I still remember clutching a Beanie Baby in each hand at the age of five, begging my parents to buy me just one more.
Today, it’s Labubus, Jellycats, Squishmallows, Sonny Angels, and Smiskis — but the feeling is still the same: the bragging rights that come with every new addition, the pride of the collection, the inevitable fade into forgotten shelves and boxes.
In a culture driven by convenience, aesthetics, and social media hype, these products have become disposable status symbols and momentary proof that you’re in the know. But this isn’t unique to blind boxes or collectible toys. From fashion to the shift from Hydroflasks to Stanleys to Owala bottles, viral trends keep pushing new must-haves that become the new indicator of an individual’s social status, only to be quickly replaced.
While these trends may seem harmless at first glance, they reflect a deeper pattern of how consumerism and social media interact: Identity and belonging are increasingly tied to what we buy.
Labubus are just the latest example of how trendy products are turning into pop culture flexes. In 2024, Pop Mart, the creators of the viral plush toy, reported that it generated $1.8 billion in revenue, a sevenfold jump since 2019, thanks to Labubu sales.
That growth is powered by hype, scarcity marketing, and a desire to collect what others want before it sells out. In fact, NBC reported, long lines have formed outside Pop Mart stores for a chance at rare Labubu drops. Many of these toys are sold in blind boxes, meaning buyers don’t know which character they’re getting, fueling a resale market where these limited toys can go for hundreds of dollars.
The excitement around attaining Labubus, or any trendy product, often spreads on social media platforms. For example, TikTok, with 1.8 million #Labubu posts and counting, platforms haul videos, unboxings, and collection displays posted by influencers that gain millions of views.
Influencers play a key role in turning consumer products into status symbols. Dr. Jess Rauchberg explained to Town & Country, “Let’s say a parent influencer or a kid influencer even has all these Labubus, or they have all these Jellycats and you do not have them, but you see them as a reflection of a reality you want to participate in, then you want to consume those items, too, because then you feel like you’re part of something — and that you’re able to obtain a symbol of status that may be much more more accessible than getting the latest Louis Vuitton cherry blossom bag.”
When everyone is chasing the next trend, it can start to feel like falling behind on these trendy items means falling out of place. For teens, especially, whose identities are still forming, these products can offer a quick sense of belonging, but that is short-lived. According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, marketing feeds off this perception by emphasizing status and identity, often leading people to buy fad trends for social signaling rather than need or even genuine want. This is intensified through social media and peer influence by creating the illusion of belonging through consumption, and that trendy items automatically equal high social status.
However, this illusion doesn’t always match reality. We often believe these items will raise our status more than they actually do, especially in the eyes of others. That gap between perception and reality is where consumerism quietly takes hold.
This is not to say you should feel guilty about owning a Labubu or Squishmallow, or that you shouldn’t think they’re cute. In fact, I have a Smiski hipper on my phone right now. Rather, this is about how convenience and aesthetics shape what we buy, and how fast social media turns those things into what determines our identity. It’s okay to buy things that bring you joy, but first, examine your relationship with convenience culture and consumerism.
The next time an Instagram reel tells you what you need, pause and ask: Is this me, or just the algorithm talking?
