South Africa, June 20 -- 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...