Has Labubu got you in a chokehold in the past month?
This new top-tier sensation has not only showcased the strength of Chinese brands globally but has also exploded as a worldwide social media hit. The topic and visuals of this viral plush toy frequently appear on trending lists and generate endless buzz. The question then is precisely how widespread is Labubu’s international appeal?
According to data from CisionOne, the launch of Labubu blind box 3.0 in late April was a turning point. Overseas media coverage and social media buzz surrounding Labubu began to intensify, reaching a peak throughout May and June. On June 2, one day after Children's Day, Labubu saw a nearly fourfold increase in buzz due to frequent Labubu mentions in television programs on Children’s Day. The Labubu brand continues to break records from June 21st to 23rd, with daily mentions still on a consistent upward trend.
Based on all reports and discussions, global media coverage of Labubu reached nearly 47,000 articles, with over 2.6 million posts on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit! This figure exceeded 1.3 million for unique contributors. The total interactions have already surpassed 2.05 billion.
In terms of single-day impact, June 21st hit a peak news reach of nearly 1.06 billion, with social media influence reaching 210 million. Furthermore, reflecting user engagement – measured by online distribution, overseas netizens have shown an overwhelming level of enthusiasm for Labubu.
Over the past month, besides brief weekday breaks, fans have been consistently online, actively engaging in various ways and expressing deep affection for Labubu across diverse platforms.
Top-tier Media Vies for Coverage
Labubu’s influence is broad, spanning across celebrities, the entertainment and fashion industries, and the crypto sector
Over the past month, besides brief weekday breaks, fans have been consistently online, actively engaging in various ways and expressing deep affection for Labubu across diverse platforms.
So, what reports fueled Labubu’s surge in popularity? According to CisionOne's News Entity Recognition analysis reveals that multi-language reports on Labubu’s sales boom in Europe, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries were the most popular.
Moreover, terms like “Black Pink (Lisa),” “Rihanna,” and “Labubu Coin” also generated significant buzz, highlighting Labubu’s broad influence in both the entertainment and crypto industries.
Major media outelts, such as Xinhua News Agency, CNN, BBC, AFP, Business Insider, and USA Today, have been closely following the brand’s development. Keen interest was expressed in topics such as regional market sales, consumer psychology and consumption trends, fashion trends, and celebrity endorsements in the cryptocurrency space.
At the same time, based on the score trend changes reflected in CisionOne’s Media Impact Score, media coverage of the Labubu brand has become increasingly positive over the past year. Brand risk discussions remain at a consistently low level.
However, there has been a slight increase in sensitive topics like counterfeit products and frantic purchasing that has coincided with Labubu’s surge in popularity. All underscore the brand's immense influence.
On social media platforms, we also observed that the prevailing emotions across global users, especially English and Thai speakers are overwhelmingly “cute,” “likeable,” and “optimistic.”
Specifically, the “Crybaby” and “Macaron Series” are the most popular products. On June 14th alone, these generated six trending social media topics, each surpassing 10,000 mentions, with the #Labubu hashtag achieving a staggering 60,000 mentions in a single day.
Lisa, a global superstar introduces Labubu
Cryptocurrency influencers feel bullish about Labubu
Gaining a Global Fanbase
Labubu Garners Widespread Regional Media Praise
Using CisionOne’s Boolean search string AI creation assistant, we set up and tracked Labubu search terms in English, Japanese, Korean, and Russian.
Our findings show that media outlets worldwide are closely following Labubu, which includes those from European and American publications, Southeast Asia, Australia, Mexico, Brazil and India. Interestingly, the same could be said in Russia, where Pop Mart has no official physical presence or deliveries, which again shows how the Labubu brand has gained a truly high level of media engagement.
CisionOne’s AI Content Analysis Assistant points highlighted several key trending topics. Media outlets in numerous countries widely recognize Labubu’s market successes achievements of Labu, even praising its ability to “withstand the impact of the trade wars.”
The brand's widespread recognition within the entertainment, fashion, and younger generations is also thoroughly supported in media reports.
The Labubu global phenomenon stands as a highly successful case study in overseas marketing. Its impressive international achievements will certainly offer valuable analytical and insights for communications professionals worldwide.
Ready to put these tips into practice? Find out how CisionOne can help you better understand your earned media coverage – so you can start maximizing its impact even further. Explore the platform or make time to speak with one of our experts.