,” toy expert and consultant Chris Byrne said to The Washington Post, noting that parents told him that the toys calmed their children during an anxious, unprecedented time.

It doesn’t hurt that the toys are reasonably priced. They come in sizes that range from 2 inches to 24 inches, and you can get them for under $5 (the 3.5-inch) or $34.99 for the 24-inch ones (although some older Squishmallows are commanding premium prices on eBay and elsewhere).

Squishmallows has also teamed with franchises like “Star Wars,” Sonic the Hedgehog, Hello Kitty and Pokemon for limited edition toys, as seen below.

By Christmas 2022, Squishmallows had become the most popular toy in 41% of U.S. states, according to blogger and toy expert Hassan Alnassir at Premium Joy. It had also won The Toy Foundation’s Toy of the Year Award and its People’s Choice award, along with a number of other accolades.

“On top of the joy a toy can offer, Squishmallows is a powerful example of the emotional benefits children and adults can gain through play,” Pamela Mastrota, executive director of The Toy Foundation, explained about the win. “Whether you are 8 years old or 80 years old, everyone can benefit from a cuddly hug from a Squishmallow these days.”

But the biggest indicator that Squishmallows were becoming a force to be reckoned with was Jazwares’ acquisition by Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett’s holding company. In 2022, it bought out Alleghany Corp, the insurance-based parent company of Jazwares.

Adults Are Driving the Squishmallows Market

Although you might think these friendly-looking plushes are perfect for the child in your life — and Forbes reports that Gen Z is driving a lot of the demand — adults also get addicted to Squishmallows.

It turns out I (and many other parents) are also part of a related trend — “kidulting.” A 2021 Toy Association survey of parents found that 58% of parents who’d bought toys had done so for themselves. Meanwhile, The NDP Group reports that people over the age of 12 buying toys helped toy sales grow 37% during the first two years of the pandemic.

“The idea of having something that was nurturing, cozy, cuddly, it was affordable and accessible. Instant gratification,” Jazwares president Laura Zebersky told CNBC. “We really touch on all walks and areas. So it’s been really interesting to see that it’s not just kids, it’s adults. Our demographic is very wide and broad and it’s very unusual in our business to have that.”

Even celebrities got in on the act, with Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga posting images of the plushes (Lady Gaga even called them her “real friends.”) Some notable people were blasted for sharing their Squishmallows on social media, though, since doing so might artificially drive up demand a la the Beanie Baby bubble back in the ’90s.

Nick, a 27-year-old man from Bel-Air, Maryland, who owns 400 Squishmallows and says he’s probably spent $2,000 on them, calls his love of the toys an addiction.

“It’s similar to the feeling of winning at a slot machine,” he told The Post. “I try to ride that high because if the high goes away too quick … I’m at the store again two hours later looking for another one.”

In this Twitter thread, 24-year-old Athena Scalzi claims she moved half her collection into her local church because she was running out of room at her home. She knows all their names, too.

Of course, there are Squishmallows communities out there (check for your local Facebook group) with thousands of members, so if you’re one of the “kidults” who are ready to stimulate the economy Squishmallow-style, you may wish to join up. It doesn’t look like the hype around them is ending anytime soon — especially with those McDonald’s Happy Meals featuring 24 Squishmallows to collect on the horizon.

Ready to Get One of Your Own?

Whether you’re an adult or a child, you might appreiate the inexpensive cuddliness of a Squishmallow. Here are a few you might like.

One of the reasons Squishmallows are so appealing is that they don’t just come in animal form — they’re also foods. This one, a 14-inch Janna the Strawberry Jam plush, is $19.99 at Target.

Here’s another 14-inch, Dottie the Pink and Blue Tie-Dye Sea Slug, and she’s available at Amazon for 19.99.

Squishmallows is dropping a Harry Potter line! You can preorder now to get plushes like this 10-inch Hufflepuff Badger when it’s released on Oct. 15.

Of course, the small ones are great too, and you can fit more of them in your workbag. I’ve never done that, I swear. Here’s a Mystery Box of 5-inch Squishmallows from Walmart for $39.95. You don’t know what you’ll get, but that’s all part of the fun.

This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Check out Simplemost for additional stories.

Which designers does Pop Mart collaborate with?

Which products are increasingly viewed as treasures by collectors?

As a parent seeking to understand your daughters' fascination with these toys, this report will explain the cultural and commercial factors behind Labubu's viral success.

## Pop Mart: The Power Behind the Phenomenon
Pop Mart (泡泡瑪特) is a Chinese toy company that has revolutionized the designer toy industry.

Title:

Content: There were 566 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 183,975 in the last 365 days.
Bubble Mart opens shop in Hong Kong, bringing trendy toys to convey the beauty
Bubble Mart opens in Hong Kong
Bubble Mart opens in Hong Kong
Bubble Mart, the global trendy culture and entertainment company, recently announced the opening of two stores in Hong Kong, located in Harbour City and K11 Art Mall, so that more Hong Kong fans feel the infinite charm of trendy play.
HONG KONG, CHINA, December 3, 2021 / EINPresswire.com / -- Bubble Mart (9992.HK), the world ’ s leading pop culture entertainment company, has announced the opening of two stores in Hong Kong, located in Harbour City and K11 Art Mall, respectively.
It is reported that Bubble Mart ’ s first Hong Kong store has opened in Harbour City on November 13.
On the opening day, the designer of Bubble Mart ’ s head IP-Molly, Kenny Wong, as a well-known local pop artist in Hong Kong, specially designed the blue Molly image glass steel inspired by Star Ferry pier for the Hong Kong Harbour City store, which is placed in the center of the store, giving the store a special meaning.
Kenny Wong, a contract artist with Bubble Mart, founder of Kennyswork and the father of Molly, said, “I am delighted that Bubble Mart has brought Molly to the world, allowing more people to learn about the artist ’ s toys through Molly and other pop-up IPs.
"I am
Bubble Mart founder and CEO Wang Ning said, “Five years ago, when I first met Kenny Wong and Molly in his studio in Hong Kong, I decided to get the exclusive license of Molly.
We want more people to get to know Molly through Bubble Mart as the ‘ Treasure Girl ’.
Molly also became Bubble Mart's first pop-up IP.
Today, Bubble Mart family has more IP image, hope through our pop-up shop, let more people feel the charm of pop-up play, enjoy the beauty that Bubble Mart brings to everyone.
"I am
Founded in 2010, Bubble Mart is committed to the deep cultivation and development of five fields around the world: artist mining, IP incubation operation, consumer touch, pop play culture promotion, and related industry investment.
Through the brand culture of "creating trends and transmitting beauty", it has built a comprehensive operation platform covering the entire industrial chain of trendy toys, which has set off a wave of play in China.
It was successfully listed in Hong Kong in December 2020.
As of September 30, 2021, Bubble Mart's global offline stores have exceeded 250, with more than 1,687 robot stores, covering 103 cities in China, and being stationed in 23 overseas countries and regions such as South Korea, Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, etc., and the global layout is constantly expanding.
Today, POP MART forms a brand advantage with designers, retail channels and industry chains as its fulcrum.
POP MART has signed contracts with well-known fashion designers such as Kenny, Pucky, Kasing Lung, etc., and launched a number of popular fashion IP products, including Molly, PUCKY, The Monsters and other fans, which have gathered a strong and high-quality fan group.
At the same time, POP MART also launched a joint product with world-renowned brands and world-class artists, including Keith Haring, to create a classic IP image that young consumers love today.
With the continuous expansion of the territory, POP MART has gradually built a complete industrial chain covering designers, factory supply chains, retail channels, and international trend toy exhibitions, allowing designers to focus more on their works and promote the vigorous development of the fashion industry.
In addition to the Harbour City store, Bubble Mart Hong Kong 2 will open on 4 December at K11 Art Mall, located at shopping malls B233B and B231B.
On the opening day, the draw will be held for Bubble Mart ’ s high-end line limited product, the MEGA Collection SPACE MOLLY.
The event will be held from 14: 00 to 16: 00 on the 11th.
Chen Xiaoning
Bubble Mart
Email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

Founded in 2010, the company has built a comprehensive operation platform covering the entire industry chain of designer toys.

According to the documents, Pop Mart has signed numerous renowned designers including Kasing Lung (creator of Labubu), Kenny Wong (creator of Molly), and Pucky, launching many popular designer toy IP products.

Which designers does Pop Mart collaborate with?

The company's success is built on a unique business model that integrates designers, retail channels, and industrial chains.

Title:

Content: The controversial Chinese fast fashion giant which attracted stars including Khloe Kardashian, Katy Perry and Rita Ora: How Shein burst onto the scene in lockdown with clothes as cheap as £1 - and now plans to go public in London

Chinese fast fashion giant Shein has enjoyed a rapid expansion in recent years after becoming famed for its unbelievably cheap prices.

The brand, which is popular among young shoppers from more than 150 countries, releases over 6,000 new products on its website every day, typically costing under £10 each, with some pieces even listed for as little as £1.

Its global rise in the fashion industry, which the company claims is down to its unique business model and efficient supply chain to keep prices low, has attracted collaborations with stars including Khloe Kardashian, Katy Perry and Rita Ora.

Most recently the online retailer has held talks with Jeremy Hunt over a possible listing on the London Stock Exchange, in another big move that is set to boost its worldwide recognition.

But such success has not come without its share of controversies. From being accused of imitating other retailer's products to allegedly only paying its workers 3p an hour, the brief history of the brand has been far from plain-sailing.

Fast fashion brand Shein has risen to global fame in recent years and has garnered collaborations with celebrities including Khloe Kardashian

Katy Perry performed in an event hosted by Shein during lockdown in 2020

Rita Ora also took part in the event which aimed to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts

Shein (pronounced 'she-in'),has seemingly come from nowhere in recent years to dominate online clothes shopping. It is is based in Singapore but its suppliers are located in Guangzhou, a city 100km north of Hong Kong, China.

The firm, which is now valued at around £53billion, has enjoyed a rapid expansion thanks to its popularity with budget-conscious younger shoppers across more than 150 countries.

It uses what it describes as a unique business model and efficient supply chain to keep prices low, with teams of designers and and complex algorithms on hand to seek out fast growing fashion trends on social media.

The brand's worldwide popularity has attracted several famous faces who have collaborated with the brand to promote its fashionable apparel.

Khloe Kardashian announced her partnership with Shein in August 2021, for which she appeared as a guest judge on the brand's Shein X 100K Challenge series.

The project runway-inspired challenge was created in honor of Fashion Week, with emerging designers showcasing their collections virtually in the hopes of winning prize money and having their collection available for purchase on Shein.

A year earlier, during lockdown in 2020, a host of stars took part in Shein's Together Virtual Festival, which aimed to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts.

The event featured musical performances from major performers, along with plenty of actors and influencers including Katy Perry, Hailey Bieber, Tyler Cameron, Rita Ora, Yara Shahidi and Lil Nas X.

Celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian have previously been associated with the brand

Khloe Kardashian announced her partnership with Shein in August 2021,

The star appeared as a guest judge on the brand's Shein X 100K Challenge series

A year earlier, during lockdown in 2020, a host of stars took part in Shein's Together Virtual Festival, including Katy Perry who performed with her backing singers

Rita Ora also made a stylish appearance in a midnight blue top with intriguing cut-outs over her chest featuring metal orbs

Old Town Road rapper Lil Nas X wore a playful 'Please Wash Your Hands' T-shirt during the event in 2020

The rapper wore an opulent black and white cowboy hat for the occasion as he also performed in front of viewers watching at home

Since being founded in 2012, Shein has enjoyed global sales of more than £20billion, including £1.1billion in the UK. It is currently the UK’s 11th largest apparel retailer and is anticipated to rise to the sixth spot by 2027, having acquired many of its rivals - including Missguided.

To add to its success in the country, Shein has reportedly looked towards a UK listing amid concerns over onerous regulations that would not allow it to go public in the US, according to reports from Bloomberg.

Shein’s executive chairman Donald Tang met with the Chancellor earlier this month in an effort to persuade the firm, which was founded in 2012, to list in London, Sky News reported.

The introductory meeting was requested by Tang, a government source said, adding that he had raised the prospect of an initial public offering to be placed on the London Stock Exchange.

Shein has already applied for a US listing but has faced opposition from the likes of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, partly due to claims that it has used cotton from forced labour in China’s Xinjiang region.

Shein has said it has a ‘zero tolerance policy for forced labour’ but the US opposition has left it seeking alternative venues – though it could face similar scrutiny from authorities in the UK.

Such claims were uncovered following two landmark investigations into the company by the Swiss human rights advocacy group Public Eye in 2021, and by Channel 4 in 2022.

They found consistent examples of workers in its supply chain being exploited and were put under pressure to complete orders that took up to 18 hours a day.

Lucinda Strafford attends the launch of the SHEIN Christmas pop-up store at The Stables

In 2018, Shein's annual revenue was reportedly £1.64 billion; by last year, shipping to more than 150 countries, that had increased eightfold

Influencer Jordyn Woods models a Shein outfit in an ad  post on Instagram

Anna Vakili attends the SHEIN VIP party at Creamfields festival

Channel 4's documentary Untold: Inside the Shein Machine secretly filmed inside two Shein suppliers and found workers who were allegedly paid piecemeal for their part in producing a garment.

They received as little as 2p per item and were required to complete an average of at least 500 a day before being guaranteed the payments they were owed at the end of the month, it was claimed.

Channel 4 also found what is claimed to be dangerous working conditions and a lack of fire safety. Workers appeared exhausted and unhappy, and in some cases were shouted at to work harder by supervisors, even into the night if they had to.

Meanwhile, Public Eye's Toiling Away for Shein report featured interviews with ten workers from six factories supplying Shein.

Many of their claims about pay and hours were similar to those Channel 4 would find a year later, suggesting nothing had improved.

Public Eye concluded: 'Shein takes advantage of the fact that these employees are prepared to forgo even a minimum degree of safety, free time and quality of life, because they feel that they don't have an alternative.

'None of those interviewed could show an employment contract. According to our information, no social security contributions are being paid, and many companies [in the supply chain] fail to comply with even the most basic safety standards.'

The claims that were made in the Channel 4 documentary led to Georgia Toffolo to cut short her contract with the Chinese fast fashion outlet.

The former I'm a Celebrity winner, 28, had released three collections since first partnering with the label in 2020 and often promoted the brand to her 1.7million Instagram followers at the time.

But the company's controversies don't just stop with its supply chain and more recently Shein came under fire for selling 'sexy' clothes and padded bikinis designed for girls as young as six months.

Parents took aim at the producer after unveiling its children's range last month, which features dresses and swimwear that some considered inappropriate.

Former I'm a Celebrity winner Georgia Toffolo cut short her contract with Shein after she was branded 'exploitative' by charities over her deal with the fast fashion outlet

Pictured wearing the brand's clothing, Toff's decision came after a damning Channel 4 documentary found workers at Shein's factories are only paid 3p an hour

Miss Toffolo 28, released three collections since first partnering with the label in 2020

Then earlier that month, Uniqlo announced it is suing the online retailer over claims it is selling fake imitations of its shoulder bag.

Since its unveiling in April 2022, Uniqlo's popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag has been featured in viral social media videos for its surprisingly large capacity.

As such it has been compared to the infinitely large magical carpet bag carried by Mary Poppins in the eponymous 1964 film. While the Uniqlo bag is sold for £14.90, very similar-looking bags are listed on Shein for £5.

Uniqlo's parent Fast Retail said a petition had been filed in a Tokyo court against Shein Japan and two of its subsidiaries on December 28.

Justifying its complaint, Fast Retailing said the 'imitation products sold by SHEIN closely resembles that of its own product'.

A spokesperson for Shein said at the time the company 'respects the intellectual property rights of others and takes all claims of infringement seriously. We are currently investigating this matter'.

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Pop Mart has established a global presence with over 250 offline direct-operated stores and more than 1,687 robot stores worldwide, covering 103 cities in China and expanding to 23 overseas countries and regions including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, and South Korea.

## The "Kidulting" Phenomenon
One key factor in understanding Labubu's popularity is the growing trend of "kidulting" - adults purchasing toys for themselves.

According to a 2021 Toy Association survey cited in the documents, 58% of parents who bought toys had done so for themselves.

Additionally, The NDP Group reports that people over the age of 12 buying toys helped toy sales grow 37% during the first two years of the pandemic.

This trend reflects a broader cultural shift where adults seek comfort, nostalgia, and emotional connection through collectible toys.

Title:

Content: How Barbie is shaping up to be a source of emotional support for grown-ups

Of all the roles the doll has taken on over her 64 years of existence, Barbie is now being seen as a comforting and reassuring item, even for adults

Published: Oct 14, 2023 07:29:39 AM IST
Updated: Oct 13, 2023 05:31:24 PM IST

Barbie dolls are shaping up to be a source of emotional support for grown-ups in the US. Image: NeydtStock / Shutterstock©

The theatrical release of Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie this summer has helped boost sales of Mattel's doll. And it's not just children who are getting them. On TikTok, some internet users—mainly women in the US—are posting videos of them buying a Barbie for themselves. So has the famous plastic doll become a new source of comfort for adults?

On TikTok, videos of adult women in the US buying themselves Barbie dolls are proliferating. The videos show them browsing toy aisles, looking for a doll that looks just like them, or unboxing their purchases. For example, the artist and wheelchair user, @gremlingrandparent, bought herself a wheelchair Barbie, just like her. "I got a Barbie that looks like me. ... She comes with her own ramp!" she says while opening the packaging, clearly moved by the experience. "Plus size Barbie is something I wish I had as a little girl, constantly comparing myself to her. I'm so happy to have her," explains another TikToker called Maddie. Meanwhile, Britknee took a different approach by gifting a Barbie to her mother, who never got the chance to have one when she was a child.

In the multitude of videos that can be seen on the Chinese social network, many women refer to their doll as an emotional support Barbie. In fact, the emotionalsupportbarbie hashtag has almost two million views. For these adults, Barbie is seen as a source of comfort, serving to reassure them and (re)build their self-confidence. "Oh my god, she's so pretty. I'm so pretty. Ok, I'm gonna go before I cry," continues @grelingrandparent in her video. And the success of Greta Gerwig's movie is no small part of this trend. It has allowed these women to talk freely about wanting a Barbie, without being seen as adults who refuse to grow up and who dream of returning to childhood. Of all the roles the doll has taken on over her 64 years of existence, Barbie is now being seen as a comforting and reassuring item, even for adults.

Also read: With 'Kencore,' Barbie isn't the only one smashing stereotypes

Nostalgia at the service of mental health

"We have quite a bit of research that shows the benefits of play for children. But increasingly, we have scientific evidence that play is beneficial for adults as well, especially in the mental health realm," explains Kristin Flora, a professor of psychology at Franklin College in Indiana, speaking to CNN. "Some of the research suggests that it can help stave off depression. It can help us build a sense of optimism, which is really important when things are uncertain. It can help us decide what disposition to take as we live through unprecedented times." According to her, Barbie, or other toys, could contribute to well-being, helping to "boost confidence and positivity in critical moments," reports CNN.

Internet users therefore find a certain comfort in toys like Barbie, which helps them get through the tumult of everyday life. According to psychologist Mark Travers, who wrote an article on the subject in Forbes magazine, "the Barbie phenomenon symbolizes many things in our society. Perhaps most of all, it reaffirms the power of the past." Faced with the uncertainties of recent years (including the health, economic and climate crises) and the stress these times can generate, people tend to turn to their past —their childhood—to connect with a happier, or at least simpler, period in their lives. "Today, as more people prioritize self-care and well-being, their longing for—and, hence, the appeal of—nostalgic moments continues to grow relentlessly," he explains. "A recent study found that nostalgia is often triggered in response to negative feelings, acting as an effective tool to strengthen social connections, enhance self-esteem, and generate positive emotions necessary to avoid stress or unpleasant emotions during difficult times."

Barbie dolls are just one example of how toys can play an important role in the everyday lives of adults. In fact, plush toys have for years been acknowledged as a source of emotional support for adults. This can be seen on social networks like TikTok, where a plethora of videos shows internet users cuddling or sleeping with their favorite stuffed toy. Indeed, some adults keep their childhood cuddly toys as companions for life. Research from the University of Amsterdam, published in 2013 in the journal Psychological Science, even demonstrated that a plush toy could be a great ally for maintaining mental health, even capable of alleviating anxiety attacks.

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What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

As Jazwares president Laura Zebersky noted, "The idea of having something that was nurturing, cozy, cuddly, it was affordable and accessible.

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

Instant gratification.

" This emotional connection helps explain why teenagers, who are navigating the complexities of adolescence, might be drawn to these toys.

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

## The Collectible Aspect and Limited Edition Strategy
Pop Mart has mastered the art of creating demand through limited editions and exclusive releases.

Title:

Content: Alert
Cloudy to sunny everywhere tomorrow … Double north watch for afternoon thunderstorm 8 counties and cities meet 36 degrees extreme high temperature
POP MART Launches in Taichung Shin Kong Mitsukoshi ’ s Largest Store
After opening its first physical store in Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Xintiandi A11 in September 2022, POP MART has now opened its second store on the 6th floor of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in Taichung. It is currently the largest store in Taiwan, selling more than 100 styles, and selling a limited edition of 3,000 pieces of “SKULLPANDA ” plum blossom There are also a variety of limited sales items, as well as the opening of a full amount of gifts, so that the children of Central China can choose to collect them from the nearest.
POP MART Taiwan said that after the opening of the new light store in Taichung, the store plan will continue to advance, looking forward to opening the first POP MART streetside store by the end of 2023, creating a bubble paradise for children.
POP MART Taichung Shinkuang Store has a larger space than Taipei. Today, the Taichung store is the first to sell a limited number of 3,000 pieces of "SKULLPANDA Plum Blossom Soldier" in Taiwan. The store is limited to 80 pieces. If you spend 999 yuan or more (including any SKULLPANDA series products), you can purchase a ticket with a price increase of NT $980. A large number of children came to the scene to queue up, and the opening was sold out.
In addition, there are also a series of MEGA MOLLY limited edition hot selling items, including the latest co-branded “MEGA SPACE MOLLY 400% PAITA STAR ”, which is priced at 5,980 yuan and limited to 54 pieces;“ MEGA SPACE MOLLY 1000% PAITA STAR ”, which is priced at 26,800 yuan and limited to 6 pieces.
In addition, the “MEGA SPACE MOLLY 400% + 100% Care Bears ” co-branded with Care Bears is priced at NT $6,980, limited to 96 pieces, and the“ MEGA SPACE MOLLY 1000% Care Bears ” is priced at NT $26,800, limited to three pieces.
In addition, last year in Taiwan caused fans to rush to buy, the artist Ueno Yokosuke design "Ueno Yokosuke Sugar Tiger Handmade" priced at 980 yuan, limited to 48 pieces, will no longer be replenished after the sale.
POP MAR Taichung Shinkuang Store has launched a variety of full-value gift activities to bring surprises and satisfaction to consumers.
From now until July 4, every purchase of 3 boxes of blind box at the store will receive one “SKULLPANDA Temperature Series Coaster (single entry) ”; every purchase of 5 boxes of blind box will receive one“ SKULLPANDA Temperature Series Coaster (box) ”; every purchase of NT $2,999 will receive one “Magic Card MOLLY Umbrella ”.
The number of cute gifts is limited, until the end of each day.
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The documents describe how Pop Mart stores attract collectors with limited edition products, such as the "SKULLPANDA Plum Blossom Soldiers" limited to 3,000 pieces globally, with only 80 available at a specific store opening.

Which products are increasingly viewed as treasures by collectors?

These limited quantities create scarcity and urgency among collectors.

The company also collaborates with popular brands and artists to create special editions, such as the SpongeBob SquarePants collaboration "MEGA SPACE MOLLY 400% Patrick Star" priced at $5,980 and limited to 54 pieces.

Which products are increasingly viewed as treasures by collectors?

This strategy of creating exclusive, limited-edition items drives collectors to line up at store openings and purchase products quickly before they sell out.

## The Role of Social Media and TikTok
Social media platforms, particularly TikTok, have played a crucial role in popularizing Labubu and similar collectible toys.

which social platforms does Gen Z tend to prefer?

which social platforms does Gen Z tend to prefer?

The documents note that videos of adults purchasing and unboxing toys are proliferating on TikTok, with users sharing their personal connections to these items.

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

which social platforms does Gen Z tend to prefer?

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

which social platforms does Gen Z tend to prefer?

For example, one document describes how adult women in the US are posting videos of themselves buying Barbie dolls that look like them, creating emotional content that resonates with viewers.

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

Similar trends likely exist for Labubu, with users sharing unboxing videos, collections, and personal stories related to these toys.

How do teenagers gain identity and intimacy?

The global reach of social media is immense, with the top 3 platforms (Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp) having a collective 7 billion active users.

Title:

Content: What is social commerce?

Social commerce is the purchasing of products and services online through social media platforms such as Facebook, WeChat, Zalo, and Line. While some super apps integrate payment and logistics into a single app, others serve as a platform for connecting users and their wares to buyers with third-party services handling the payment and logistics. Other "s-commerce" platforms have sprung up, focusing on combining social media networks with e-commerce functionality, where Key Opinion Leaders and Influencers can promote products. One example is China's Little Red Book ("RED").

According to a 2019 report (The State Of Social Commerce In Southeast Asia) conducted by Econsultancy, Magento and Hootsuite, respondents reported that social media is highly influential in their buying decisions. 44% of social shoppers said that they had made three or more online purchases in the past month due to seeing social media posts or ads.

Social media and the growth of e-commerce

A 2020 study by PWC found that there has been increasingly higher usage of social media platforms among consumers looking to make purchases. However, due to the pandemic and social isolation, the adoption of social media for communication and shopping has accelerated further. 58% of consumers saw increased social media consumption, with 86% of those likely to maintain increased use even after isolation measures have ended.

The opportunity for social media as a sales channel cannot be ignored. In Indonesia alone, Paypal reported that 80% of Indonesian online merchants sell through social e-commerce. McKinsey, in their report, mentioned that the social commerce market is to be at least $3 billion, with users buying from BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, Instagram, Line, and WhatsApp.

Why Social commerce?

Global reach

According to Hootsuite, the world's top 3 most used social platforms Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, have a collective of 7 billion active users. The potential reach for bad actors on social media alone is massive. Like traditional marketing, counterfeiters funnel sales by creating accounts across multiple platforms and attempting to direct consumers to external sites. It is common to see such accounts linking a social media reference landing page which links off to other ecommerce or third-party payment sites.

Consumer's trust

Socal commerce takes advantage of consumer distrust in traditional e-commerce advertising. According to Nielsen's Global Trust in Advertising report, 92 percent of consumers worldwide say they trust earned media, such as recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising. This is not surprising since advertising on social media is not tarred by the brush of traditional advertising. Counterfeiters boost their credentials by soliciting paid positive reviews through bots and even boosting sales volume through fake purchases.

Data privacy, a double-edged sword

Monitoring illicit activities is a big challenge. Most social media platforms in Southeast Asia do not require identity verifications and counterfeiters hide behind a cloak of anonymity to create fake accounts. Facebook Inc, in a recent disclosure to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, said it took down 1.3 billion fake accounts over a three month period.

Counterfeit sellers can also create a private network of sales and distribution through closed groups such as those on Facebook. Groups give criminal networks some form of control as they can set it up so that new members are required to answer a series of questions before being accepted. Administrators also can change the group's visibility to "hidden" which completely hides a group from searches by the general public, recruiting members through targeted messages. On a global level, developments in data protection regulation and privacy law have made it more difficult for law enforcement and investigators to collect data on online users.

On the other hand, China does require Real Name Identification - although individual identies behind accounts are not made public and the usage of other's identities is common to get around blocks and bans.

Which social commerce platform should you focus on?

In SE Asia, the top 3 social media platforms are YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. This is according to Hootsuite's report. It is important to note that there is localized preference such as Line with a whopping 86% usage in Thailand and Zalo with a respectable 77% usage in Vietnam.

Figure 1- Percentage of internet user aged 16-64 that has used each platform in the past month

Although these platforms started as communications or media sharing platforms, most have evolved towards super apps where users can also buy, sell and transact within one app. Tik Tok recently launched its marketplace in Indonesia. Facebook, Instagram, Zalo, and Line have also integrated in-app shopping and transactions. YouTube plans to eventually incorporate e-commerce elements, as global platforms look to copy China's success in the video marketing and livestream selling space, with leaders including KuaiShou, Taobao Live, Douyin and others.

The Rising Trend of Social Commerce - and China is Leading It

There is no doubt that China is the world's largest e-commerce market, where consumer-oriented innovations are leading in the social commerce field. It is reported that social commerce sales in China totalled approximately $186.04 billion in 2019 - nearly ten times the number of sales in the US, which reached $19.42 billion.

Rapid infrastructure development and subsequent smartphone adoption

People, especially younger generations, are spending more and more time on social media apps, which has positioned social commerce as the market breakout trend for e-commerce in the future.

Take Pinduoduo as an example. This platform reached $251.76 billion in e-commerce revenues in 2020. Pinduoduo's meteoric growth was fueled by WeChat, the most popular social media platform in China. The users of Pinduoduo round up additional buyers via WeChat to reach discounts on products under the group-buying model.

A more accessible model for both sellers and buyers

The customer experience is made easier by social media shops compared to traditional e-commerce. People can review, click and order while spending time on social media apps.

For sellers, the mode of traditional e-commerce would have them open a store on Taobao but without investing much promotion of the business, resulting in a lack of consumer awareness of new estores. Taobao and Tmall have developed an "express service" by which online sellers could achieve more exposure to attract more traffic. This, however, would require the payment of high e-commerce traffic costs, leading many beginner merchants or counterfeiters to consider social commerce as a more cost-efficient option.

Multifunction of the social media giants - not just "Social Media"

A crucial factor for the staggering success of Chinese social media platforms in e-commerce is that they are more multifunctional and have a broader purpose for their users.

Take WeChat as an example. The most popular social media app in China has developed a lot of new functions in the past ten years, including but not limited to "WeChat Pay", "Mini-programs", "Moments Ads" and "Short video account". The mini-programs can function as standalone e-commerce stores which don't require an install to use. Moments and Short videos are used to promote products to WeChat "friends" and the public that follow these accounts. Payments can be made seamlessly through the WeChat Payment function - and Chinese consumers trust and use WeChat pay for payments on a daily basis, meaning that there are no barriers from payment trust issues like can occur with giving your bank card details to third parties.

Under this ever-evolving WeChat's ecosystem, the whole social commerce journey is much easier for customers to make orders and interact directly with brands.

Most popular platforms

WeChat: the super App

There is no doubt that WeChat is the super app in China, which reached 1.2 billion monthly active users in 2020, according to the 2020 Statista.com & WeChat Annual Report.

  • Messages: 38 billion messages are exchanged daily
  • Videos: 68M videos are uploaded every day on WeChat
  • Average time spent: 66 minutes on WeChat daily
  • Frequency of daily use: 60% of WeChat users open the app more than ten times a day
  • Number of WeChat official accounts: 20+ million accounts
  • Weight of mini-programs: 70+ million mini-programs (95% of e-commerce brands have one)

RED (Little Red Book, or Xiaohongshu): Instagram, Pinterest, and Amazon in one

XiaoHongShu is a social media platform launched in 2013, which started as a lifestyle platform. Arriving in 2014, Xiaohongshu was added with an e-commerce functionality, making it one of the first and most popular social commerce platforms in China. Since then, many popular overseas brands and influencers have joined the platform to sell their products in the Chinese market.

Xiaohongshu has 300 million registered users. In 2020, this popular Chinese social commerce platform had a total of approximately 100 million active users.

What should brand owners do?

China was and continues to be a leading manufacturer and supplier to overseas markets, including SEA. When it comes to the e-commerce market, Chinese platforms (B2C or B2B) are crucial elements in the SEA distribution chain, and social eCommerce only fortifies China's stance.

An enforcement strategy for SE Asia that does not include or consider China would result in handling the effects of a problem without addressing the cause.

1. Verified official account

Having an official verified account on the platform lets you fill any void left by successfully enforcing counterfeit sellers immediately. It could also open doors for more brand protection co-operation activities between brand owners and the platform.

2. Mapping and monitoring

Mapping and monitoring a platform allowing you to track and focus your resources on critical infringers while keeping a tab on the general health of the platform. The simplest way to do this is by periodically searching sets of popular keywords and capturing the data manually. Ideally, you would want to capture information relating to the stores such as reviews, sales volumes, discounts rate and related networks. To scale up the process, you could use scrapping tools that crawl the web automatically for data. It is important to note that data scraping can be a grey area, depending on its usage. However convenient, data scrapers have limitations. Many platforms now have anti-scraping mechanisms - social apps such as Facebook and Instagram prohibit data mining activities and have anti-bot systems in place. Alibaba is continuously updating its defenses as hundreds of thousands of bots are crawling it every day to obtain valuable data which can be used for marketing insights or infringement detection. It is also relatively complex to monitor media streaming platforms such as live auctions on Facebook or a video stream on Tik Tok. By the time rightsholders become aware of such livestream flash sales on such platforms, the damage can already have been done - and evidence that it occurred for the purposes of enforcement challenging to obtain.

3. Online enforcement

With a monitoring system in place, you can then consider enforcement. Most platforms have processes in place for the brand owner to report and enforce on IP infringements.

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have publicly accessible channels where rights holders can report infringing content. WeChat, Line, and Zalo allow users to report infringements through the app. WeChat also has a dedicated Brand Protection Platform where brand owners can register and file complaints (and receive "clues" from users who report others), while Line users are able to report through an online form.

4. Beyond online enforcement

For platforms without a robust seller verification process in place, infringers would repeatedly create new accounts following any enforcement action. One of the biggest challenges of online enforcement is ensuring that infringers hiding behind the veil of anonymity are taken down permanently. One way to do this is to convert key online targets into offline targets for further investigations and take legal actions. Looking beyond just investigations and enforcement, brand owners should also try to engage social media platforms and build up proactive brand protection measures and take joint enforcement actions against counterfeiters. The Facebook and Gucci lawsuit has recently shown us that social media platforms and brand owners can take coordinated actions against counterfeiters.

Social media has evolved from being a simple media sharing and communications platform to becoming super apps rivaling and overtaking e-commerce sites in some instances. In China, a new draft regulation argues that such social media platforms with e-commerce functions should be held to the same regulations as e-commerce platforms since they provide merchants with order generations and transactional services. In reality, social media platforms functioning as e-commerce often face less scrutiny than traditional e-commerce platforms. Therefore, it is crucial for brand owners to take precautionary and preventive actions.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

This vast audience allows trends like Labubu to spread rapidly across different countries and demographics.

Title:

Content: This week, YouTube collective The Sidemen has partnered with New World Foods to launch a snacking brand ‘Sides’ into grocery with a trio of ambient meat snacks

Innovation is tough at the best of times. With the cost of living crisis adding extra pressure and driving many consumers to trade down to supermarket own labels, it’s never been more important to get product development right. And there is a new threat for established brands in the form of disruptive innovation from an unlikely source.

The creator economy refers to personality-led, digitally-enabled value creation that arises from an individual monetising their relationship with their audience across diverse media. Or ‘famous people selling stuff to their fans’.

But unlike more traditional celebrity endorsement of big-brand products, the creator economy is driven by influencers and content creators who have built audiences independently on social media.

Why is this a threat?

Influencers and content creators who have successfully monetised their audiences via content and merchandising are now moving into fmcg spaces, with enviable returns. For example, YouTuber MrBeast’s Feastables chocolate bars reportedly made over $10m in revenues in the first few months, and YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI made $1.2bn in sales in year two with their Prime Hydration drinks.

This sort of market disruption could be seen as alarming, or dismissed as niche. But I believe established brands can learn from the creator economy and adopt their own methods to power up innovation in three key ways.

Intense relationships

Influencers and creators build brand desirability through the intensity of their relationships with audiences, which involve continual two-way communication and interaction. The individual creator or creator team may be talking to millions of people, but to the teenage boy in his bedroom, it feels personal.

There is an opportunity for brands to be more creative and focus on comms that create a dialogue, feel personal and bring audiences into a relationship that is fun to be part of. This requires a razor-sharp focus on exactly who that audience is.

Reimagined product universe

Gen Z consumers and upcoming gen alphas spend the most time watching online content creators. Their opinions and preferences are less likely to be formed from a trip to the supermarket or broadcast media, but instead from a curated set of influences that is unique to each of them and relates to their passions, and the algorithms.

However, although the media landscape is profoundly different, there are still those moments of truth that are formative in people’s relationships with brands – moments such as leaving home, becoming a parent, or entering into a relationship. Brands that understand how those trigger points work can ensure they are visible and building dialogue in a variety of media at those points, and build lifetime relationships by getting into those new product universes early on.

Experimentation culture

Influencers and creators have an inherently disruptive experimental culture and act on instinct, testing and learning to see what works. And they fail fast. MrBeast took MrBeast Burgers from zero to £100m in sales and back down to nothing in less than two years. This agility is enabled by the speed and quality of their feedback loops.

Brands need to look at innovation culture in their own organisations and emulate this agility by, for example, looking to devolve decision-making, empowering innovators to be more entrepreneurial, and considering more flexible routes to market and smaller-scale launch models.

We can’t all be MrBeast, but established brands can thrive in the creator economy by learning from the best and most successful.

## Celebrity Influence
Celebrity endorsements have further amplified the Labubu phenomenon.

Title:

Content: LinkedIn betting it can take on TikTok and Instagram in influencer marketing

  • Last week, LinkedIn started letting advertisers promote posts from independent creators, jumping into the market of influencer marketing.
  • Instagram and TikTok have successfully turned popular creators into brand ambassadors.
  • LinkedIn needs a spark, with revenue growth hovering below 10% since 2022.

Influencer marketing has become big business on TikTok and Instagram, where popular creators can make good money by helping brands promote their stuff. Now, LinkedIn wants in the game.

As of last week, LinkedIn is letting advertisers pay to amplify posts from users, including those with sizable followings. Its product, called Thought Leader ads, launched in a limited capacity last year.

The Microsoft-owned business is looking for a jolt, as LinkedIn's revenue growth has been stuck in single digits since 2022. The company is turning to its membership, which topped 1 billion in November, to help fuel expansion.

Influencer marketing to date has largely been a phenomenon of consumer apps, where shticks and gimmicks can turn internet-savvy creators into celebrities with millions of followers. Almost two-thirds of U.S. social media marketing dollars this year will flow to Instagram parent Meta and TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance, with Instagram and TikTok picking up a combined 2 percentage points of additional share by 2026, according to estimates from eMarketer.

LinkedIn, which was launched a year before Facebook, will grab just 4% of the market, equal to $4.5 billion in marketing revenue, eMarketer says, and its share will remain flat over the next two years.

"It takes a long time for ads and ad formats to really take root," said Max Willens, a senior analyst at eMarketer, referring to LinkedIn's latest endeavor.

LinkedIn introduced Thought Leader ads last year but with limited use. Brands could only amplify posts from their own employees. Mastercard, for example, promoted posts written by some of its leaders in Singapore, with one receiving over 500 notifications on the first day. LinkedIn has used Thought Leaders ads itself for some posts from operating chief Dan Shapero, but not yet for CEO Ryan Roslansky.

By opening up Thought Leader ads, LinkedIn is letting anyone boost a post as long as the author grants permission. Social media marketer Brendan Gahan is so bullish on the format that he's focusing much of his efforts on helping companies use Thought Leader ads.

"In an era where brand safety is a big issue, LinkedIn has a leg up, particularly in contrast to Twitter," said Gahan, who started an agency last year called Creator Authority, referring to the social media platform now known as X.

X lost some leaders working on brand safety last year, just as the Elon Musk-owned platform was seeing a surge in hate speech on the app.

LinkedIn has long been an effective site for advertisers because members list their employment details, making it easy for brands to target ads to relevant audiences. Advertising skews toward business-focused products like software and computer infrastructure, though automakers, universities and banks also use the network to reach potential customers.

"If you're looking to sell a high-end B2B product, and you know the buying group is a CFO and someone in finance and like someone in HR, we can literally put ads in front of those specific people on LinkedIn, because the first-party data is so strong," Roslansky said at a conference in late 2022.

Thought Leader ads came about after employees saw marketing clients promoting screenshots of other users' content. Since turning on the offering last fall, the ads have yielded higher engagement than regular ads that run with images, said Abhishek Shrivastava, a LinkedIn vice president of product management.

"Humanizing your brand is critical for B2B and has been underused in that space," said Shrivastava, adding that clients are very excited about it.

It might not be cheap. Racking up a thousand ad impressions generally costs more on LinkedIn than on Instagram or TikTok, partly because the company charges more for advertisers to reach its more affluent user base. Shrivastava said that rather than comparing the costs to other sites, brands will look at the sales and business leads they get from running ads.

For months, project management software startup ClickUp has been paying to promote LinkedIn posts from its own executives. Chris Cunningham, head of social marketing at the company, said traditional ads on LinkedIn can sometimes be repetitive and generic, and he's eager to see how promoted posts will perform when influencers get involved.

On other social networks, ClickUp has found more success promoting posts from creators than with standard ads, Cunningham said. Plus, he said, "it's super easy."

Betsy Hindman, a marketer in Tennessee who helps companies make the most of their LinkedIn presence, said a brand ambassador with an audience can have a bigger impact than a typical ad.

"It's part of a full end-to-end strategy that includes warming people up along the way with whatever type of content they respond to," she said.

Building up a roster of creators will likely take time. Some influencers are represented by agencies, and LinkedIn's Campaign Manager advertising system doesn't have an automatic process for connecting media buyers with agencies.

"That's a direction we are exploring," Shrivastava said.

More data will soon be available to advertisers. Starting in a few weeks, LinkedIn members will be able to look up any company's collection of ads and see its Thought Leader ads, a spokesperson said. That could help advertisers see what works best.

One potential boon for LinkedIn rests with the fate of TikTok. The app faces a possible ban in the U.S. after the House of Representatives passed legislation last month that would force ByteDance to sell it within six months. Momentum has since slowed, though Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., urged lawmakers to take action on the matter earlier this week.

Willens from eMarketer said agencies are keeping an eye on the issue, but said "nobody feels there's an imminent threat."

WATCH: TikTok is one of the biggest platforms for free speech that I've ever seen, says Marc D'Amelio

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How do teenagers gain identity and intimacy?

The report statement mentions that Rihanna has been spotted with these toys, and the documents reference other celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga posting images of similar plush toys (with Lady Gaga calling them her "real friends").

When celebrities share these products on their social media accounts, it significantly increases visibility and desirability among their followers.

## The Psychological Appeal
The documents provide insight into the psychological appeal of collecting these toys.

Consumers mainly buy blind boxes for what purpose?

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

One collector of Squishmallows (a similar product) compared the feeling of acquiring new toys to "winning at a slot machine," suggesting that the unpredictable nature of blind box purchases (where buyers don't know which specific toy they'll get) creates excitement and anticipation.

Consumers mainly buy blind boxes for what purpose?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

Which products are increasingly viewed as treasures by collectors?

This element of surprise, combined with the satisfaction of completing a collection, creates a compelling psychological loop that encourages continued purchases.

Consumers mainly buy blind boxes for what purpose?

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

As one collector mentioned, "I try to ride that high because if the high goes away too quick … I'm at the store again two hours later looking for another one.

Consumers mainly buy blind boxes for what purpose?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

"

## Conclusion: Understanding Your Daughters' Interest
The Labubu phenomenon represents more than just a passing toy trend.

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

It's a combination of clever marketing, emotional connection, social media influence, and the psychological appeal of collecting.

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

For teenagers, these toys may represent:
- A form of self-expression and identity
- A connection to a global community of collectors
- The excitement of the hunt for rare items
- A tangible connection to digital trends they see on social media
- A comforting presence during stressful times

By understanding these factors, you can better appreciate why your daughters are drawn to Labubu and perhaps even find ways to share in their interest, whether by discussing their collections, learning about the different characters, or even joining them in the hunt for special editions.

How do teenagers gain identity and intimacy?

What about the person on Tiktok persuades buyers to buy what they see in their feeds?

What are the traits of collectible toy consumers?

What does the collectible toys concept emphasize/

This phenomenon represents a unique intersection of art, commerce, and digital culture that resonates deeply with today's youth.

Title:

Content: Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account
HOMEPAGE

Influencer Wasil Daoud built a following of 6 million with his controversial 'food dumping' videos. But he doesn't want to be that guy anymore.

  • Wasil Daoud made a name for himself on TikTok for a trend he calls "food dumping."
  • Following backlash from people arguing the trend encouraged food waste, Daoud changed his niche.
  • Now he's trying to rebrand his online presence, filming himself doing good instead.

In mid-2021, Wasil Daoud was a rapidly growing TikTok creator with 4 million followers, known for a niche he calls "food dumping."

The concept is simple: Daoud took large amounts of ingredients and poured them together to create excessive results. One post from October 2021, which has 123 million views, shows Daoud appearing to empty a jumbo bucket of ice cream into a bowl, topping it off with containers of chocolate sauce and sprinkles to create a mega-sundae.

@wasildaoud

Anyone else love Ice cream? 😭🤣 IG-wasildaoud

♬ original sound - WASIL🦋

He told Insider the ingredients featured in his posts were mostly expired, taken from relatives in the restaurant business or from grocery stores with leftover expired goods, and that he also used tricks like mixing water and glue together to look like milk.

He thinks the appeal of these videos was the "satisfying" factor of seeing lots of food being put together on camera. Food content, from mukbangs to recipe inspiration, are hugely popular on social media, and Daoud found his food dumping videos would also get lots of attention from viewers. In the first six months of 2021, he gained 2.2 million followers, according to analytics tracker SocialBlade.

Daoud said he believes he was the first to develop the food dumping trend on TikTok, but as more creators produced similar content and the genre became more visible, it was met with more online backlash.

Daoud, 21, was frequently accused of wasting food "for views," and some TikTok commenters suggested his videos were insensitive and disrespectful towards people struggling financially.

After months of backlash, Daoud's content pivoted gradually to posts discouraging food waste, and towards the end of 2022, he began posting videos that still involved displaying large amounts of food on camera, but this time resulting in him distributing meals to people in underserved communities.

He told Insider he has handed out around 20,000 meals over the past six to eight months as a result, and he's gained 5.4 million followers since the start of the year, standing at 11.8 million followers when he spoke to Insider. But he knows he can't please everybody.

'I did not want to be known as the guy who wastes food on the internet anymore.'

Initially, Daoud said he felt there was nothing wrong with the food dumping videos he was making because he was using expired products, but as backlash started to grow, he said he began to think his videos might still send a negative message.

"I think I influenced a lot of people to waste food, and I think it was wrong," he said, telling Insider he feels regretful about his previous content.

Daoud said he tried looking for ways to change his image: "I did not want to be known as the guy who wastes food on the internet anymore."

@wasildaoud

I love spaghetti! 😭🤣 wbu?

♬ original sound - WASIL🦋

In mid to late 2021, he moved from his home in New Jersey to Los Angeles, California, where he says he was taken aback by the scale of homelessness in the city.

"I live in a more expensive area in New Jersey, so I never really witnessed that growing up," he said.

After spending a year in LA, Daoud moved back to New Jersey and decided he would post TikTok content about providing meals to people living on the street. He told Insider he funds the videos himself using money generated from social media and personal finances. His mom, who helps him film clips cooking in the kitchen, and his cousin, who goes out with him on the streets as his cameraman, also make it possible.

Daoud said he can feed up to 300 people per video, and he has now built relationships with many rough sleepers in the area. He added that he plans to visit other countries and hand out meals, hoping that one day he can run his own charity.

Daoud's new videos have led to a surge in support, but he's still had to navigate ethical dilemmas

Daoud thinks that what sets his content apart is his shift from food dumping to meal donation.

Many of his posts begin with a short clip of him from an old food dumping video, before switching to the present day, where the TikToker uses ingredients to batch-make meals, defying his former self in the process.

"It's kind of like a niche in itself," he told Insider.

The response to Daoud's rebrand has been largely positive. Commenters have applauded him for his charitable acts, saying they believe he has "changed" as a person.

His videos arguably fall under the "random acts of kindness" genre, which involves creators filming themselves performing charitable deeds for strangers, such as buying their groceries — but it can be controversial. Creators have previously come under fire for filming strangers without consent, and been accused of using people with financial needs for online clout.

Daoud told Insider he is aware of the backlash, but doesn't see himself as an acts of kindness creator. His answer to the ethical quandary is to always ask people who he hands a meal to if they consent to being filmed before including them in his videos.

@wasildaoud

Birthday cake for a smile ❤🎂

♬ original sound - WASIL🦋

At the same time, he said he feels that "no one creator can make everyone happy," and that he believes that even if there are people who conclude that they don't approve of his content, the support that is hugely visible in his TikTok comments section far outweighs this.

He also said he stands by his intentions, telling Insider, "I think people see that I'm genuine about it," adding, "Honestly, forget about all the views and everything. It's mostly being able to make a difference in someone's day."

For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.

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