There is a cute-but-creepy monster epidemic sweeping the globe.
From innocent unboxings to slightly less innocent styling (I’ve seen too many dangling off Hermès Birkins) the toothy creatures are everywhere, regardless of your algorithmic preferences.
Meet Labubu, the global phenomenon fuelling fan frenzies with every drop. With celebrity fans like BLACKPINK’s Lisa and Rihanna in tow, Labubu has evolved into a full-blown fashion statement. So, it was only a matter of time before a brand cashed in on the craze.
Leveraging fandom to build brand equity isn’t new. But hijacking global trends for hype is no longer enough. Today, true connection lies in localization offering fan communities new, culturally rooted ways to experience the things they love.
Beau Restaurant, no stranger to the UAE’s hyper-trending food scene, thanks to its viral Caviar and Chicken Nuggets, is tapping into Labubu-mania with a localised fan-first strategy.
Enter the ‘Petit Meal’ a limited-edition, bougie boxed dinner that blends Dubai’s layered passions for fast food and curated fashion. Limited while stocks last, every box includes a Labubu toy, combining aesthetic appeal, luxury cues and a scarcity-driven drop model. An irresistible draw for the city’s trend chasers.
With 33% of UAE residents identifying as fast-food frequenters, Beau is smartly fusing convenience culture with an unexpected food x fashion mash-up proving that localized, fandom-fuelled experiences can unlock both cultural and commercial value.
And this isn’t a one-off.
With 81% of young people identifying as members of multiple fan communities and 25% part of five or more, brands are moving from momentary relevance to lasting affinity by cross-pollinating fan networks. Creating connections between the brand and community, and between communities themselves, unlocks powerful new pathways to brand growth. Our recent work with Disney+ embodied this approach, with activations in Saudi Arabia and the UAE that reimagined the streaming service’s iconic content through the lens of local food culture.
From Grey’s Anatomy Masabib and Moana Hanini inRiyadh’s U Walk, to Daredevil: Born Again and The Simpsons Sorbet Smoothies on Dubai’s Kite Beach. We offered fans a sensory way to experience the stories they love, alongside a series of immersive, fan-driven activations, designed not just to be consumed but co-created.
With the goal to connect Disney+ with young Saudi families and UAE youth, the brand handed over creative control, giving communities the freedom to tell the story through their own lens. The result? Fans queued around the block and the beach earning Disney+ cultural relevance and building emotional connections, that went beyond the buzz.
In a world where people now look to brands to create experience, the most successful ones aren’t just riding fandom they’re collaborating with it.
Brands that co-create with fan communities, while grounding their approach in local culture, are turning hype into sustained equity and relevance into long-term growth.
