It has long been a phenomenon on social media: Labubu. The small, eccentrically designed collector's figure from the world of Pop Mart is particularly popular with a young, trend-conscious audience. Labubu is not just a toy, but an expression of an attitude to life - somewhere between pop culture, design object and fashion statement.
This raises a key question for brands, retailers and retail strategists: Where does this target group live in Germany - and how can it be reached?
The new consumer generation: Who buys Labubu
Labubu primarily appeals to young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 - members of Generation Z and young millennials. They live predominantly in urban areas, are media-savvy and consume a disproportionately high amount via social networks such as TikTok or Instagram. They follow pop culture trends from Korea and Japan, wear streetwear, are interested in anime, manga, sustainable consumption - and exclusive collectibles such as Labubu.
This target group does not buy rationally, but emotionally. Limited editions, the blind box principle and viral staging create desire. The figure is not collected to be stowed away - it is presented, photographed and staged. In a digitally driven identity culture, Labubu is part of self-expression.
Geobased target group analyses reveal details.
Urban, creative, style-conscious - where Labubu goes down particularly well
Labubu consumers are particularly likely to live in major German cities with a strong creative and subculture. Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Munich and Leipzig are among the hotspots of the scene. Not only are there young and affluent target groups here, but also the right cultural environment: alternative fashion markets, comic and design conventions, Asian lifestyle stores and pop-up formats that are tailored precisely to this clientele.
Even smaller cities with universities, a creative start-up scene or a high level of cultural diversity have clusters of these consumers - such as Freiburg, Mainz or Erlangen. It is a milieu that consciously consumes, but also consciously selects: not mass, but class; not mainstream, but microcosm.
Our map (PDF) shows for the metropolitan region of Nuremberg as an important economic center the Micro postal code-areas with a high proportion of the Sinus Milieu® "consumer hedonists". This target group can be found in many inner-city areas as well as in surrounding municipalities.
Sinus-Milieus®: Who exactly is behind the hype?
The Sinus-Milieus® provide a differentiated picture to better define these target groups:
How geomarketing helps to localize these target groups
These affinity target groups can be precisely determined using geomarketing approaches. With its market and geodata, Nexiga offers detailed analyses at a small-scale level: from purchasing power and age structures to digital affinities. In addition, the Sinus-Milieus® can be geographically located - for example, it is possible to identify which districts have a particularly high number of members of the adaptive-pragmatic milieu or where consumer-hedonistic clusters are concentrated.
Nexiga makes location intelligence visible - including the potential that arises through the application of the Sinus-Milieus®.
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Adaptive-pragmatic milieu: Flexible, young, determined - this group is quick to adopt new trends if they are considered socially relevant and visually appealing. Labubu spreads here via influencers and community effects.
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Consumer-hedonistic milieu: fun, experience and consumption-oriented - with a strong focus on lifestyle, aesthetics and self-expression. Here, the collectible figure acts as an expression of playful, emotional consumer behavior. This group is particularly receptive to limited edition products and trends with a community character.
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Neo-ecological milieu (downstream): Where sustainability, design and cultural irony are valued, Labubu is also perceived - e.g. through artistic packaging or creative staging. It is not the object itself that counts here, but the attitude with which it is consumed.
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Expeditive milieu (downstream): This digitally networked avant-garde is receptive to pop culture and international aesthetics - albeit selectively. Labubu fits in when the trend is staged as an expression of individual style formation.
