4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Opinion: The craze behind blind boxes
Blind boxes have existed for decades. Whether it be trinkets in Kinder Surprise Eggs, keychains inside bright colored plastic balls from coin slot machines, or action figures in the bottom of a Happy Meal box, blind boxes were a staple in many childhoods. However, it seems as though blind boxes have reemerged in teenage and even middle-aged trends with the rise of Sonny Angels, Smiskis, Labubus, and more.
What started as an innocent excitement over unboxing a small keychain or trinket has morphed into an obsession with collecting and opening more and more figurines that are notably much more costly than the surprise toys from our childhood years. According to Yue Wang, an assistant professor at USC, with these blind boxes averaging about 20-30 US dollars, it is no wonder why Popmart, a popular China-based figurine-selling company, has a net worth of approximately $22.7 billion.
But what about these blind boxes causes people to spend hundreds of dollars on toys? One prominent factor is the role of human curiosity. The images of the different versions of a toy that a consumer can receive add to the experience of mystery and suspense when revealing what is inside. According to consumer psychologist Xiyun Gong, this appeal of mystery stimulates interest, and curiosity influences a consumer's incentive to buy the blind box.
However, curiosity alone does not cause a global trend. In addition to blind boxes being incredibly intriguing, they have also become incredibly popular. Across all platforms of social media, you can watch thousands of videos of people unboxing their surprise figurine. With all of these popular influencers unboxing their new keychains, viewers see the online presences that they look up to all with the same accessory on their purses and bags.
After watching a countless number of people form a community over their matching trinkets, it is no wonder that the Vice President of the merchandising company Team SCG referred to these blind boxes as 'not just a plush, [but] a status symbol.' Consequently, because of these connotations of blind boxes, they are not only used for one's own pleasure, but also to satisfy a desire to fit into society.
Finally, the designs themselves of Smiskis, Sonny Angels, Skull Pandas, etc. are also attractive as they are a part of what is known as the 'cute market.' Started in the world of kawaii and Japanese culture, many characters such as Sanrio, Pokemon, and Hello Kitty are coveted for their cute faces and designs – and the new wave of blind boxes is no different. Since people find the blank faces of smiskis and the different themed head pieces of sonny angels so adorable, they bring out one's 'inner child,' or the positive, nostalgic emotions and comfort of childhood. This unleashing of the 'inner child' can bring about even more obsessive and emotional attachment to these blind boxes.
My own mother has fallen deep into the rabbit hole of blind box nostalgia, even going so far as to dress up her labubu in different outfits depending on which purse she chooses to clip it on for the day. These behaviors may seem completely acceptable to some, even fun or entertaining.
However, others view it as embarrassing and look down upon blind box consumers. Whichever way a person falls on this opinion, it is important to note that all good things should be done in moderation. It is true that too much consumerism of a singular merchandise can lead to 'fast fashion' and the discarding of these toys when a person grows tired of them, or the trend dies out.
But, blind boxes can genuinely give a person an outlet to receive positive emotions linked with their curiosity and childlike innocence. Kanesaka said that blind boxes are able to ' provide a small way to introduce magic into the ordinary and [allow people] to find community through sharing, trading, and displaying them with other people.' With this quote in mind, the appeal can be seen as understandable. Still, it is wise to tread lightly when interested in the world of blind boxes, before spending too much on one good thing. Related
