5 Factors Behind Labubu’s Success
What Can You Learn from It?

La-who-do? Labubu! The sensational success that has gotten people of all ages globally hooked on fuzzy little monster dolls. What started as a designer toy has exploded into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Long queues, resale frenzies, and massive buzz that even big-name brands struggle to replicate.

However, Labubu is beyond just a trend. It's a case study on how powerful modern marketing can be! And for students at IACT College, it’s a living example of how branding, influencer culture, and word-of-mouth can turn a niche product into a household name.

1. A Strong, Quirky Brand Identity

Labubu’s design isn’t conventionally “cute” — and that’s exactly the point. With its wide grin, scruffy hair, and slightly chaotic vibe, it escapes the mould of typical collectible aesthetics. That distinctiveness is its strength. It doesn’t blend in. It grabs your attention.

This is another reminder: branding isn’t about pleasing everyone. It’s about standing out with authenticity and creativity. Labubu knows what it is and sticks to it. That consistency fuels this kind of engagement.

2. Storytelling & Lore

Created by the artist Kasing Lung, Labubu isn’t just a toy for himself, it’s part of his broader fantasy world, The Monsters, with its own backstory and universe. This narrative layer gives fans something to connect with, and boy is it connecting well.

Storytelling builds emotional value, which is one of the key principles in advertising and media. At IACT, students learn that successful content doesn’t just inform, it immerses. Whether it's a campaign, brand video, or creative project, stories are what move people.

3. Scarcity & FOMO Marketing

Labubu drops are famously limited. You can't walk into just any shop and grab one. The combination of limited releases, online lotteries, and pop-up exclusives creates demand, urgency, and high resale value.

This is textbook behavioural marketing, using scarcity to increase perceived value. At IACT, students explore how psychological triggers like FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) influence consumer decisions, especially in the digital space.

4. Influencer Hype and Organic Virality

Unlike big-budget product launches, Labubu’s rise has been mostly influencer and community-driven. From unboxings on TikTok to aesthetic flat lays on Instagram, influencers played a huge role in fueling the craze. Not through scripted ads, but genuine excitement.

This is word-of-mouth marketing in its modern form, powered by UGC (user-generated content) and influencer culture. Students studying digital marketing and communications at IACT College, UNIMY and Veritas University College learn that today’s most effective campaigns often don’t look like ads at all.

5. Community Culture

Collectors, resellers, custom artists, and fan creators all contribute to Labubu’s growing ecosystem. There’s a culture forming around it. One that rewards early adopters and welcomes new fans. It’s more than a toy. It’s a community experience.

For creatives and marketers alike, the future isn’t just about products or services. It’s about building communities around shared meaning. At IACT, students are taught how brands can build connection, loyalty, and belonging. The ultimate long-term strategy.

What Students Should Take Away

Labubu’s success is far from just accidental. It's a perfect showcase in how creative design, strategic scarcity, influencer power, and storytelling come together to build cultural momentum. It’s a reminder that great marketing today is both analytical and emotional.

At IACT College, students don’t just learn how to follow trends. They’re taught how to create them. With hands-on experience in branding, digital strategy, visual communication, and storytelling, the next cultural phenomenon could just as easily come from your classroom.

So the next time you see a Labubu pop up on your feed, don’t just scroll past. Study it. Deconstruct it. Ask yourself: what made this work? Because that’s exactly what tomorrow’s best marketers do.