Labubu & Pop Mart: How a Quirky Toy and Its Parent Brand Are Winning the Global Market

The rise of Labubu—Pop Mart’s mischievous, wide-eyed elfin creature—has become a cultural and commercial phenomenon. Recently, the buzz around Labubu has been amplified further with its crossover with Sonny Angels, another cult favorite in the collectible toy world. Together, they’ve taken global markets by storm, blending nostalgia, exclusivity, and IP strategy into a billion-dollar empire.

Labubu is a brand of plush toys designed by Kasing Lung and sold exclusively by the Chinese toy company Pop Mart.

Sonny Angel, the line of cherub figurines, is created by Toru Soeya, the CEO of the Japanese company Dreams Inc.. The brand has expanded its reach, with Dreams Inc. also managing Sonny Angel Terrace, a company based in Okinawa, Japan, which focuses on product development and wholesale. The brand also collaborates with other companies, such as Casetify, for accessories.

What’s Fueling the Frenzy: Labubu Meets Sonny Angels

In early 2025, Labubu’s fan base collided with that of Sonny Angels through unofficial and themed collaborations, cosplay mixes, and UGC-driven hype. These miniature figurines—already viral on platforms like TikTok—shared traits: randomness, cuteness, collectibility, and a sense of personality-driven escapism.

• TikTok explodes: Hashtags combining Labubu and Sonny Angels crossed 1.6 million posts.

• Community crossover: Collectors from both fanbases started trading, customising, and styling the figures together—turning them into digital status symbols.

• Retail scarcity: Co-branded or inspired collections sold out within minutes, fueling resale markets and hype cycles.

Pop Mart’s Soaring Trajectory

Pop Mart's parent company has ridden this momentum to an explosive global expansion:

• 2024 Revenue: Exceeded RMB 13 billion (~USD 1.81 billion), doubling from the year before.

• Plush Toy Growth: Labubu plush sales rose 1,200% YoY.

• Global Reach: Now active in 100+ countries, with flagship stores in London, Tokyo, Paris, Bangkok, and Los Angeles.

• Overseas Revenue: Grew 475% YoY in Q1 2025.

• Production Scaling: From 300,000 units/month in 2023 to over 10 million/month in 2025.

Strategic Ingredients Behind Labubu + Pop Mart’s Success

1. Blind-Box Business Model

• FOMO meets dopamine: Labubu toys come in sealed boxes, encouraging collectors to buy repeatedly.

• Higher engagement: Surprise = retention. Repeat customers are the norm.

2. Emotionally Charged Characters

• Labubu and Sonny Angels both project emotions—innocence, mischief, vulnerability.

• Fans relate on a personal level, treating them like alter-egos or comfort items.

3. Viral & Visual Content

• Millions of social media posts show Labubu unboxings, shelf setups, and fan-art crossovers with Sonny Angels.

• Celebrity endorsements (BLACKPINK's Lisa, Beckham family, Rihanna) have amplified exposure.

4. IP Ecosystem Thinking

• Labubu has become more than a toy: it’s a brand, a collectible, and even a work of art (life-sized figures have sold for over $150,000).

• Pop Mart continues expanding Labubu into plushies, jewelry, digital art, and licensed collabs (e.g., Coca-Cola, One Piece).

Key Learnings for Brand Managers

The Labubu + Sonny Angels phenomenon isn’t just a lucky hit. It’s a blueprint for modern IP-led consumer engagement. Here’s what brand managers should note:

Strategy	Takeaway
Build emotional IP	Consumers connect with characters that reflect their moods and values.
Use scarcity + surprise	Blind-box or drop models drive urgency and repeat purchases.
Drive cross-community buzz	Organic crossover (like Labubu x Sonny Angels) can expand reach and relevance.
Engineer virality	Social-ready visuals, limited collabs, and UGC make products irresistible online.
Global scale, local flavor	Flagship stores and market-specific rollouts show respect for regional preferences.
Balance hype & availability	Long-term trust needs logistics, inventory planning, and brand protection.

Final Thoughts: Toys as Cultural Currency

What started as a “cute collectible” has evolved into something much larger—a lifestyle brand, a social signal, and a creative outlet for millions of fans globally. The fusion of Labubu and Sonny Angels shows how emotional storytelling and viral design can power new forms of consumer fandom.

For startup founders, brand managers, and strategists, this isn’t just a toy trend—it’s a lesson in how IP, community, and cross-platform virality can redefine global branding.

About SRK Online

SRK Online is a Dubai based strategic brand and digital solutions company committed to helping businesses unlock their full market potential. We specialise in building impactful brand experiences, integrating digital strategy with creative storytelling, and driving growth across online and offline channels.

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