Creating Sign Value for Art Toys in the Blind Box Market

Abstract

This academic article aims to explore whether the creation of sign value for art toys in the blind box market can be examined through Jean Baudrillard’s concept of consumption logic to reflect the phenomenon of blind box consumption in contemporary society and assess its ability to generate sign value.
The study found that the phenomenon of art toy consumption in the blind box market initially operated on the first level of consumer logic: the logic of use value. In this stage, art toys were merely collectibles intended for personal enjoyment. As art toys became Through transactions, art toys began to acquire symbolic meanings, representing love and sharing when exchanged as gifts during various celebrations. This process further evolved into the third level of consumer logic: the logic of symbolic exchange. However, in today’s consumer culture, reveals that consumers today do not consume based on actual needs but instead aim to consume or collect the sign value associated with the blind boxes. The logic of consuming blind boxes, therefore, represents a combination of high art and low art appreciation. High culture is increasingly transformed into mass commodities; i.e. art toys in the form of blind boxes have become cultural goods primarily intended for sign trading (the fourth level: the logic og sign value), rather than solely for the consumption of art through artists’ exhibitions. Signs are combined to transform modern art into traditional toys, making each art toy collection a cultural product that influences consumers’ perceptions. Art toys have become symbols of luxury and popular trends. The sign value is created through the design of the blind box packaging, making it attractive, interesting, and featuring an image on the side to encourage consumers to search for the “secret” toy, and reselling art toys to increase prices among sellers and buyers, brand storytelling for each collection, co-branding strategies, including the use of online media featuring celebrities, artists, and influencers are all methods of creating sign value for art toys in the blind box market. The findings of this study are fully aligned with Jean Baudrillard’s concept of consumption logic.