Teddy tempts tourists

In the newly opened Emsphere shopping mall, a fashion landmark in Bangkok, long lines form in front of a Thai dessert shop during the weekend.

The crowd consists mainly of excited tourists, many of them obsessed not with the cakes or cookies on sale but with a 30-second opportunity to take selfies with a furry doll known as Butterbear.

Fans of the bear, mostly young travellers from China and South Korea, come from afar with a must-do list and photos with the mascot, whose popularity is likened to a pop star.

"Butterbear is one of the Thai top streamers on Chinese social media. She is super cute. A selfie with her will definitely attract comments and likes on the internet," said Wu Qian from Chongqing in Southwest China. She visited Bangkok with her boyfriend in early July.

The couple planned their trip to Thailand to coincide with the bear's "picture time", which is limited to weekend afternoons. Every customer is allowed to have just 30 seconds for a photo with the character and the lines usually stretch about two hours.

The major Thai confectionery brand is also reaping the rewards of the bear's popularity, with brisk sales of its products in Bangkok and upcoming shops in China set to offer various items extending to merchandise such as bags and cups with the mascot's image.

Butterbear began drawing attention in May and has about 430,000 followers on Instagram. On Chinese lifestyle app Xiaohongshu and short video platform TikTok, it has attracted nearly 1 million followers in total.

 

The "cute factor" behind the brand's bear is just one part of its ability to become a viral hit on social media and captivate wide audiences.

"The bear's K-pop dance moves are very interesting and unique," Wu from Chongqing said, adding that it presents "a happy vibe and an easygoing lifestyle".

The successful marketing formula is not entirely new, with the Thai Krungsri Bank coming up with a "dancing banana" that also became popular on social media. Similar to Butterbear's role in bridging cultures, a Labubu toy doll has gone a step further in helping to boost cross-border relations.

As a popular mascot produced by Beijing-based toy company Pop Mart, Labubu — with its high, pointed ears and serrated teeth — became a highly sought-after item in Thailand after K-pop sensation Lisa of the Blackpink group posted a photo of herself holding a Labubu Macaron toy on social media.

In July, the doll was "invited" to Thailand by tourism authorities to promote the pillar sector. At Suvarnabhumi Airport, it was given the accolade, of "Amazing Thailand Experience Explorer".

"My Thai friends asked me to purchase some editions of Labubu that are out of stock or extremely hard to buy in Thailand but may still be available in China. Some editions are also rare in China and you may have more of a chance to get them in the big cities," said Patcharaporn Pornsirigosol, a senior Thai student at Zhejiang University.

She said many of her peers aged between 20 and 30 are fans of Labubu or Crybaby — another Pop Mart toy, created by a Thai designer. These toys, at 20 centimetres tall, are usually sold at no more than 100 yuan ($14) each, but the price from scalpers can be double or five-fold for limited editions.

"They are not just toys, but an art collection, which is cute and carries more meanings," Patcharaporn said, adding that many young people also enjoy the uncertainty and feeling of being surprised by purchasing blind boxes, in which the toys are revealed only when the packages are opened, from retail shops.

Local advantage

The popularity of the products reflects the enormous potential of the toy doll and art design markets in Southeast Asia, said Jeremy Lee, marketing director of Pop Mart Southeast Asia.

He also emphasized the importance of product localization, which embeds local culture or beliefs into the art toys.

"Local designers usually have their works that are inspired by the culture of their home countries," he said, adding that the designs can connect emotionally with local consumers and citing the Crybaby doll that is well-known for its "unyielding spirit".

Another example is the company's beloved Peach Riot toy, which is said to convey a spirit of freedom and individuality. "It is very popular among consumers in North America as the toy echoes the values they recognize. So we hope to cooperate with more local artists and fully release the commercial value of their designs," Lee said.

Fanning out

In Thailand, Labubu also helps fuel the business of related products, such as costumes, makeup and decorations for the doll. For rare editions, owners and collectors will even buy plastic covers for the doll to keep it in good condition.

"There are also metal teeth braces for Labubu as orthodontics are very popular among Thai people," said Arisa Sriduangjai, a college teacher in Thailand who is also a fan of Labubu. She had a Labubu toy on her handbag and dressed it in a SWAT uniform and a mini plastic rifle.

Arisa is one of the hundreds of Labubu fans who was at Suvarnabhumi Airport on July 3 to welcome its arrival.

"About 80 percent of my colleagues have a Labubu toy. Some have placed them on their office desks and talk to the toy as a friend. For me, the value of the doll is not just on its cuteness, but also as an investment like gold. Some limited editions will be priced much higher in future," said Preeyawadee Polwong, 32, who owns more than a hundred Labubu dolls.

To members of the younger generation, the impact from key influencers, either celebrities or internet bloggers, cannot be understated, said Muangphum Harnsiripetch, a Thai scholar who studies international relations.

Different from the older generations in Thailand and China who mostly learned about each other through radio, television and books, he said the internet, with social media in particular, plays a more influential role of promoting cultural exchanges.

"Both Butterbear and Labubu demonstrate the power of cultural fusion, creating a blend that resonates with people across different countries. Their impact on social media and ability to draw international attention is testament to the universal language of cuteness," he said.

Culture and lifestyle are topics that can easily stimulate the common interests of young people from different countries, said Fu Zengyou, a former dean of the Confucius Institute at Chulalongkorn University who stayed in Thailand for decades.

He said Thailand and China have deep cultural connections, in terms of language, art, cuisine and even religious beliefs. Apart from art toys, he said many Thai people nowadays also love traditional Chinese hanfu attire and spicy mala food.

"Culture leads young people to explore the outside world," Fu said.

"Thailand and China are now close partners and the mutual visa exemption is a boost to people-to-people exchanges. People from the two countries should visit each other ...As the old saying goes, 'seeing is believing'."

Yang Wanli

China Daily

Asia News Network