Author: Shenzhen Toy & Licensing Fair

In China's designer toy market, a brand founded only four years ago is rewriting the industry's rules.

In 2024, TNTSPACE achieved a single-month GMV exceeding 100 million RMB, with annual revenue reaching approximately 400 million RMB, ranking fourth among IP toy companies in China, trailing only Pop Mart, Blokees, and 52TOYS.

This so-called "designer toy dark horse" has carved out a path in the fiercely competitive market through a powerful combination of original IP development and cross-industry collaborations.

According to an industry report released in January 2025, China's designer toy market has surpassed the 50-billion-RMB mark, though the head effect remains pronounced, significantly squeezing the room for emerging brands. Against this backdrop, TNTSPACE's meteoric rise stands out as particularly remarkable. Its success not only validates the commercial potential of original IPs but also offers the industry a replicable operational playbook.

Chapter 1: The Making of Original IPs — From "Design-Driven" to "Emotional Resonance"

TNTSPACE's core competitiveness lies in its powerful ability to incubate original IPs. Currently, the brand owns over 50 self-developed IPs, including DORA, Zoraa, Boy Rayan, ANMOO, DUDOO, and others, producing over 3,000 drafts annually. However, less than 1% of these drafts ultimately enter production.

This "premium IP strategy" ensures that each IP possesses sufficient market potential. DORA is a prime example. Dubbed the "do-it-yourself" character, she stands for independent thinking in a chaotic world, conveying a value proposition that to "follow the same life navigation as everyone else" you might as well "stay true to yourself and be a doer." This emotional core quickly propelled DORA to fame, turning her into the brand's "super symbol." In contrast, Zoraa, with her "cuteness is justice" slogan, has captured a large female consumer base with her healing persona.

More noteworthy is TNTSPACE's "rapid iteration" IP cultivation strategy. From the launch of its two original IPs, DORA and Zoraa, to achieving an annual GMV of over 300 million RMB per IP, TNTSPACE took less than three years, amassing over 3 million followers across various platforms. Behind this achievement lies the brand's keen insight into user needs and its ability to respond swiftly to market trends. This TNTSPACE IP growth story invites direct comparisons with Pop Mart IP strategy, which has successfully scaled characters like MOLLY, LABUBU, SKULLPANDA, CRYBABY, and DIMOO into billion-RMB revenue drivers.

Chapter 2: The Jumbo Blind Box Revolution — From Product Innovation to Upgraded Consumer Experience

In terms of product strategy, TNTSPACE pioneered the concept of the "jumbo blind box," completely upending the traditional designer toy gameplay. The second-generation DORA product, launched in 2024, sold out 20,000 units in just 1 second, setting a new industry record. This "hunger marketing" release model not only generated buzz but also cultivated consumer purchase habits.

The success of the TNTSPACE jumbo blind box lies in its ability to transcend the size limitations of standard blind boxes, making the product larger and more refined, while comprehensively enhancing packaging, craftsmanship, and accessories. This differentiated product positioning allows TNTSPACE to stand out in an increasingly homogeneous market. According to brand-disclosed data, through the "jumbo blind box" concept and IP incubation crowdfunding mechanism, TNTSPACE can reach the 200,000-unit production target within 40 days, significantly reducing inventory risks.

Additionally, the brand has established a hybrid sales model split equally between online and offline channels. Online channels, particularly Douyin livestreaming, contribute 40% of revenue, with monthly sales reaching 30 million RMB. Offline, the brand has built stable partnerships with over 50 top-tier strategic distributors, 5,000+ offline retail outlets and distribution partners covering over 90% of online channels. This omnichannel retail approach ensures both the brand's reach and conversion efficiency.

Chapter 3: The "Super Player" Logic of Cross-Brand Collaborations

If original IPs are TNTSPACE's "internal strength," then cross-brand collaborations are its "external skills." The brand has established partnerships with over 80 leading brands across various industries, including MOLLY TEA, ChaPanda, Lancôme, Amap (AutoNavi), DUDOO, Meitu Xiuxiu, QQ Music, Sanrio (Hello Kitty), B.Duck, and Street Dance of China Season 6, spanning sectors such as tea drinks, beauty, mobility, music, and variety shows.

This "super player" collaboration strategy essentially integrates designer toy IPs into various scenarios in young people's daily lives. For example, collaboration with ChaPanda led to a custom gift box, the partnership with Lancôme incorporated designer toy elements into beauty products, and the QQ Music collaboration generated over 3 million usages of 3D skins. Each collaboration goes beyond simple "logo stacking," delving deep into user profiles to create novel consumer experiences.

According to brand user data, TNTSPACE's primary consumer base consists of young people aged 18-39, with women accounting for 70%, predominantly located in first- and second-tier cities. This user group has a strong demand for personalized expression and trendy lifestyles. Through cross-brand collaborations, TNTSPACE not only expands its reach but also solidifies its brand positioning as a "trendy lifestyle leader".

Chapter 4: From "Traffic-Driven" to "Brand Asset Accumulation"

In May 2025, TNTSPACE conducted a brand upgrade, changing its logo from uppercase "TNT" to lowercase "tnt" and updating its brand declaration from "create novel trendy brands" to "when toys begin to understand life, trends find a new answer". This upgrade reflects a deeper strategic shift—from short-term traffic-chasing to long-term brand asset building.

On August 11th, Chinese actor Bai Jingting became the global novelty ambassador for tnt. This announcement sparked over 100,000 retweets on social media, with the hashtag trending on Weibo, generating over 100 million views. This was not just a successful marketing event, but a milestone in TNTSPACE's transition from "product-driven" to "brand-driven."

Concurrently, the brand has established a comprehensive IP licensing system, setting up product R&D centers and QC teams with over a decade of experience in model and toy quality control. By combining in-house capabilities with strategic partner factories and supply chain integration, the brand has shortened its R&D-to-production timeline by 30% compared to industry averages. This "fast response + quality control" model lays a solid foundation for rapid IP growth.

Chapter 5: Data-Driven — "Understanding Players Better Than They Know Themselves"

At an operational level, TNTSPACE employs a "data-driven decision-making" strategy. By collecting massive volumes of user behavior data, performing data-averse preference analysis, and making potential tests, market judgments, and iteration decisions based on data feedback, the brand ultimately achieves its goal of "understanding players better than they know themselves".

This user-centric operational approach allows the brand to quickly capture market changes. For instance, when the blind box market growth slowed in 2024, TNTSPACE promptly adjusted its strategy, introducing a new direction of "IP branding" to further elevate its owned IPs' industry influence and commercial value. According to the brand's operational summaries, TNTSPACE entered the market just as industry froth was being squeezed out and grew its revenue to 500 million RMB in about two years.

As of January 2025, TNTSPACE has amassed over 2 million paying users across all platforms, establishing a massive user base. These users are not just consumers but also co-creators and promoters of brand content. Through community management and KOC cultivation, the brand has successfully built a virtuous "brand-user-content" ecosystem.

From original IP incubation to cross-brand collaborations, from jumbo blind box innovation to data-driven operations, TNTSPACE has charted its own "acceleration curve" in just four years. Its success not only proves the commercial viability of original Chinese IPs but also offers a new growth paradigm for the entire designer toy industry.

As consumer demands for personalized expression and emotional resonance continue to intensify, the designer toy industry is undergoing a new wave of restructuring. For industry participants, the key questions include: how to find a differentiated path amidst homogenized competition, how to transform IP assets into long-term commercial value, and how to build an integrated omnichannel system bridging online and offline.

March 12–14, 2026: The 4th Shanghai International Cultural & Creative Expo & Designer Toy Fair

The 4th Shanghai International Cultural & Creative Expo & Designer Toy Fair will be held from March 12–14, 2026, in the Pudong district of the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. As the industry's annual marquee event, this expo will bring together top global IP brands, original designers, upstream and downstream enterprises, and professional buyers, focusing on core topics such as IP licensing, product innovation, channel expansion, and digital transformation, providing an efficient platform for resource matching and commercial collaboration.

Whether you are seeking IP licensing partnerships, expanding sales channels, or exploring the latest industry trends, this is a must-attend event. We look forward to meeting you in Shanghai to witness the next golden age for China's designer toy industry.