---
id: "entity-product-labubu"
type: "entity"
entityType: "product"
canonicalName: "Labubu"
aliases: ["Labubu (The Monsters)"]
source_timestamps: ["§ Appealing to Young Customers", "\\\"§ Leverage Real-time", "Data-based Customer Insights\\\""]
tags: ["product", "art-toy", "viral-trend"]
related: ["entity-org-pop-mart", "entity-kasing-lung", "concept-algorithmic-resource-matching"]
sources: ["attention"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-attention"
originDay: 4
articleStem: "hbr-foci-68-popmart-attention-economy"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/07/how-pop-mart-won-young-customers-in-a-fragmented-attention-economy"
sourceTitle: "How Pop Mart Won Young Customers in a Fragmented Attention Economy"
---
# Labubu

**Labubu** is one of [[entity-org-pop-mart|Pop Mart]]'s signature dolls, originally a niche figure from 'The Monsters' series by artist [[entity-kasing-lung|Kasing Lung]]. Characterized by a mischievous grin and fangs. It became a massive global hit, particularly in Southeast Asia, after organic promotion by celebrities like **Lisa (BlackPink)** and **Rihanna**, prompting Pop Mart to create a highly shareable **'soft vinyl plush'** category for it.

**Role in the source.** Labubu is the canonical illustration of [[concept-algorithmic-resource-matching|algorithmic resource matching]] and of the claim that [[claim-creativity-secondary-to-data|data, not creativity alone, drives the innovation lifecycle]] — the art was the seed; the algorithmic operations were the engine.

**Enrichment context.** Sold primarily via blind boxes with common and 'secret' variants; its viral success (including chase-figure rarities such as 1-in-72) is widely cited as emblematic of Pop Mart's blind-box psychology and marketing. Part of 'The Monsters' IP in the Pop Mart catalog.