Tag Archives: hot wheels

Mattel’s Hot Wheels races onto Roblox with the launch of Hot Wheels Open World

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Mattel’s popular Hot Wheels brand is racing onto Roblox thanks to the launch of Hot Wheels Open World, a racing experience that allows players to race, collect, and earn over 80 different cars at launch.

The game is the result of a partnership between Mattel and Roblox and has been developed by Gamefan. It encourages players to take part in quests and stunt challenges, as part of a mission to bring Hot Wheels to a new audience of gamers.

“We’re incredibly excited to bring Hot Wheels to life for millions of fans around the world on Roblox. The Roblox platform unlocks digital experimentation and play, which are core to the Hot Wheels brand,” said Andrew Chan, head of digital gaming at Mattel.

“Hot Wheels Open World provides a creative sandbox for Hot Wheels gamers of all ages to play and compete online together.”

The Roblox is recognised for allowing players to create and programme their own games, and early speculation suggests that this will be an element brought into the new title. Hot Wheels is known for its creative and customisable track building, as well as its collectability.

The game also utilizes an open world, letting players drive around a vast map in search of stunts, racetracks, and hidden items, whether they’re inside volcanoes or on the beach.

Hot Wheels Open World is out now for Xbox One, PC, and Mac, and will be out later for iOS and Android.

Licensing nostalgia: Why Mattel is looking to the allure of yesteryear in 2020 and beyond

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Whether it’s in the revival of the Masters of the Universe franchise, the ongoing celebrations for the 75th anniversary of Thomas and Friends, or the new waves that its pre-school brand Fisher-Price is making across markets right now, Mattel is well and truly tapping into the nostalgia trend this year.

With partnerships, new launches, and ’80s throwbacks flying out of Mattel’s consumer products division at a rate of knots these past few months, it’s little wonder that the firm has found it licensing business ‘busier than ever’. Now, boasting a portfolio of more than 100 new deals in the pipeline, the international toy maker and home of some of the biggest children’s IP on the planet is betting big on the appeal of yesteryear.

As Festival of Licensing edges ever closer – now only a matter of days away – Licensing.biz catches up with Mattel’s regional head of consumer products, Lisa Weger to find out just how big the nostalgia trip really is right now.

Despite the consensus that business has slowed over the last six months, we’ve seen a fair bit of activity and news coming from Mattel and its activity in the licensing space. What has 2020 been like for you guys?

There was an initial lull in business as partners adjusted to the new circumstances. However, as soon as they realized that eventually things would return to normal, Mattel’s consumer products business got busier than ever. We currently have more than 100 new deals in the pipeline across the region and most of those came in Q2.

All the data shows that partners are looking for stable evergreen portfolios that will perform independent of content releases. Mattel’s portfolio delivers that in spades, and we’ve seen a lot of enthusiasm in the market for our brands.

Can you talk us through some of the biggest developments for you guys over the last few months?

We had our most successful launch of Barbie T-shirts in Zara in May of this year, followed by a strong selling cross-category Barbie launch in more than 2,500 Biedronka stores in Poland. We are also working on our extensive marketing programmes to support our upcoming launches with Very and Skinny Dip, as well as programmes with other major retailers.

We also have a great new Barbie sewing machine launching with Sambro in Argos so kids will be to make clothes for Barbie and even themselves now.

We are also really excited about our upcoming lifestyle launches with several key fast fashion retailers including H&M for Hot Wheels. We are expanding our successful RC and arts and crafts lines, and we also have a Monster Truck brand extension launching in fall of this year.

We are seeing some of the most exciting product development coming through for Fisher-Price, some of the best that we have seen in years. We have a wonderful new offering from Eldohm musical instruments and exciting new products launching in the outdoor and mobility categories. And of course, we have had a fantastic year celebrating Thomas’ 75th Anniversary and we are looking forward to showcasing our partnership with Harrods in December.

 

What do you look for when translating the toy IP into the wider licensing space? Why is there such a demand for toy-driven IP across the wider licensing space at the moment, and how do you think this is shaping the look of the consumer products market currently? 

As we all know, the current pandemic has changed almost everything. Television and movie productions ground to a temporary halt and partners went in search of evergreen properties. Mattel has benefited from that and, while we all hope that the film and TV industry will be back in full swing soon, I do think that partners are liable to stick with more stable portfolios for the time being.

As far as translating toy IP to licensing, it’s always important that we make sure our product offering stays true to the brand’s DNA. We ask ourselves: what is it about this brand that sparks joy in our consumer? And will the CP product that we are developing add to that story? Will it attract that brand fan? And will it add value to the brand experience? This holds true for any product: physical, digital, entertainment or services.

 How has Mattel’s licensing strategy adapted to and evolved with the changes brought about by 2020?
We were already focused on our product and making sure we were delivering the right experience for the consumer. That required a re-focusing of our efforts and a tight collaboration between our commercial and creative teams. The change in 2020 gave us the little bit of extra time we needed to double down on those efforts while also allowing us time to research and reach out to new partners.

Have you seen any emerging trends in the licensing space over the course of the year, and how have you positioned the brand to tap into them?

We’ve seen an uptick in arts and crafts, pets, leisurewear, personalisation, home décor, puzzles and reading and we have taken advantage of all of them. These trends do offer us new and exciting ways to explore category extensions for our brands.

 Have you got any further plans to tap into this market through licensing?

Nostalgia is big right now. People are looking for comfort and familiarity. If there is one thing, we’ve all learned in 2020 it’s that planning has become much more difficult. People are turning to what they know. They’re reaching for brands that bring happy memories. You will see a lot of new product development on our brands that bring back those nostalgic looks, and products that spark joy in our adult consumer.

 What will you guys be showcasing at Festival of Licensing next month?

There is too much new news to cover, but we will be bringing exciting brand updates on all of our core properties as well as some exciting new launches in our game’s category and promotions across all of our brands.

 What will be leading the charge for Mattel’s licensing division for the rest of 2020 and into 2021?

It’s all about the products and the partnerships for us. We will be working to support our licensees and retail partners while keeping our main focus on constantly improving our product offering.

World’s most valuable toy brands could lose up to $3bn in brand value to Covid-19, says Brand Finance report

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The world’s top 25 most valuable toy brands – a list that includes the likes of LEGO, Barbie, and Bandai – could lose up to $3 billion worth of brand value as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the latest report to emerge from the independent brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance.

Analysis by the firm shows that the toys sector is a heavily impacted industry globally and could face as much as a 20 per cent loss in brand value. Looking beyond the toys sector, the value of the 500 most valuable brands in the world, ranked in the Brand Finance Global 500 2020 league table, could fall by an estimated $1 trillion as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Brand Finance has assessed the impact of Covid-19 based on the effect of the outbreak on enterprise value, compared to what it was on 1st January 2020. The likely impact on brand value was estimated for each sector. The industries have been classified into three categories – limited impact (minimal brand value loss or potential brand value growth), moderate impact (up to 10 per cent brand value loss), and heavy impact (up to 20 per cent brand value loss.

While according to the analysts, the toys industry is predicted to suffer a heavy impact to its brand value, it has highlighted a few clear leaders in the sector. One such is LEGO, whose strong marketing strategy and customer loyalty may allow Covid-19 to be an opportunity for the brand to reach new customers who are looking for ways to stay busy at home, states the firm.

“However, marketing and brand awareness campaigns will only take the brand so far, as it is most likely to be faced by manufacturing and distribution issues heavily impacting both the toys and retail sectors,” said Richard Haigh, managing director, Brand Finance.

In fact, the report suggests that LEGO remains the world’s most valuable toy brand by a long way, despite its brand value dropping marginally by 3 per cent to $6.6 billion.

Meanwhile, Nerf has been billed as the fastest growing toy brand this year, following an impressive 43 per cent brand value growth to $587 million. Nerf has made strong progress with its new product lines including Nerf Fortnite and Nerf Ultra. New product launches, paired with greater innovation across the brand, are supporting Nerf in rising to the challenge of increased competition in the sector.

In addition to measuring overall brand value, Brand Finance also evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, customer familiarity, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation. According to these criteria, My Little Pony is the world’s strongest toy brand with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.8 out of 100 and a corresponding elite AAA+ brand strength rating.

My Little Pony has celebrated an impressive 20 per cent brand value increase to $302 million. The brand’s cartoon series hit the headlines last year as it featured the show’s first same-sex couple, with the episode airing on US television in time for Pride Week.

Following delays in the production of the 2021 My Little Pony feature film, due to Coronavirus, animation work has restarted on the movie, which is being created under Hasbro’s global entertainment studio, eOne. The 2017 My Little Pony: The Movie grossed over US$61 billion in the box office globally.

The Top 10 Most Valuable Toy Brands, according to Brand Finance:

Intellivision lines up Mattel and Sesame Workshop partnerships for its gaming system reboot Amico

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Intellivision Entertainment, the video game industry pioneer and team behind the upcoming Intellivision Amico launch, has detailed significant additions to its game portfolio, as well as new licensing partnerships with the likes of Mattel and Sesame Workshop.

The latest partnerships were revealed in a virtual press event hosted by Tommy Tallarico, CEO of Intellivision Entertainment, who has made it his mission to bring families back into ‘community gaming’ through the Amico system, the modern reboot of the iconic Intellivision video game console. The console is scheduled for release in April 2021.

Tallaric revealed an extensive list of new Amico games, including Earthworm Jim 4, and new partnerships with Mattel to launch a racing game based on its popular Hot Wheels franchise, Sesame Workshop to develop a suite of educational Sesame Street games, and USAopoly (The Op) to bring interactive versions of its board games Telestrations and Blank Slate to life on the platform.

These announcements come on the heels of recently announced licensing deals with brands such as Major League Baseball, Evel Knievel and The American Cornhole League.

“The magic of Intellivision Amico is that it will bring families and friends together around gaming – something that the world could always use more of – and these new games and partnerships will be a critical part of that,” said Tallarico.

The company also announced its growing network of global retail and online partners including GameStop, Amazon, and Walmart.com among others. The new games and partnerships reinforce the conviction of Intellivision’s mission to reignite the family- and group-oriented benefits of multi-player gaming that were so prevalent at the dawn of the gaming era.

Finally, the company announced that, after painstaking efforts to overcome the myriad of obstacles and constraints imposed by the global pandemic, Amico’s target launch date will shift from October 10, 2020, to April 15, 2021.

“Despite unprecedented challenges, the accomplishments and progress made by our internal team, plus our incredible network of developers and partners, is nothing short of amazing,” said Tallarico. “Our primary focus is delivering a quality product, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bring family fun back to gaming with Intellivision Amico’s launch.”

Earthworm Jim 4 brings the legendary multi-award-winning side-scrolling game back exclusively for Amico, while  Intellivision and Sesame Workshop announced a series of educational titles that will utilize the unique Amico touch screen controllers, motion controls and couch co-op for the entire family to join in the learning and fun.

Meanwhile, Hot Wheels has ignited the challenger spirit around the world since the brand’s introduction in 1968. In a statement, Intellivsion said it was ‘beyond excited to have this spectacular brand be a part of the game repertoire, and it will challenge parents, kids and fans alike as they race to the finish line.’

‘Through its partnership with The Op, Intellivision will offer the laugh-out-loud party game, Telestrations. Families will be able to experience the joy of laughter and miscommunication while they sketch and guess silly drawings and words. Never before brought to the digital era, this party game will allow for entire families, from children to grandparents, to share a laugh and enjoy the fun,’ said the firm.

‘Another terrific board game coming from The Op to Amico is Blank Slate. This party game allows families to get in sync with one another as they attempt to fill in the blank with just one word to complete the phrase. When players guess the same word, they receive extra points. Blank Slate only takes moments to learn and its simplicity makes it fun for players of any age.’

 

Mattel launches a free online resource for parents and children, Mattel Playroom

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Mattel has detailed the launch of the Mattel Playroom, a new, free online resource that features activities and content from across the company’s portfolio of brands, designed to encourage kids to keep playing while handling school closures, social distancing and self isolation measures.

American Girl, Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, and Thomas & Friends all feature in content delivered across the new platform that includes play-from-home information and tips for parents and caregivers. The Playroom will be updated in the coming weeks with additional content and experiences.

“Our mission to inspire, entertain and develop children through play is more important than ever,” said Richard Dickson, president and COO, Mattel. “We believe in the power of play and how essential it is for child development, especially in these difficult times when so much is in flux for kids and families. We recognise the unique challenges that parents and caregivers are facing right now both working and playing from home and have designed the Mattel Playroom to be a valuable resource for them.”

The Mattel Playroom will be updated weekly. At launch, the resource gives parents and caregivers easy access to content from Mattel brands including printable colouring pages and activities, free and ready-to-play games, crafting and DIY projects, animated, stop-motion and live-action videos and downloadable apps.

The new online hub will also feature learning-at-home tips in partnership with The Toy Association and insights from Mattel’s play experts.

Parents and caregivers also have the opportunity to join the social conversation by using #KeepPlaying.

Mattel celebrates Tokyo 2020 with the launch of the first Olympic Games toy line

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Mattel is celebrating Tokyo 2020 with the launch of the first Olympic Games toy collection, featuring a variety of products from across its Barbie, Hot Wheels, and UNO brands.

In an exclusive licensing agreement with the International Olympic Committee, Mattel will launch a range of products and toys each reflecting the inclusivity and innovation, as well as a host of new sports, that the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will represent.

New sports to be represented at this year’s Olympics include baseball/softball, sport climbing, karate, skateboarding and surfing – all to inspire a new generation of athletes and fans around the world.

The Mattel toy and product launch is part of the International Olympic Committee’s ongoing global licensing strategy.

“In line with our Global Licensing Strategy, this new international licensing collaboration with Mattel is a great way to engage with an important audience, our younger fans and their families, and through these high-quality products to connect them with the Olympic brand and values,” said Timo Lumme, managing director of IOC Television and Marketing Services.

“Tokyo 2020 is a monumental event that brings the world together through sport and inspires fans of all ages,” said Janet Hsu, chief franchise officer of Mattel. “The Mattel Tokyo 2020 Collection honours these sports and inspires a new generation through the Olympic spirit and outstanding athletic tradition.”

Products will include Barbie Dolls Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, as the doll embraces five new sports added to the Olympic programme, and the Hot Wheels Mini Collection for The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 representing iconic sports of Tokyo 2020, from historic sports dating back to the first Games in Athens, to new sports that make their debut this year in Tokyo.

Sports celebrated in Hot Wheels die-cast form include track and field, gymnastics, swimming, basketball and beach volleyball, and the newly added sports: baseball/softball, sport climbing, karate, skateboarding and surfing.

Two cars within the collection are Hot Wheels versions of Worldwide Olympic Partner Toyota’s vehicles ’10 Toyota Tundra and Toyota 2000 GT.

UNO will also be part of the celebrations, with the UNO Celebrating Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 line, featuring the mascot of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Miraitowa.

The Tokyo 2020 Collection by Mattel will be available in retailers around the globe, as well as on the Mattel Shop.

Building on the Olympic Agenda 2020, the International Olympic Committee Global Licensing Strategy aims to create a tangible connection to the Olympic Games and Olympism through merchandising programmes that are aligned with the Olympic image and enhance brand value and goodwill.

The objective is to strengthen and promote the Olympic brand, not only during the Olympic Games, but between Games as well.

The IOC Global Licensing Strategy is divided into three core licensing programmes aimed at specific target groups: The Olympic Heritage Collection, The Olympic Collection and The Olympic Games Programme.