Pink fox 'Linabell' wins Chinese hearts as Disney taps emotional economy

Pop Mart International

08/01/2025 01:01

* 
      Linabell has become one of Disney's top characters in
China
    

        * 
      So-called 'emotional consumption' of toys and characters
related
to games and comics is booming despite sluggish economy
    

        * 
      Collectible toy brands such as Jellycat and Pop Mart are
also
benefiting
    

  
    By Casey Hall
       SHANGHAI, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Each week, whenever she has
time off from her marketing job, Ida Jia can be found at
Shanghai Disneyland queuing for hours to spend a few minutes
with Linabell, a fluffy pink fox with big blue eyes.
    The 29-year-old does not go empty handed, bringing pink fox
soft toys dressed in ornate custom-made outfits to show the
life-sized character, as well as handmade presents as gifts.
    Linabell, which made its debut in Shanghai in 2021, is
helping Disney benefit from a rapidly growing market in China
for merchandise related to toys, games, comics and anime, which
remained popular with teenagers and young adults throughout 2024
even as they reduced spending on items from beauty products to
luxury handbags. 
    The phenomenon has been dubbed "emotional consumption" in
Chinese state media, and has been likened to the so-called
"lipstick effect" in which consumers seek out more affordable
luxuries as the economy languishes. 
    Jia first met Linabell at Shanghai Disneyland three years
ago and says she felt an immediate connection with the
character. In the years since, she has transformed her home and
bedroom with Linabell merchandise.
    "She has a positive influence on me, feeling her cuteness
and energy is very soothing," she said during a recent trip. 
    Jia is far from alone in China in her devotion to Linabell,
which has gained a large following since it was created as part
of the Duffy and Friends series of characters - which also
includes teddy bears, a bunny and a turtle. 
    Linabell, which has since been introduced at parks in Hong
Kong and Tokyo, is arguably Disney's most popular character in
China, attracting at least as many fans as Mickey or its Disney
princesses. Many adults, mainly young women, join daily queues
to see Linabell, wanting to get a hug and take home a selfie as
a souvenir from their day at Disney.
    Alongside Linabell and Duffy and Friends, which have their
own dedicated boutiques inside Shanghai Disneyland, others that
are benefiting from the trend include collectible toy brands
such as Jellycat and Chinese blind box toy retailer Pop Mart
 9992.HK  whose Labubu rabbit-like character sparked a global
craze. 
    "They are filling an emotional void, the products are there
to remind themselves that you can be happy about the little
things in life," said Yaling Jiang, founder of research and
strategy consultancy ApertureChina. "I do believe it's related
to the economy." 
    According to Sami Wong, a psychotherapist and managing
director of 3Drips Psychology, a research firm, the growth of
emotional consumption in China is also part of the evolution in
younger consumers' behaviour away from purchasing goods simply
as a status symbol.
    "It's really about understanding themselves and how to get
in touch with their internal needs so they can establish an
identity that feels consistent and coherent with their sense of
self," she said.
    Xia Sansan, 28, along with her husband Rooney Sheng, are the
proud owners of what they believe is the world's largest
collection of Duffy and Friends merchandise, having bought every
single item released by Disney in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
    Their 100-square-metre (1076.39 square feet) apartment in
Shanghai is crammed with their collection of thousands of toys
arranged in floor-to-ceiling cabinets, alongside racks of
headbands, bags, keychains and more. Xia estimates they have
spent more than 1 million yuan  ($136,429.37) in total. 
    "I mainly consider the emotional value when I consume," Xia
said. 
    "The value comes from seeing so many dolls at home every
day, which makes me very happy, it's this kind of healing
feeling," Sheng added.
    Yasmeen Chen, creative director of merchandise at Shanghai
Disney Resort and part of the team that created Linabell, said
the character's popularity had exceeded their expectations and
that she had the potential to find success beyond Asia.
    "These days everyone is looking at their phones, and using
computers, the interaction between people is less and sometimes,
there may be less companionship with parents, friends, or
family," she said. "I think in this regard, Linabell and Duffy
and Friends provide a lot of emotional value."

($1 = 7.3298 Chinese yuan renminbi)

 (Reporting by Casey Hall in Shanghai, additional reporting by
Xiaoyu Yin in Beijing; Editing by Brenda Goh and Kate Mayberry)
 ((Casey.Hall@thomsonreuters.com;))