Two giant, furry Labubu balloons will debut next week at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
A brown Labubu and a pink Mokoko, both part of the Labubu family, will be the lead features on Chinese toymaker Pop Mart International’s “Friendsgiving in Pop City” float on Thursday at the 99th parade. They will appear alongside characters such as Skullpanda, Dimoo and Molly.
“Our goal at Pop Mart is to light up passion and bring joy, and Macy’s Parade has been doing that for nearly a century,” said Larry Lu, president of Pop Mart for the Americas. “Bringing our characters to life at such a storied event represents a significant milestone for us as we kick off our 15th anniversary.”
The toymaker has achieved success by selling toys in so-called blind boxes that hide the content in opaque wrappings.
The company has come to embody what many describe as “emotional value”, a concept that has become increasingly popular in China in recent years, especially among younger generations facing uncertain job prospects and fierce competition. It is often compared with the rise of Kawaii culture centred around the concept of “cuteness” during Japan’s economic slowdown, especially during the 1990s.
