Gen Z perspectives: Blind boxes, Roblox's new thrift store & Punch the monkey

Happy Friday, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE readers and welcome back to Gen Z Perspectives, your go-to feature where we unpack the week’s top stories and trending topics through the eyes of Gen Z. From the biggest industry moves to viral moments and marketing controversies worth dissecting, we’re bringing the heat with authenticity, awareness and probably a few unfiltered takes.

This week, we talked about blind box regulations, The Salvation Army’s leap into Roblox, and Punch the Monkey’s virality.

Stop monkeying around, let's get to it.

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1. SG looks to regulate blind boxes sales, but maybe brands should learn to self-regulate instead

Singapore is moving to regulate the sale of blind boxes, but marketers may have an opportunity to lead with self-regulation as mystery collectibles sweep across Asia. Despite the charm of blind boxes, brands must wrestle with how to engage consumers responsibly - without exploiting the psychological triggers behind their appeal.

In fact, the problem has seen the Singapore government try to introduce regulations for the sale of blind boxes. According to Singapore minister for home affairs K Shanmugam, the regulations are being drafted after his ministry and the Gambling Regulatory Authority studied the issue, particularly around disclosure of odds for blind box or “gacha” products. 

Read more here. 

2. How The Salvation Army is taking thrifting to the next level on Roblox

The Salvation Army is stepping into the metaverse with the launch of “Thrift score”, the world’s first digital thrift store on Roblox. The experience, which went live last week, aims to engage younger audiences where they already play, shop, and express themselves.

Developed in collaboration with immersive game studio The Gang and led by independent agency BarkleyOKRP, the virtual store reimagines a traditional thrift shop as a fully explorable digital environment.

Read more here. 

3. What made IKEA and Punch the monkey the perfect viral moment?

A baby macaque in Japan clinging to an IKEA plush was never meant to be a marketing moment. Yet within days of the clips going viral, the retailer saw a spike in sales of its Djungelskog orangutan across multiple markets, with some locations selling out. There was no campaign behind it. No influencer contract. No paid push. Just a story that struck an emotional chord.

Punch’s rise offers more than a feel-good internet moment. It raises a bigger question for brands: What happens when culture assigns meaning to your product, and can that kind of emotional equity be built, or does it simply choose you?

Read more here. 

Related articles:     
How Punch the baby macaque turned an IKEA stuffed toy into a global sensation 
Deliveroo to exit Singapore, platform to go offline after 4 March 
Menarini consolidates APAC media mandate with agency appointment