Chinese Pony, a Manufacturing Defect, Becomes Viral Hit of the Season
In China, the 'Cry-Cry Horse' toy — a plush pony with a sad facial expression — unexpectedly became a viral hit online. This toy was produced at a factory in Yiwu, a well-known commercial hub in eastern China, and initially it was simply a sewing error: one of the ponies had its mouth inverted, giving the pony a sad look instead of a usual smile, writes the Chinese agency Xinhua.
Photo: Lyu Bin / Xinhua
However, a user who noticed this shared a photo on social media, and the toy quickly touched people's hearts with its sad but cute appearance. People began ordering it as a way of emotional release and a symbol that losses can turn into victory — in the tradition of an ancient Chinese tale about a man who lost a horse but later gained even more horses.
Photo: Lyu Bin / Xinhua
According to Huaqing Zhang, head of the Happy Sister plush toy factory, the error became a business opportunity: within 48 hours they increased production from two to ten lines, and a design patent has already been filed. Previously, the factory produced about 400 such toys per day, and now — up to 15,000 units, but demand is still hard to meet.
The toys are sold abroad, including in Russia and South Africa, and many buy them in pairs: one happy, the other sad. The price per unit remains 25 yuan (about 3.6 US dollars).
Photo: Lyu Bin / Xinhua
The popularity of Cry-Cry Horse demonstrates a shift from practical value to emotional value: people are looking for realistic, even imperfect symbols that help relieve stress. Experts also note that the success was possible due to Yiwu's fast and flexible supply chain production, which allowed for exceptionally quick redesign and scaling of production.
Possible future projects for the factory include an expanded line with other 'sad animals,' such as Cry-Cry Sheep.