Post na blogu

Opis zawartości wpisu bloga

7/26/20255 min read

SylwiaGlebicka-Think in English

[29] Labubu - What Labubu Can Teach Us About Influence

And How to Discuss Trends and Fads

Sylwia Glebicka

Jul 20, 2025

Ever wonder why people suddenly go crazy for the same thing at the same time?

“We view a behavior as more correct in a given situation to the degree that we see others performing it.”

— Robert Cialdini, Influence

Thanks for reading SylwiaGlebicka-Think in English ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Type your email...

If you don’t know who Labubu is, don’t worry—you’re not alone.

I had to google it too, and now I can't unsee that cheeky little gremlin all over my Instagram feed…

But Labubu isn't just a toy—it’s a textbook example of how modern fads take off.

So today we’re diving into how to talk about trends in English, what vocabulary to use, and why we’re so easily persuaded to care about things we didn’t know existed five minutes ago.

Labubu' is a plush toy that is causing a frenzy. Here's its origin story : NPR

The Curious Case of Labubu

Labubu is not a gremlin. Not a Pokémon. And definitely not from Where the Wild Things Are.

It’s the brainchild of Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, who imagined a world of mischievous, kind-hearted elves called Labubus.

Originally characters in his illustrated book The Monsters (2015), they eventually morphed into collectible toys—with big ears, toothy grins, and a slightly unhinged charm.

But Labubu didn’t really go global until 2019, when Lung partnered with Chinese toy giant POP MART and launched a line of blind box figurines—tiny toys hidden in sealed packaging, so you never know which one you’ll get.

🎁 Surprise = dopamine.

Scarcity = higher value.

TikTok + influencers = viral madness.

Who invented Labubu? Meet Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung

Who invented Labubu - LINK

Why People Pay Over $100 for a Tiny Mystery Toy

Let’s break it down:

Each box costs around $27.99

You might get a “regular” toy… or a rare secret version

Some secrets resell for $149+

A life-size Labubu recently sold at auction for $170,000

Why?

Because mystery sells.

And humans? We love collecting things.

From Pokémon to sneakers to stamps (remember those?), the formula is always the same:

scarcity + status + storytelling

People aren’t just buying a toy. They’re buying:

A shot at something rare

A sense of belonging in a trend

A nostalgic connection to childhood

Add some FOMO and a sprinkle of TikTok virality, and boom—you’ve got a cultural phenomenon.

“Opportunities seem more valuable to us when their availability is limited.”

— Robert Cialdini, Influence

How to Describe a Trend

⚡️to cause a frenzy

to create extreme excitement, chaos, or intense activity — usually among a large group of people.

It often refers to reactions to:

celebrity appearances

product releases

sales

social media trends

viral news or rumors

The limited-edition toy caused a buying frenzy across Asia.

Labubu's unexpected popularity triggered a social media frenzy.

The celebrity’s surprise appearance caused a frenzy at the mall.

The announcement of the iPhone 20 sparked a pre-order frenzy online.

📸 gain traction

to begin to have success or become accepted or popular after a slow or uncertain start

This trend really started gaining traction after [event/person].

The campaign started slowly but really gained traction after it was shared by a popular influencer.

Electric cars gained serious traction once governments started offering subsidies.

Her proposal didn’t gain much traction at first, but now everyone’s talking about it.

The minimalist lifestyle has gained traction among young professionals trying to avoid burnout.

Can you think of a product or idea in your industry that recently gained traction?

craze

verbs:

spark a craze

fuel a craze

cause/start a craze

join the craze

ride the craze

adjectives:

the latest craze

a global craze

a sudden/viral craze

a short-lived craze

At first, I thought it was just a passing craze, but now it’s clearly here to stay.

The Labubu toy sparked a global craze, with fans queuing for hours to buy blind boxes.

Is this just another TikTok craze, or something more meaningful?

In the early 2000s, there was a huge craze for collecting Beanie Babies.

The craze for minimalist productivity planners is still going strong.

✅ Pro tip:

Use "craze" or "fad" for temporary hype.

Use "trend" for something that might shape the future.

Why We Fall for Fads – and How to Use That Knowledge

If this Labubu madness makes you wonder why people behave this way—including yourself—there’s a book I absolutely recommend:

LINK TO AMAZON.PL

Influence by Robert Cialdini

This is the ultimate guide to understanding persuasion.

Cialdini identifies 6 universal principles:

Scarcity – We want what’s hard to get. (Only 1 in 100 Labubus is rare? I need 10.)

Social Proof – If everyone’s doing it, we assume it’s right.

Authority – If Dua Lipa’s wearing it, it must be cool.

Liking – We say yes to people we like.

Reciprocity – We feel pressure to give back.

Consistency – We want to act in line with our identity.

Knowing how persuasion works gives you power. And who doesn’t want that?

Final Thought: Don't Hate the Trend, Decode It

You don’t have to love Labubu.

You don’t even have to understand it.

But knowing how to talk about it in English? That’s useful.

And being able to recognize the patterns behind fads, trends, and marketing tricks? That’s a superpower.

So the next time something blows up online—whether it’s a new toy, a celebrity scandal, or a productivity hack—try this:

Ask: Why is this catching on?

Try using the phrases you learned today

And if all else fails, just say: “Is this a passing craze… or the next big thing?”

Bonus Vocabulary Recap

go viral

gain traction

blow up

passing craze

ride the wave

jump on the bandwagon

scarcity

hype

cult following

1. When a product suddenly becomes super popular and sells out in minutes, we say it has...

a) lost traction

b) sparked a craze

c) joined the bandwagon

2. If an idea is slowly becoming more accepted or successful, it's starting to...

a) blow up

b) go viral

c) gain traction

3. Everyone started buying Labubu after it went viral. Even people who didn’t like it wanted one. That’s a classic case of...

a) jumping on the bandwagon

b) creating scarcity

c) riding the wave out

4. A ________ is usually short-lived, fun, and often a bit silly. People get obsessed for a few weeks and then move on.

a) trend

b) craze

c) vibe

5. Influencers posting about a product over and over can create a lot of...

a) resistance

b) buzz

c) regret

If you loved this issue, share it with a friend who’s ever been influenced into buying something weird. (We’ve all been there.)

Or reply and tell me:

What’s the last trend you jumped on… and secretly regretted?

Warmly,

Sylwia

________________________________

Answers:

b) sparked a craze

c) gain traction

a) jumping on the bandwagon

b) craze

b) buzz

Thanks for reading SylwiaGlebicka-Think in English ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Type your email...

2 Likes

Discussion about this post

Write a comment...

[20] Sugar parents

Why Baby Boomers are rich and Millenials NOT

Mar 16 • Sylwia Glebicka

Wrap-up a meeting

Monday notes #businessenglish

Aug 26, 2024 • Sylwia Glebicka

Voodoo Monkey

...and public outcry

Oct 2, 2024 • Sylwia Glebicka

Ready for more?

Type your email...

Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice

Start writing

Get the app

Substack is the home for great culture

Post na blogu

Address

Contact