AI‑Generated Action Figures: The Next Big Trend in 2025 Marketing

A new craze is sweeping social media in 2025 – and it has brands and consumers alike feeling like kids again. Imagine looking at a photo of yourself or your customers, but instead of a normal portrait, you’re encased in a shiny action figure package, complete with miniature accessories and a catchy character name.

Thanks to powerful AI image generators, this fantasy is now a reality. From LinkedIn professionals to TikTok creatives, people are transforming themselves into AI-generated action figures and sharing these stylised collectibles online.

This article explores the explosive growth of AI-generated action figures and stylised character-based collectible packages – why they’re trending, what consumer appeal they hold, and how brands can tap into this playful phenomenon. We’ll look at how creators and companies are using AI tools like Midjourney, DALL·E and ChatGPT to spin up unique characters and stories.

You’ll also find real-world examples of successful campaigns and ideas for digital marketing, from storytelling and influencer marketing to community building and e-commerce. Crucially, we’ll highlight the opportunities for brands and how partnering with a digital marketing agency can supercharge success in this space.

What Are AI‑Generated Action Figures and Collectible Packages?

AI-generated action figures are digitally created, hyper-realistic character images that resemble toy figurines. They often depict a person (or fictional character) as a small doll or action hero, typically posed inside collectible toy packaging. In other words, AI takes an ordinary portrait and reimagines it as if you were a figurine on a store shelf, complete with a plastic blister pack or doll box around you. The aesthetic usually includes glossy, plastic-like features – think oversized, doll-like eyes and a miniature scale – mimicking the look of real toys.

These images aren’t real photographs of actual toys, but the AI outputs are so convincing they look like professional product shots. The figures can be styled in many themes: some people appear as fashion dolls (à la Barbie), others as rugged G.I. Joe–style heroes, or even as vinyl Funko Pop characters. A popular variant of the trend shows the person as a “starter pack” action figure, mounted in a clear plastic casing with a set of accessories that reflect their personality or career. For instance, a tech professional’s figure might come with a laptop, headphones and a coffee mug as props, while a fitness enthusiast’s might include a water bottle and dumbbells.

Crucially, these AI action figures are digital collectibles – they exist as images or animations, not physical toys (at least not yet). The fun lies in the novelty of seeing oneself reimagined as a toy or character. It’s an evolution of the AI-generated selfie art trends of recent years (like the Lensa portraits that went viral in 2022), but with a quirky, nostalgic twist. By packaging the image like a toy, complete with a branded card backing and even a faux price tag or character description, it scratches an imaginative itch for users: it’s you, but in an alternate, collectible universe.

These “collectible packages” often include stylised box art and captions or names that add to the character’s story. Social posts are usually tagged with trending hashtags such as #AIbarbie, #AIactionfigure or #StarterPack, signalling the growing communities around this trend. In summary, AI-generated action figures are AI-crafted images that turn people or concepts into playful, figurine-style characters, merging personal identity with the aesthetics of collectibles.

Consumer Appeal: Why People Love AI Collectible Characters

Beyond the hype, what makes these AI-generated figure images so appealing to consumers? Several factors explain why social media users have latched onto this trend:

• Playful Self-Expression: At its heart, the trend is about playing with identity and imagination. Just as kids project themselves onto toys, adults now get to project their life onto a toy-like image. It’s inherently fun to design your “action figure” persona – choosing what outfit you’d wear, what items would be in your accessory pack, and what catchy nickname or title goes on the box. This process is almost like a game or a creative exercise in self-reflection (“what three items sum me up?”). The end result is a piece of content that feels uniquely yours. In an era where much online content feels copy-pasted or overly filtered, these AI figures let people show a side of themselves that’s original and whimsical.
• Nostalgia and Fandom: Many participants deliberately style their AI figures after beloved toy lines or pop culture icons. Someone might create an “AI Barbie” version of themselves in a pink Mattel-style box, or depict themselves as a Marvel-esque superhero. By tapping into familiar childhood brands and fandoms, these images evoke positive emotions. They also allow fans to insert themselves into the narratives they love (e.g. a Star Wars fan generating their own Jedi action figure). This crossover with fandom gives the trend extra fuel – entire sub-communities have sprung up around making action figure art for favourite celebrities or characters (people have generated figures of Cristiano Ronaldo, LeBron James, fictional superheroes, and more). For consumers, it’s a way to celebrate their idols and hobbies in a creative format.
• Social Sharing and Interaction: An AI doll image is practically begging for commentary. Often, friends will chime in to say “I love the accessories you chose!” or tag others “this is so you!”. Some posts even ask, “What would your action figure accessories be?” inviting others to respond. This inherently social aspect drives engagement. It’s common to see threads where colleagues share their LinkedIn action figure images in a friendly one-upmanship of creativity. The trend has also inspired challenges and hashtags that make participation feel like joining a collective fun activity. For example, one popular hashtag #StarterPack had users create starter-pack style figure boxes and compare notes. In short, the format is very shareable and relatable, leading to high engagement rates.
• Personal and Aspirational Value: Interestingly, the items people include in their figure’s packaging often carry personal meaning or aspiration. As noted earlier, each object is a symbol – sometimes a status symbol. One marketing commentary observed that people are effectively showcasing brands to signal their lifestyle: a finance guru’s box might include a gold American Express card (signalling affluence), a gamer might include a PlayStation controller, a foodie might include a gourmet item. By curating these items, users aren’t just having fun; they’re subtly broadcasting their values, achievements, or goals. Seeing yourself with a trophy or luxury item in your action figure pack can even be motivational – a bit like a vision board. Consumers enjoy this mix of authenticity and aspiration, and their friends get insights into what that person cares about. It’s marketing 101 (brand association) being applied at the individual level, whether users realize it or not. That depth of meaning gives the trend some lasting power, as it’s more than surface-level vanity.
• Belonging to a Community: Whenever a trend like this grows, it creates a sense of community among those in the know. Early adopters and creative hobbyists swap tips on how to get the best AI results (“which prompt or tool did you use?”). Artists who oppose AI even responded by posting hand-drawn versions under tags like #StarterPackNoAI, sparking dialogue with AI enthusiasts. All this buzz makes participants feel part of a cultural moment. For many users, being part of the trend – posting their figure while it’s hot – is a way to join a larger conversation and not miss out. That FOMO (fear of missing out) and the thrill of virality add to the appeal.

6 Top Digital Marketing Opportunities in the AI Figure Trend

For brands eyeing this trend, the opportunities extend well beyond a one-off funny Facebook post. Done strategically, AI-generated characters can be woven into broader marketing initiatives. Here are key opportunity areas and how they can be leveraged:

1. Storytelling & Brand Narrative

Every strong brand thrives on storytelling, and these AI characters are storytelling gold. They come pre-packaged (literally) with a narrative context – a character, a setting, and props that hint at a wider story. Brands can build on this by creating content that expands the character’s tale. For instance, a travel gear brand that made an action figure of an “Adventure Backpacker Alex” could run a series of posts or blog entries about Alex’s travels around the world, each time showcasing different gear in the package. ChatGPT and other AI writing tools can assist by generating fun backstories, dialogues or even short comic scripts for these characters. This makes it easy for a brand’s content team (or agency) to spin a simple image into a multi-channel narrative.

Storytelling through an avatar or character also allows brands to explore themes that might be harder to communicate through traditional ads. A financial services company, for example, could introduce a superhero figure “Savings Man” and then tell stories about fighting off “Debt monsters” – a light-hearted narrative that educates and entertains at the same time. The figure becomes a recurring brand character symbolising their value proposition. This approach can be more engaging than yet another brochure about saving money. The key is consistency and creativity: with an AI character, a brand can start a content series, build anticipation (“What will our hero do next week?”), and develop a unique voice for that character that bolsters the overall brand voice.

2. Social Media Engagement & Virality

As we’ve seen, these AI figure posts are inherently engaging. For brands, this is an opportunity to significantly boost social media metrics – reach, impressions, likes, comments, shares – through organic virality. Brands can maximise this by tailoring the concept to their audience. For example, a B2B company on LinkedIn might create an action figure for each common professional persona in their client base (e.g. “IT Manager Ian” with his accessories), prompting their followers to tag someone “who fits the description” in the comments. This kind of relatable content encourages sharing (“This is so you!”). On more visual platforms like Instagram, brands might use carousel posts – the first image a realistic photo and the swiped image the AI action figure version, creating a surprise reveal that prompts users to swipe and engage.

Another tactic is hashtag challenges: a brand could start a hashtag for users to post their own action figure images in a theme related to the brand. A fitness apparel brand might do #ActionFigureChallenge asking people to show their fitness alter-ego figure, perhaps featuring the brand’s products in the imagery. The brand can repost the best entries, creating a virtuous cycle of engagement. Every user submission effectively becomes free promotional content for the brand – a modern form of word-of-mouth marketing. Given how 2025’s algorithms favour content that people interact with, this kind of campaign can greatly amplify a brand’s social presence.

3. Influencer & Co-Creator Collaborations

Influencers love novel content ideas as much as brands do, and the AI action figure trend offers a perfect playground for collaboration. Brands can partner with influencers, not just by sending them a product, but by turning the influencer themselves into a branded action figure and featuring that in a campaign. Imagine a cosmetics brand releasing a limited “Influencer Edition” AI doll image of a beauty guru holding the brand’s latest palette and lipstick as the accessories. The influencer can share it to announce a promotional code or giveaway, while the brand shares it as part of a storyline (“Meet [Influencer Name] Doll, our new beauty hero!”). This creates buzz on both the influencer’s and the brand’s channels.

The content is more engaging than a standard product photo, and it gives the influencer a creative way to promote the brand (which they are more likely to do enthusiastically, since it’s them in the spotlight, albeit toy-ified). Influencers might also create their own figures organically – as we saw with various professionals doing it for fun – so brands can capitalize by featuring those UGC examples. For instance, if a popular gamer posts an AI figure of themselves with a certain snack in the pack, that snack brand could reach out and co-create a follow-up post or simply ride the momentum with a witty retweet. This humanizes the brand by associating it with real people in a creative context.

Even beyond traditional influencers, brands can involve their customers as micro-influencers. Featuring real customers’ AI figure posts on the brand page (with permission) is a powerful way to show appreciation and build community. It subtly says: “Our customers are the heroes of our story – literally action figures!” This approach was hinted at by some brands transforming customer photos into figures as a surprise. A digital marketing agency can help identify which user-generated posts to amplify and how to tie them back into brand messaging seamlessly.

4. Community Building & Interaction

Community-building in 2025 is all about creating spaces where consumers can contribute and feel part of the brand story. The AI action figure trend naturally encourages people to contribute their own take (their personal figure or ideas for characters). Brands can foster a community around this by creating dedicated threads, groups, or events. For example, a toy brand (fittingly) or any enthusiastic brand could host a virtual “Fan Fair” where followers submit their best AI action figure designs, perhaps even voting on a “fan favourite”. This could be turned into a blog feature or used to inspire a real product. By celebrating user creativity, brands position themselves as facilitators of fun, not just pushers of products.

Additionally, brands can integrate this trend into their loyalty programs or events. Consider a scenario where an e-commerce brand lets top customers order a free poster print of an AI action figure version of themselves as a reward for loyalty points – using the customer’s profile data to auto-generate a personalised figure image. That kind of perk would be highly shareable (“look what X company made for me!”) and drive others to engage more with the brand to earn their own. It’s a fusion of digital experience and tangible reward.

Community forums or Discord channels could have an #AI-art corner where the brand’s community members share creations. A digital marketing agency can help moderate these communities and keep the momentum by introducing new themes (“this week’s challenge: your pet as an action figure!” which a pet food brand could use, for instance). The result is a vibrant community that associates the brand with creativity and fun, strengthening brand loyalty.

5. E-Commerce and Product Innovation

While currently the AI action figures are digital-only, the consumer excitement around them hints at real product opportunities. As noted earlier, when Royal Mail posted their AI postman figure, people actually commented wishing they could buy it. Brands should take note: if an AI-generated concept gets a strong positive reaction, it might be worth exploring as a physical product or merchandise. We’re already seeing companies experiment: back in 2022, Hasbro launched the “Selfie Series” where people could get 3D-printed action figures of themselves (that program was discontinued in 2023), but the idea proved there is genuine willingness to pay for personalised figures. In 2025, the AI trend could revive such opportunities with even more on-demand customisation.

Digital marketing agencies can help brands test these waters without heavy investment. For example, an agency could run a limited-time pre-order campaign for a “real” version of a popular AI figure image (perhaps using 3D printing vendors). By gauging pre-orders or interest, brands can validate if there’s a market. Even if not going full physical, brands can monetize the concept through digital merchandise: high-resolution art prints, NFT collectibles of the character, or including the character in video game skins or AR filters for purchase. An agency’s strategists would ensure any such extension aligns with the brand and doesn’t come off as gimmicky.

At the very least, the characters and narratives born from this trend can feed into new product ideas. A snack brand whose AI-created skateboarder hero resonates might actually produce a limited edition flavour tie-in with that character on the packaging. Or a fashion brand could release a real clothing line “inspired by” the outfits their AI dolls wore. In essence, the trend can act as a crowdsourced R&D lab – seeing what fantasy elements excite your audience, and then bringing a slice of that fantasy to reality through products or experiences.

6. Brand Image – Innovation and Relatability

Finally, we can’t ignore the broader branding impact. Early adopting brands are getting noticed for being innovative, trendy, and relatable. In consumers’ eyes, a brand that participates in fun digital trends is one that “gets it” – they become more approachable. This can especially help brands that normally might seem stodgy or overly corporate. For instance, an accounting software company making a light-hearted action figure post shows an unexpected playful side, which could endear them to small business owners tired of dry B2B marketing. Being part of the AI action figure wave in 2025 signals that your brand is not stuck in the past.

Of course, authenticity is key – the execution should align with your brand’s tone. But when done right, it can humanise the brand. Many brands also find that it attracts positive PR; marketing publications and blogs often showcase examples of brands doing creative things with new tech (like the ones we’ve cited). Thus, a single well-crafted AI figure campaign might earn media coverage or at least lots of reposts, extending the reach without additional ad spend. It positions the brand as a leader in digital creativity, which can have knock-on benefits like attracting partnerships or even talent (creative folks want to work at companies doing cool stuff).

In sum, the opportunities around AI-generated action figures span the gamut from immediate social media wins to longer-term brand asset creation and monetization. It’s a playground for marketing innovation. However, maximising these opportunities often requires specialized skills and strategic planning – which is where partnering with a digital marketing agency can make all the difference.

How Digital Marketing Agencies Can Help Brands Win in this Space

While some brands have dabbled with AI action figures on their own, many are turning to digital marketing agencies to fully capitalize on the trend. Why? Because achieving real business impact (not just a one-off viral post) requires a blend of creativity, technical know-how with AI, strategic campaign planning, and cross-channel execution. Here’s how a digital agency partnership can enhance success:

• Strategic Trend Alignment: A good agency will first ensure that jumping on this trend meets the brand’s objectives and fits its identity. Not every trend is right for every brand. An agency can identify the right angle of the AI figure phenomenon that aligns with the brand’s message. For example, they might recommend an employee-centric approach for a company that values its people, or a product-centric character for a brand known for a hero product. This ensures authenticity and maximises positive impact.
• Creative Development (Powered by AI): Agencies typically have creative teams now trained in using AI tools for design and copy. They can handle the technical side of prompt engineering – phrasing prompts in Midjourney/DALL·E to get high-quality images that match brand guidelines (proper colours, no distortions, etc.), and using tools like Adobe Photoshop for any touch-ups or brand logo placements. They also consider legal aspects (e.g., avoiding using trademarked toy logos or ensuring any real person’s image has consent). An agency’s creative directors and copywriters can collaborate so that the visuals and the accompanying text (caption, character bio, etc.) work together seamlessly to tell the story. The result is a polished piece of content that feels on-brand and stands out from the amateur attempts flooding social media.
• Integrated Campaign Planning: Rather than an isolated post, agencies can build a full campaign around the concept. This could include a teaser phase (“something exciting is coming…” with partial image reveals), a launch phase (the big character unveil across channels), user engagement phase (contest or UGC invites), and a conversion phase (tie-in with a product or sign-up offer). They map out how the action figure content will live on different platforms – maybe an interactive poll on Instagram Stories, a long-form blog (like this one!) explaining the trend on the company site for SEO, a YouTube short of “unboxing” the digital action figure, etc. By having an overarching plan, the agency ensures the trend isn’t just a flash in the pan but a narrative thread that can be woven into the brand’s marketing for weeks or months, creating sustained engagement.
• Influencer & Partnership Management: If the strategy involves influencers or partners (e.g., collaborating with a charity for a cause-related superhero character), agencies can handle the outreach, negotiation, and coordination. They can brief influencers on how to create their AI figure or even generate it for them, making sure the brand’s product or message is properly integrated. Essentially, the agency acts as the director and producer of a multi-actor play – ensuring everyone (influencers, employees, customers participating) knows their role and the key messaging, all while leaving room for authentic creativity. This keeps campaigns on-message and on schedule.
• Community Moderation & Engagement: Once the content is live, an agency team can monitor the buzz, replying to comments, engaging with user submissions, and keeping the momentum going. If a post goes viral and thousands of comments pour in, a community manager from the agency can ensure the brand is responsive – thanking people, humorously engaging with funny comments, and handling any negative feedback or concerns (for example, if an artist complains about AI art, the brand can respond with understanding and perhaps highlight that it supports artists too, striking a balance). This active management turns a trending post into an opportunity to build goodwill and relationships with the audience, rather than just letting the comments section run wild or go unattended.
• Measurement and Iteration: Agencies also excel in measuring campaign performance. They’ll track metrics specific to the campaign – engagement rates on the posts, increases in followers or website traffic during the campaign period, sentiment analysis of the comments, etc. More importantly, they interpret what those numbers mean. Perhaps the data shows that one character storyline got significantly more traction than another; the agency can advise the brand to pivot towards the more popular content in future marketing, or even extend that character into a regular brand mascot due to its popularity. If the goal was e-commerce, they can connect spikes in sales or product page visits to the campaign timeline (e.g., did the action-figure post lead to more searches or sales of the featured product?). With that insight, they fine-tune ongoing strategy. In essence, agencies help turn the short-term buzz into long-term insights and ROI.
• Scalability and Consistency: Finally, if a brand wants to do this at scale – say a large retailer wants 50 store managers each as an action figure for an internal campaign – an agency can marshal the resources to produce a volume of content efficiently and consistently. They can create a “template” prompt and design, so that all outputs have a unified style, and handle the project management of gathering photos, generating images, editing, and deploying them. This would be daunting for a small in-house team but is the kind of challenge agencies are built for. They also keep an eye on trend evolution: if the AI figure meme evolves into a new format (for example, animated 3D turnarounds or AR filters), the agency will adapt the strategy and not let the brand fall behind.

In summary, a digital marketing agency acts as a strategic partner and creative powerhouse that can amplify a brand’s participation in the AI action figure trend. They provide the expertise to execute it brilliantly and the strategy to tie it to business outcomes. For brands that want to ride this wave – whether to build brand love, drive sales, or grow an online community – teaming up with an agency can be the difference between a nice try and an epic win.

The rise of AI-generated action figures and stylised character collectibles in 2025 is a testament to how technology and imagination can spark entirely new forms of consumer engagement. What began as a playful social media experiment – people turning themselves into toy-like images – has blossomed into a significant marketing trend. Consumers are enchanted by the blend of nostalgia, personalisation, and creativity, spending their own time to craft and share these images. Brands that recognise this appeal are stepping in, not to commercialise it in a crass way, but to join the fun and add value – by entertaining their audiences, acknowledging their fans’ identities, and even co-creating memorable content together.

For potential customers (brands and creators) looking for digital marketing services, the message is clear: there is opportunity here. Whether you’re a small creator wanting to launch a unique character-based product line, or a big brand aiming to reinvigorate your social presence, AI-generated figures could be a powerful addition to your marketing toolkit. They offer a fresh visual language and a way to connect with audiences on a human level – through the universally loved concept of play.

However, capitalising on this trend effectively requires more than just an app and an idea. It calls for a strategic approach that ties the creative output to your brand story and marketing goals. This is where partnering with a savvy digital marketing agency can turn a cool concept into a campaign that drives real results. The right agency will bring the creative spark, the technical AI skills, and the strategic oversight to ensure your foray into AI-crafted characters is not only buzzworthy but brand-building.

As we move forward, one can imagine this trend evolving – perhaps into augmented reality (where customers can virtually unbox their digital action figure) or into new storytelling formats. But the core insight remains: people love to see imaginative reflections of themselves and their interests. Brands who enable that, and do so with authenticity and fun, will reap the rewards in customer engagement and loyalty.

In the toy aisle of the future – part real, part digital – there’s a spot waiting for your brand’s action figure. With creativity, the right partnerships, and a willingness to experiment, you might just create the next iconic character that customers cherish. In 2025, marketing is play – and those who play smart, win.