'Fan economy' grows into commercial powerhouse

As China's live performance market rebounds, concerts are booming nationwide, and official fan merchandise has emerged as both a commercial powerhouse and a cultural touchstone for fans.

Sales of official merchandise — including light sticks, hand lamps, T-shirts and other branded goods — have surged in both popularity and price over the past decade.

The studio of Xu Ning, founder of Atelier Cons Pros, has worked on products and designs with artists such as cellist Ouyang Nana and rock band YOUNG DAN.

But one of his most renowned collaborations came in 2024 when Xu was commissioned to design official merchandise for singer Zhang Yuan, who ended his third nationwide concert tour, called White, in July.

Known as "Bird", Zhang's signature IP, is a chubby cartoon bird with tiny eyes and a dazed, "silly-cute" expression. Inspired by the singer's nickname, it reflects his warm and playful personality. The IP has grown into a fan favorite, with plush toys, figurines and comics like Bird Diaries, and even themed pop-up stores.

Xu said the design process began with research and observing Zhang's public persona, while also paying attention to online fan culture.

"Zhang Yuan is known for being straightforward and approachable. We wanted to create something equally direct — simple enough that even a child could sketch it with a pencil, and easy to spread among fans," said Xu.

Fans are also given a sewing manual and dimensions, and are encouraged to customize light sticks with beads, decorations, or to create ita bags packed with idol merchandise.

"We know fans have incredible creativity. By giving them a template, we invite them into the process, and this philosophy — valuing fans' habits and preferences rather than competing across artists — guides our team's designs," said Xu.

Beyond light sticks, Atelier Cons Pros has developed tote bags, phone stands and cushions designed for everyday use.

China's pan-entertainment market grew from just over 299 billion yuan ($41.95 billion) in 2017 to 700.4 billion yuan in 2021, with a compound annual growth rate of 23.7 percent, according to data published by Huajing Industry Research Institute in 2023.

It is expected to reach more than 1.34 trillion yuan by 2026. Fans' single-purchases of items are mainly below 100 yuan, followed by the 100 to 500 yuan range, revealing a "small amount, high frequency" consumption pattern, the data showed.