How surprise-based collectibles are transforming customer experience through licensing
There’s something irresistible about not knowing exactly what you’re going to get. Whether it’s the thrill of a foil Pokémon card or the final figure missing from your Pop Mart set, mystery has become a powerful driver of consumer excitement—and brands are taking notice. The “mystery box” trend is more than just a passing fad; it’s a modern blend of gamification, nostalgia, and licensing genius. One brand in particular, Pop Mart, has elevated it to an art form—creating highly sought-after collectibles featuring original and licensed characters that fans can’t seem to get enough of.
The Rise of the Mystery Box
At its core, the mystery box concept is simple: you buy a product, but you don’t know exactly which version you’ll receive until you open it. It’s a small gamble—but one that many customers find deeply satisfying. These blind-box products tap into something very human: our love of surprises, the excitement of chance, and the joy of collecting.
In an age of hyper-personalization and targeted marketing, mystery boxes offer a rare moment of unpredictability. They bring play back into shopping, especially for millennials and Gen Z consumers who value experience over function, and community over ownership.
Pop Mart: Licensing the Element of Surprise
No one’s doing it quite like Pop Mart. The Chinese brand has made waves globally by turning the mystery box into a premium collectible experience. Pop Mart collaborates with both indie artists and massive IP holders to create limited-edition vinyl figures that come packaged in blind boxes. You might not know what’s inside, but you’ll want them all.
A standout in Pop Mart’s strategy is its smart use of licensed IP. From Disney princesses and Harry Potter wizards to Sanrio characters and beyond, Pop Mart carefully curates partnerships that evoke nostalgia and fan devotion. Each product drop is an event, often with lines out the door and online waitlists.
One particularly beloved character is Labubu, from the art toy series The Monsters by Kasing Lung. Originally developed through a niche Hong Kong designer toy community, Labubu found mainstream fame through Pop Mart’s licensing deal. The character’s mischievous smile and whimsical style captured the imagination of collectors, and thanks to a series of timed drops and blind-box releases, Labubu has become a cult icon.
Pokémon: The OG Mystery Box
But Pop Mart didn’t invent the thrill of the reveal. The concept stretches back decades—just ask any fan of Pokémon trading cards. Since the late ’90s, opening a pack of Pokémon cards has been a ritual of suspense. Will it be a Pikachu? A holographic Charizard? Or just another Caterpie?
Pokémon perfected the art of random rewards, using rarity tiers and licensing appeal to keep fans coming back. It’s the same principle at work: uncertainty adds value, especially when you’re emotionally invested in the brand behind the surprise.
Other Brands Betting on Blind Boxes
Pop Mart and Pokémon are far from alone. Plenty of brands have found success packaging surprise:
- LEGO Minifigures: Each blind bag contains one figure from a themed series—often featuring beloved licensed IP like Marvel, The Simpsons, or Harry Potter.
- Funko Mystery Minis: These compact vinyl figures let fans collect mini versions of characters from major entertainment franchises—again, without knowing which they’ll pull.
- Kinder Surprise: Combining chocolate and toy, Kinder’s long-standing blind capsule model helped normalize the mystery reward format for kids.
- Loot Crate: This subscription box for pop culture fans regularly mixes licensed gear into surprise bundles, driving excitement through monthly reveals.
Why It Works—and What Brands Can Learn
The formula works because it’s emotional. Surprise, nostalgia, and fandom collide in a moment of anticipation that feels personal, whether you’re 9 or 39. But more than that, mystery boxes create micro-experiences. They invite customers to collect, share, trade, and talk.
For brands and license holders, the lesson is clear: don’t underestimate the power of packaging a moment of discovery.
Licensing plays a key role here. By pairing known, beloved IP with a new product format, brands create a fresh entry point to characters fans already adore. Combine that with limited runs, region-specific exclusives, or ultra-rare variants, and you’ve got a formula for both consumer engagement and repeat purchase behavior.
Thinking Outside the Box
Mystery boxes aren’t just products—they’re experiences. They bring storytelling, community, and surprise into the act of shopping. Pop Mart’s success isn’t just about toys—it’s about emotion, identity, and the strategic power of licensing.
As more brands explore how to engage audiences in new ways, mystery formats offer something tangible and delightful in an increasingly digital world. The question for brand owners and licensors is no longer “Should we try this?” but rather, “How can we innovate within it?”
Because the box might be blind—but the opportunity? That’s crystal clear.
Managing the Mystery Behind the Scenes
As the mystery box trend grows, so does the complexity behind licensing deals that power it. Every blind-box collectible featuring a popular character—whether it’s Labubu, a Marvel hero, or a Pokémon—relies on carefully negotiated contracts, usage rights, royalty terms, and brand compliance. That’s where platforms like FADEL’s licensing solutions come in.
FADEL helps licensors and licensees manage the lifecycle of licensed content—from contract to campaign. Whether you’re overseeing a global rollout of character-based collectibles or a limited-edition run, FADEL’s IPM Suite and LicenSee platforms ensure that royalty payments are accurate, rights are honored, and performance data is at your fingertips.
For companies exploring mystery box partnerships or timed IP drops, having the right systems in place is critical. FADEL enables licensing teams to:
- Automate royalty calculations and reporting
- Monitor rights usage to ensure compliance with terms
- Simplify audit readiness for limited-run products
- Gain insights into licensing performance across SKUs, channels, and partners
With surprise-based formats, timing is everything—and FADEL gives licensing teams the confidence to move fast without sacrificing control. After all, when the excitement is in the unboxing, the backend shouldn’t be a mystery.
Take the Complexity Out of Royalty Management With FADEL
Managing royalties and licensing shouldn’t hold you back.
With FADEL’s IPM Suite and LicenSee Royalty Management, you gain end-to-end visibility and control, whether you’re licensing your IP or managing payments as a licensee.
Automate royalty calculations, ensure contract compliance, track usage rights, and generate accurate, audit-ready reports.
These powerful solutions are designed for both licensors and licensees, helping strengthen partnerships while reducing risk and revenue leakage.
Our other services include:
- Brand Vision: A brand protection tool that ensures licensing compliance by providing end-to-end visibility into rights ownership, talent contracts, and usage permissions. It safeguards brand integrity while optimizing workflows for marketing and product development teams.
- PictureDesk: A centralized media asset management solution tailored for image licensing and rights enforcement. It oversees image usage across teams, maintaining consistency, compliance, and alignment with brand guidelines.
When rights and royalties management becomes complex and high-stakes, count on FADEL to streamline operations, ensure compliance, and unlock your full revenue potential.