“People are very kiasu! Most will only buy more if there’s a gift or some extra value. Blind boxes especially get people hyped.”
— Wan Xin, Feel Entertainment roadshow promoter
If you’ve seen it with Labubu, you’ve seen with Pop Mart Cry Baby. The allure of Blind boxes is puzzling, but also undeniably contagious. If you’ve ever run a roadshow or been on ground at a redemption booth, you’ll know: the moment someone sees a blind box, everything changes. It’s not just a freebie anymore—it’s a game.
We’ve seen aunties queue up twice just to try again for a different character. Shoppers linger longer, ask more questions, and you can literally feel the energy shift.
But why do blind boxes work so well here?
Let’s break it down.
1. Kiasu meets lucky draw
Singaporeans love a good deal—but even more than that, they love being the first, getting the rarest, or unlocking a bonus others didn’t. It’s not enough to receive—there’s pride in winning, or scoring what others can’t.
Blind boxes tap right into that.
It turns a regular transaction into a mini lottery. You could get the rare golden one. You might collect all five. That “what if” moment is powerful.
“A kid really wanted the coconut plushie from the blind box. I helped him choose, and when he opened it and saw the plushie, he hugged me with this huge smile.”
— Wan Xin (Old Town White Coffee roadshow)
2. It brings out the collector instinct
The best blind box campaigns aren’t random—they’re collectible. Think Milo’s recent campaign where people weren’t just redeeming—they were trading.
We saw families comparing plushie collections and friends negotiating for doubles. It created a whole secondary layer of interaction that outlived the roadshow itself.
That’s marketing with legs.
3. It gives them a story to tell
A shampoo bottle doesn’t trend.
But a mystery prize that might reveal a nostalgic mini kopi cup or a Merlion toy? People post that.
When people open a blind box, it becomes a moment. That second of suspense. The reaction. The reveal. It’s Instagrammable, TikTok-able, and highly shareable.
Even when they don’t get what they want, the disappointment is part of the fun. That’s emotional engagement you can’t buy with a free pen or tote bag.
4. It’s not a gimmick — it’s experience
Blind boxes can boost immediate redemption numbers, but also build longer-term brand recall. People remember brands not just for what they gave—but how they made them feel.
Mystery creates memory. And in a noisy FMCG market, that’s gold.
So, what can FMCG brands learn from this?
- ● Don’t give out random freebies. Create a reason to return.
- ● Make them cute. Make them collectible. Add some scarcity.
- ● Turn redemptions into a small adventure.
- ● And yes, make it fun enough that they’ll want to share it.
We’ve seen it first hand from our roadshow activations. Bundle promos work. Spin-the-wheels are fun. But if you want something that sells more, and creates a buzz way beyond the event, blind boxes might just do the trick.
And in this business, that’s the win.
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