From quirky plush toys with questionable teeth to collectible eggs that crack open with ASMR-like satisfaction, cult toys are staging a full-blown social media takeover and viewers are hooked.
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Welcome to the world of TikTok toy fame, where being weird, cute, and just a little bit chaotic is the key to going viral.
The new toyfluencer economy
With billions of views for #toys on TikTok, the platform has fast become the global epicentre for toy discovery.
In particular, plush collectibles like Zurus’s Fugglers, Rainbocorns, and even nostalgic sensory toys like 5 Surprise and Mini Brands Capsules are trending, not because of kid appeal, but because of teenagers and adults.
“We’re seeing an entirely new audience emerge,” says Glenn Ambrose, country manager in South Africa at Zuru.
“These aren’t just toys. They’re cultural artefacts, collectible personalities and creative prompts for social media content. Fugglers are exploding thanks to customisation; people are adding piercings, building wardrobes, and giving them entire TikTok personas.”
He adds that this DIY, community-driven movement is creating cult status for toys previously deemed ‘too weird to win.’
“Fugglers with their oddball teeth, mismatched eyes, and mischievous charm have amassed a fanbase who celebrate their imperfections.”
A quick TikTok search shows thousands of ‘Fuggler unboxings,’ ‘Outfit of the Day’ (OOTD) reels for plush characters, and even narrative skits starring these stuffed rebels.
Toy videos hit all the right notes for TikTok’s algorithm: short, visual, satisfying, and deeply emotional.
Ambose explains that they tap into: ASMR appeal with the sensory thrill of unwrapping, revealing, and squishing.
Nostalgia and comfort by offering an escape from screen fatigue and stress and creativity and identity with customisation that gives users a chance to express humour and individuality.
“Add TikTok’s looping format and ultra-engaged Gen Z audience, and you have the perfect storm for toy virality,” he says.
Disrupting trends
Ambrose adds that Zuru, is now one of the world’s fastest-growing toy companies with distribution in over 120 countries and it has been quick to adapt.
“We’re known for delivering high-impact, trend-driven toys that speak directly to Gen Z and millennial culture. As an example, the Rainbocorns range: part pet, part surprise egg, part fashion accessory has gained a life of its own online, with plush-pet-reveal videos regularly racking up millions of views.”
In fact, he says that Zuru’s toys are now featured in more than 70 million user-generated TikTok videos, often accompanied by squeals of joy, surprise unboxings, and mashups with popular sounds.
“Our goal is to create toys that live beyond the shelf,” adds Ambrose. “Fugglers, for example, aren’t just soft toys, they're avatars for self-expression, digital storytelling, and even mental health conversations.”
In South Africa, the TikTok toy craze is gaining momentum fast. According to data from Zuru’s local market research, plush toy sales have grown by 12% YoY, with social media content playing a direct role in driving demand.
Speciality toy retailers and major outlets like ToyZone, Toys R Us, Takealot, and Checkers are ramping up their stock, while local influencers are getting in on the action, from moms posting sensory unboxings to cosplayers building mini worlds around their Fugglers.
Beyond the shelf, Ambrose says South African creatives are starting to view these toys as art supplies, not just playthings.
“You can expect to see more local creators joining the global trend of turning collectable toys into content machines, whether that’s parody series, custom fashion lines, or ASMR-style reveal videos,” he adds.
“At its core, this isn’t just about toys. It’s about how play is being redefined by older audiences,” he adds. “TikTok is giving voice to the weird, the whimsical, and the wonderfully unfiltered and in a post-pandemic world still navigating anxiety and identity, that’s no small feat.”
“Fugglers may look like dental disasters, but they’re leading a revolution in what it means to own your strange. And that’s something South Africa’s increasingly expressive youth are proudly embracing,” he concludes.
