Why everyone’s talking about... LOL Surprise!

IT’S one of the hottest Christmas toy brands – again. But if you’re not a parent of a younger child, you might be entirely unaware of the phenomenon that is LOL Surprise! So what is it?

LOL here stands for Little Outrageous Littles. They are 3in-tall, brightly coloured, wide-eyed dolls, typically costing £10 to £15. They come in hundreds of designs, with the most sought-after, Queen Bee, below, based on Beyoncé. The gimmick is that they come in layers of opaque packaging, so kids don’t know what they’re getting. Each layer contains goodies such as secret messages, collectible stickers or an accessory, until you get to the doll itself.

All that packaging sounds like an environmental nightmare…

It has been – but as of this year it’s all biodegradable. That’s not the only concern. Parents have complained about sexualised outfits, such as fishnet body stockings or lingerie that is revealed when the dolls are dipped in cold water (another way of revealing surprises). Oh, and they are ‘anatomically correct’ below the belt, so to speak, with manufacturer MGA Entertainment saying it ensures ‘authenticity’. The company also makes the Bratz dolls and the Pooey Puitton range of handbags full of slime – which has attracted the attention of Louis Vuitton’s lawyers.

How did LOL Surprise! come about?

It all started in 2016, inspired by the YouTube trend for ‘unboxing’ videos showing people taking new consumer products out of their packaging. Psychologists say the unwrapping is a powerful part of the appeal, as the excitement of what you may or may not get triggers a dopamine hit to the brain, as with gambling. It certainly works, as the brand has amassed almost £20billion in sales.

Billions of pounds, all from dolls?

And countless spin-offs, from bath bombs to socks. An LOL Surprise! fashion show featured the catwalk debut of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter North West, dressed like a doll. There’s also an album, a Netflix movie and even a live tour – next stop Leeds on December 13.

And the moral of this success?

You spend all this money on Christmas presents and the kids are obsessed with the wrapping…