Unpacking the Growth Secrets of the Blind Box Economy: An Analysis of Pop Mart’s Marketing Strategy based on the 7Ps Marketing Mix Model

Nottingham University Business School, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG8 1BB, United Kingdom

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Abstract

With the rapid development of the experience economy, the trendy toy market has witnessed substantial growth. However, existing research often lacks a comprehensive deconstruction of the experiential service system of this new business format. To this end, this paper takes Pop Mart, a leading brand in trendy toys, as the research object and conducts a systematic analysis of its marketing strategy based on an extended 7Ps Marketing Mix. The study finds that Pop Mart has constructed a relatively complete experiential consumption model: strengthening emotional value through the combination of the core IP matrix and blind box mechanism; achieving efficient reach through the gamification of the omnichannel network and user community co-creation; and maximizing perceived value through refined consumer emotional decision-making processes and offline space atmosphere design. The research indicates that Pop Mart has successfully transformed consumers’ psychological expectations into commercial advantages, but its heavily relied-upon “blind box mechanism” faces growing challenges from market homogenization and tightening policy regulation. Therefore, this paper suggests that enterprises should gradually shift towards a content-ecology-driven transformation, enhance immersive offline experiences, and promote product line diversification to reduce risks and achieve sustainable development.