"With another holiday season upon us, IPWatchdog is taking a stroll down the toy and gaming aisle to pick out this season's gifts representing some of the more successful and unique IP stories. From major licensing deals spawning award-winning animatronic dolls to infringement lawsuits ensuring that U.S. consumers enjoy authentic versions of lovable anime characters, Santa will be slipping these gifts down the chimney this year thanks in no small part to the effective use of IP rights."
"A decade ago, Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung released the first title in his series of illustrated books titled The Monsters, heavily inspired by Norse mythology encountered by Lung during his childhood in the Netherlands. One of Lung's characters, a furry sharp-toothed elvish creature named Labubu, has set off a global craze since officially licensed plush dolls made by Chinese toy company Pop Mart began sales in 2024."
"This August, Pop Mart announced a massive profit growth of 400% in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024's first half, with company CEO Wang Ning indicating publicly that the company should hit 30 billion yuan ($4.18 billion USD) in sales this year thanks in large part to Labubu dolls. This June, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) registered trademarks filed by Pop Mart (Singapore) to the standard character mark "LABUBU"."
Seasonal gift selections highlight successful intellectual property strategies in the toy and gaming market. Kasing Lung created Labubu as part of The Monsters series, inspiring licensed plush dolls produced by Pop Mart that launched sales in 2024 and triggered a global craze. Pop Mart reported a 400% profit increase in H1 2025 and forecasted roughly 30 billion yuan in annual sales driven largely by Labubu merchandise. Pop Mart pursued U.S. trademark registrations for LABUBU and related illustrations and submitted copyright applications for figures and keychains. A substantial counterfeit market emerged, prompting enforcement actions including a July lawsuit filed in the Central District of California.
Read at IPWatchdog.com | Patents & Intellectual Property Law
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