Barbie, Jurassic World, and Masters of the Universe help drive Mattel Q2 2021 sales to $1.03bn

The global toy maker, Mattel has seen its Q2 2021 net sales increase 40 per cent on last year, with particular success across EMEA where the firm’s growth has exceeded the industry by 11 percentage points.

Mattel bosses have billed it ‘another exceptional quarter’ having witnessed ‘outstanding consumer demand for products,’ driving its net sales for the quarter to $1.03 billion. It’s according to the latest NPD figures that Matte’s point of sale growth outpaced the industry, with ‘strong consumer demand across the portfolio.’

Across the EMEA region, the toy maker was up 54 per cent, with POS increasing double digits.

“We believe we are in the strongest position we have been in many years to improve profitability and accelerate topline growth,” said Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel. “This is an exciting time for Mattel.”

The firm’s CEO stated that the company’s performance over the quarter is now adding momentum to its transformation strategy, establishing Mattel as an “IP-driven, high-performing toy company.”

Net sales for the firm for the first six months of the year are now up 43 per cent. Gross Billings in its North America segment increased 30 per cent, driven by growth in Vehicles, including Hot Wheels, Cars, and Matchbox; Dolls including Barbie, Spirit, and Polly Pocket; Action Figures, Building Sets, Games, and Other, including Jurassic World, Masters of the Universe, WWE, and MEGA.

Its Infant, Toddler, and Preschool segment, including Fisher-Price and Thomas and Friends also performed well.

Meanwhile, net sales in the international segment increased 57 per cent, while across EMEA, Mattel outpaced the industry in the first half of 2021, growing two times faster than the industry total.

According to NPD, in Q2 alone, Mattel was up five per cent while the industry declined.

International sales have been driven by growth across Mattel’s Dolls, Vehicles, Action Figures, Building Sets, Games, and Other, as well as Infant, Toddler, and Preschool.

Worldwide Gross Billings for Dolls were $395 million, up 51 per cent versus the prior year’s second quarter, while worldwide Gross Billings for Infant, Toddler, and Preschool were $229 million, up 15 per cent on last year. This was primarily driven by Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends.

Worldwide Gross Billings for Vehicles were $266 million, up 68 per cent and driven by Hot Wheels, Matchbox, and Cars, while worldwide Gorss Billings for Action Figures, Building Sets, Games, and Other were $258 million, up 32 per cent. This was driven primarily by growth in Jurassic World, Masters of the Universe, WWE, and MEGA. It was partially off-set by Games, including UNO.

Amid the second quarter success for the toy maker, however, Mattel has been making headlines this week as bosses at the global company indicate towards upcoming price increases, following a rise in costs of raw materials and the ongoing issues around shipping and the current ‘sky-high’ prices of containers.

“We will be looking at increasing prices in the second half of [the] year,” Mattel’s chief executive Ynon Kreiz told the BBC.

“We haven’t broken out [which products will be affected], but this is in response to some of the inflationary pressures. We’re not the only ones who did it, in our industry everyone did – and no-one is surprised by [price increases].”

Mattel encountered supply chain issues due to problems with shipping but had got around the worst of them due to the scale of the business.

“We were able to leverage our size and partnerships that we have with our vendors and retail partners and mitigate some of these issues, so we did not have any impact on our business in the second quarter,” he said.

Posh Paws to showcase latest licensed plush line-up through six Product Showcase Events across the UK

Posh Paws is to host six Product Showcase Events across the UK this June, enabling its customers to see its portfolio of new licensed plush toys and gifts in person. The move has been made in accordance to the latest easing of restrictions on social distancing.

Next month, visitors will be able to see the new licensed product from across Posh Paws’ portfolio of leading brands, including Sesame Street, Jurassic World, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Croods 2: A New Age, and Swizzels Rainbow Drops.

New lines from the popular Sunny Bunnies, BBC Earth, Ragtales, and Love Hearts will also be showcased, as well as a raft of new own-brand product developments.

‘Posh Paws has ensured that all these showcase events will be 100 per cent Covid-Secure and adhere to all government and venue guidelines, making the safety of customers and staff a priority,’ the firm said in a statement.

The six locations of their Product Showcase Events are listed below and if you are nearby or able to travel to them, please get in touch to book an appointment today:

ABERGELE SHOW: Tuesday 8th – Thursday 10th June

Kinmel Manor Hotel, St George Road, Abergele, LL22 9AS


BLACKPOOL SHOW: Monday 14
th – Friday 18th June

De Vere Village Hotel, East Park Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY3 8LL


BRISTOL SHOW: Monday 21
st – Thursday 24th June

The Bristol, Prince Street, Bristol, BS1 4QF


GREAT YARMOUTH SHOW: Monday 7
th – Thursday 10th June

Ocean Room, Pier Gardens, Gorleston-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth, NR31 6PP


SKEGNESS SHOW: Monday 14
th – Thursday 17th June

Southview Hotel, Burgh Road, Skegness, PE25 2LA


YORK SHOW: Monday 21
st – Thursday 24th June

The Principal York Hotel, Station Road, York, YO24

 

Alternatively, customers who would prefer to book a virtual product showroom tour can do so by arranging this with one of Posh Paws’ sales representatives.

“With the Plush toy category showing the largest sales growth in April, it’s the perfect time to make sure you’re stocking the highest quality plush from the biggest and best-selling licenses that Posh Paws has to offer,” said the company.

For more information on Posh Paws Product Showcase Events, call them on 01268 567317 or email them at sales@poshpawsinternational.co.uk

Wow! Stuff unleashes new Jurassic World line up with flying toys, collectables, and more

Wow! Stuff is continuing to expand its portfolio of hit licensed brands with the addition of Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s blockbuster franchise, Jurassic World.

Under the new partnership, Wow! Stuff will unleash a series of collectables and flying toys based on the iconic Pteranadon, including the Pteranadon Jump Rocket that sends the flying dinosaur 50 feet skywards, as well as the new Dino-Glider featuring a jet motor that powers its dinosaur along a circular flight path.

And this is just the tip of the prehistoric iceberg of the range currently in development. The range will also be joined by an extension to Wow! Stuff’s popular collectable Wow! Pods – the ‘swipe to light’ collectable that hit the number one best-seller spot on Amazon last November.

Jurassic World Wow! Pods SFX feature a special effects sound mode. Kids can ‘swipe to light’ to reveal hidden icons inside the hexapod while they Clap to Roar to release dinosaur roars authentic tothe sounds of those in the Jurassic World franchise.

Dialing up the cute factor within the new collection is Wow! Stuff’s own innovative take on dinosaur hatching with the Drop ‘n Pop dinosaur egg like no other. Kids can simply drop the egg onto a hard surface and watch it pop open to reveal a soft plush dinosaur. The line features both Bumpy – the baby dinosaur featured in Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, or the infamous T-Rex.

When popped open, the dinosaur sits at the base of its egg, making it the ideal item for display. They are also easy to squash back into the eggshell and re-seal.

Kenny McAndrew, director of new product development and licensing at Wow! Stuff, said: “The Wow! Stuff way is to continually innovate in our product development so that we truly ‘WOW’ the fans of great tier one brands.

“Jurassic World has been a fabulous brand to work on with its rich story lines and evergreen status. It’s one of the biggest and most loved brands in the industry and also the undisputed leader of the dinosaur toy category. We believe the fans are going to love the range we’ve created.”

The range is expected to land on shelves from June this year.

Universal Brand Development opens vault to Disguise Inc for new Halloween dress up items

The costumes specialist, Disguise Inc has expanded upon its North American partnership with Universal Brand Development to design, manufacture, and distribute Halloween costumes, accessories, inflatables, and more based on some of its most popular properties.

The expanded collaboration will mark the first time that Disguise has held multi-year portfolio rights for Universal properties, spanning the studio’s library of feature films, TV, vault and horror brands.

As part of the deal, Disguise is designing a new version of the popular inflatable Jurassic World T Rex costume to include updated innovations and modifications.

“Universal Brand Development’s portfolio is so versatile that it makes for a spectacular costume range – from franchise blockbusters like Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls and Illumination’s Minions to horror properties like Universal Pictures’ Frankenstein and Dracula to an amazing array of streaming properties and a massive vault of classic films,” said Tara Hefter, EVP and GM of Disguise Inc.

“Disguise is beyond thrilled to be collaborating with Universal Brand Development in such a meaningful way. And we look forward to the ultimate roll-out of our Halloween costumes and accessories later in 2021.”

Owned by JAKKS Pacific, Disguise is a leader in design and development of costumes and accessories with distribution across the world. Universal provides an array of new and classic characters to create a new line of products.

Disguise’s Halloween costumes and accessories for Universal Brand Development will be available online, at major retailers and Halloween specialty stores across the US from this autumn.

Universal Brand Development teams with TOMY for Jurassic World Toomies launch

TOMY has embarked on a new licensing collaboration with Universal Brand Development to launch a new line of pre-school toys for its popular Toomies brand, based on the blockbuster Jurassic World franchise.

Jurassic World id a $5 billion global franchise, and with Jurassic World: Dominion scheduled for release in June 2022, the brand is set to be one of TOMY’s “biggest ever collaborations” for the pre-school category.

Launching in June 2021, the line will include Chase & Roll Raptors and a Dino Rescue Ranger, inspired by the iconic vehicles in the films; Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs,a clever twist on Toomies bestselling Hide and Squeak Eggs, using dinosaur eggs in an incubator featuring the core toddler play pattern of ‘sort & pop’; and Pic & Push T. rex,a large T. rex dinosaur with a fun take on the iconic gyrosphere from the 2015 Jurassic World film.

The line will also support TOMY’s classic action game, Pop Up Pirate, with the launch of a Pop Up T. rex from July. The bestselling game recently celebrated its 45th Anniversary.

Mary Wood, general manager UK at TOMY, said: “Dinosaurs are an evergreen toy trend, reaching multiple age points including pre-schoolers, and with our Toomies success in this market dinosaurs seemed like a great fit for our next collaboration.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Universal to introduce this fantastic range – combining our expertise in pre-school toys with the worldwide phenomenon of Jurassic World, this is going to be a major focus for the business for next year and into 2022.  Feedback from retailers across all markets has been nothing but positive.”

The Toomies brand has seen exponential growth in recent years, with its Toy range up by 33 per cent at Retail vs 2019. The brand’s ever-popular Hide & Squeak Eggs are also up by 25 per cent, with the full range including the Spring 2020 Hide & Squeak extension items and AW20 additions contributing to 81 per cent of EPOS Sales Year to Date.

Plush toy specialist Posh Paws readies for “biggest year yet” thanks to heavyweight licensing portfolio

The plush toy specialist, Posh Paws International, is preparing for what looks to be its ‘biggest year yet,’ as it readies for 2021 with a raft of new releases and licensed launches based on some of the biggest children’s entertainment franchises of the past decade.

With a portfolio brimming with blockbuster movie licenses, including Minions 2: Rise of Gru and Jurassic World, as well as the perennial evergreen, Sesame Street, and the fan-favourite Swizzels confectionery branded range, the Essex-based pre-school and soft toy expert states that it’s ‘in a great position going into the New Year.’

While you could be forgiven for thinking that – with 2020 a year of dampened box office sales, widespread cinema closures, and a roster of delayed major film releases – the licensed gift market would be feeling rather sheepish over the prospects of an entertainment industry emerging from the mire of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s with a diverse portfolio of some of the most in-demand licenses of the moment that Posh Paws maintains an unerring confidence.

Licensing.biz catches up with Lauren Shipman, group brand and marketing director at Posh Paws International to talk about navigating the pandemic, the current strength in the gifting and ‘self-care’ markets, and what will be driving the firm to further success over the coming year.

 Hello Lauren, it’s been too long since we last caught up! I hope everyone there has their sanity intact. How has business been for you guys, and how has Posh Paws navigated the events of 2020?

It’s been a challenging year, I think we can all relate to that, but we’ve been able to remain positive and focus on what we do best, which is bring the highest quality products to market and support both retail partners and licensors during a time when it’s been crucial for us all to come together and stay strong.

We’re well overdue a run through of the brands you guys are working with today. Can you talk us through the strength of the portfolio, and how it has positioned the business for a strong Q4 and 2021?

Our portfolio for next year is incredibly strong and we’re delighted to be working with some of the biggest global brands and franchises across our pre-school toys ranges and our plush gifting catalogue.

We’re in a great position going into the new year with some blockbuster movie licenses like Minions 2: Rise of Gru and Jurassic World soft toys, as well as ever-green TV show Sesame Street, to confectionary favourites with our scented and very squidgy Rainbow Drops by Swizzels soft toys.

2021 is lining up to be one of our biggest yet for new releases and we’re fully committed to making sure it’s a big year for our customers too.

We’re in a strong position to finish such a difficult year for us all, and we’re doing all we can to work closely with our customers to ensure we can help them as much as we can. We are constantly encouraging our customers to reach out to us, as we can support them with a variety of marketing initiatives to increase awareness of our products in their stores and to drive sales, so we can enter 2021 in a good place.

We’ve launched some fantastic new products this year that appeal to a wide audience, from our new Sunny Bunnies soft toys with special voice and movements features, new BBC baby animals soft toys made with stuffing from 100 per cent recycled plastic, our adorable feel-good Love Hearts Foodie Friends characters and our beautiful British designed range of Ragtales toys that make for perfect Christmas gifts for babies and pre-schoolers.

With Minions 2, Jurassic World, and Sesame Street you guys seem to be covering all bases across pre-school, film, TV (on demand) etc. What has reception been like to the range so far? 

The reaction and support from retail for our 2021 ranges has been incredible and we’re busy finalising how we can maximise their support so that our launch activities are aligned to build awareness and drive growth.

With Minions: The Rise of Gru being postponed to 2021, we’ve been able to look at how we can make it bigger and better from marketing and product development, working closely with customers who have orders in already. We have some fantastic exclusive products ready to hit the shelves and working with one of the best-in-class licensors, Universal, 2021 will be the year of the Minions with Posh Paws.

Despite Jurassic World III being moved back to 2022, we’re roaring into the new year with a range of soft toys with everyone’s ‘favourite’ T-Rex, Blue the velociraptor and more. With the success of Netflix’s Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, and brand new content scheduled for release next year, we’ve developed a range of toys to meet the demand by fans for Jurassic World product, while we wait for the next movie.

And of course, who doesn’t know and love Sesame Street? The brand and its values are very closely aligned with ours at Posh Paws, so it was the perfect partnership and we’re delighted to be joining such a globally heart-warming brand to bring some incredible toys to market next year. As well as standard soft toys, we’ll be launching an educational development range of characters that allow children to interact with Elmo and Cookie Monster, incorporating fun and learning in our soft feature toys.

It’s not just about licensed product with us and we have been working tirelessly on developing new own-brand ranges for pre-schoolers that incorporate educational play patterns and the comfort that soft toys bring little ones. So, if you’re looking for non-licensed toys and gifts, we’ll be happy to show you what we have planned and how we can work together.

How have the events of 2020 shaped or evolved the Posh Paws perspective? Has it impacted on the kind of brands that consumers are turning to? Looking at something like the BBC Earth partnership, have brand values come to play more of a role in consumer’s shopping habits?

We have seen an increase in shoppers buying more gifts for others within toys and games this year and this has been evident with our Swizzels Love Hearts plush toys. It’s been a year when people need to treat others and are buying products that can give a ‘feel good’ factor and put a smile on their face, which is exactly what our Love Hearts toys do, with fan-favourites like Alan the Avocado and his ‘Let’s Avo Cuddle’ message and our new Patrick the Pizza with his ‘Have a slice day’ giving positivity and personal messages during a socially-distanced year.

Seeing the growth in popularity for ‘gifts for me’, we’re expanding the range for next year with more positive messages and fun characters that will continue putting smiles on faces and contactless cuddles.

Sustainable products continue to be a huge talking point and driving the industry forward with new developments, which is why our BBC Earth collections of Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II and our new Baby Animals, with their stuffing made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles, have seen a big increase this year and appeal to both kids and adults.

Our long-standing partnership with the BBC has gone from strength-to-strength and their core brand values are reflected across all our animal toys and consumers see this and want to buy the highest quality products from brands that they trust.

Looking ahead to next year and our BBC range, we’ve got some fantastic new animal soft toys joining our existing eco-friendly portfolio, that are focussed on our much-loved British wildlife.

How have you guys reacted to or adapted the changes we’ve seen throughout the year, at a retail or consumer level, or a day to day business level?

We invested in increasing awareness of our products, and where they are available, across digital platforms and focussing on Social Media marketing campaigns to be where consumers are spending more time.

With soft toys specifically, consumers want to pick-up and feel the product, but with that being difficult this year, we’ve focussed on creating eye-catching and engaging digital content to bring our products to life for viewers, so they can almost touch them and get a feel for the quality and how great they are.

Working with retailers, we’re always looking at how we can best support them in-store and especially digitally, to build awareness and increase visibility through stand-out displays and content that captures consumers attentions.

How confident are you guys as we plough into Christmas? 

We’re confident that soft toys and gifts will remain a favourite for consumers this Christmas, with fun and quirky adult gifting seeing an increase during a time where being able to spend time together will be challenged. Soft toys for adult gifting are a great way of showing someone you care and have sentimental value, while also being a gift that keep close to them throughout the year ahead.

Children’s soft toys will always be perfect for Christmas ideas and if they do have added play patterns to them, like our Sunny Bunnies with sound and movement features, then it offers more value for money and something children can interact with on a more stimulating level – something we’ll all need this Christmas.

What’s the next big step for you guys?

It’s now all about how we can make sure 2021 is a great year for our customers and delivering high quality products that can joy and create unforgettable memories in the year ahead.

While we have a lot of great products planned for 2021, we’re constantly working on and looking for new inspirations to develop the best ranges.

Super Mario, Cocomelon, Back to the Future: Here’s the long list of all DreamToys 2020 picks for this Christmas

This year’s long list of DreamToys – the predicted best-selling toys and games for Christmas 2020 – is a mix of ‘those that have kept families entertained over lockdown’ and boundary pushing innovation destined ‘to impress under the Christmas tree.’

Alongside the DreamToys Top 12 Toys for Christmas, the committee has released a fuller, longer list of toys and games that it believes will be topping wish lists across the country this festive season, featuring familiar names like Barbie an Peppa Pig alongside new lines such as Fifi the Flossing Sloth and Squishmallows.

Family favourites Scrabble, UNO, and Cluedo also make an appearance in time for the season.

Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys selection committee, said: “2020 has been a challenging year for all, but toys have entertained and educated many during lockdown.

“This year’s list represents a mixture of those toys which have kept families company during these difficult times, and innovation which will impress under the tree. We hope toys will continue to bring joy to all families over the festive period – as they have always done.”

There are seven categories this year, each designed to highlight the wildly different and varied types of play that children can take part in.

Dolled Up:

Barbie Colour Reveal Mermaid Doll Asst – Mattel – £19.99

Cocomelon Bedtime JJ Doll – Bandai – £24.99

FailFix Epic Colour ‘N’ Style Makeover Pack – Moose Toys – £29.99

Hatchimals Pixies Crystal Flyers Assortment – Spin Master – £34.99

Kindi Kids Shiver ‘n’ Shake Rainbow Kate – Moose Toys – £39.99

L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Remix 4-in-1 Plane Playset – MGA Entertainment – £89.99

L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Remix Fashion Doll Asst – MGA Entertainment – £39.99

Luvabella Mealtime Magic – Spin Master – £64.99

 

Crafty Kids:

Aquabeads Star Bead Studio – EPOCH Making Toys

Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Salon Stamper – Spin Master

DOTS Rainbow Jewellery Stand Set – LEGO

Friends Jungle Rescue Base – LEGO

Gemex Deluxe Creation Station – John Adams

Kidizoom Studio – VTech Electronics

Stuff A Loons Maker Station – Character Options

The Original Spirograph Design Set Boxed – Flair Leisure Products

 

Licensed to Thrill:

Fortnite Battle Bus – Jazwares

Harry Potter Hedwig – LEGO

Jurassic World Epic Roarin’ T-Rex – Mattel

Marvel Bend and Flex (Asst) – Hasbro

Peppa Pig Peppa’s Shopping Centre – Character Options

Pokémon Carry Case Playset – Character Options

Star Wars 501st Legion Clone Troopers Set – LEGO

Star Wars The Mandalorian – The Child “Baby Yoda” – Mattel

Super Mario Adventures With Mario Starter Course – LEGO

 

Animal Farm:

Fifi the Flossing Sloth – Zuru

Hey Duggee Voice Activated Smart Duggee – Golden Bear

Little Live Pets Gotta Go Flamingo – Character Options

Present Pets (Asst) – Spin Master

Rainbocorns Wild Heart Surprise – Zuru

Smashers Dino Ice Age Surprise Egg – Zuru

Squeakee The Interactive Balloon Dog – Character Options

Sylvanian Families Adventure Tree House – Epoch Making Toys

 

Lockdown Showdown:

Cluedo Liars Edition Board Game – Hasbro

Dobble – Asmodee

Monopoly For Sore Losers – Hasbro

NERF Ultra One Motorised Blaster – Hasbro

Pensilly – Character Options

Pop Up Pirate – TOMY UK

Scrabble – Mattel

Super Mario Blow Up Shaky Tower – Epoch Making Toys

UNO Showdown – Mattel

Windy Knickers Board Game – John Adams

 

Tiny Treats:

5 Surprise Mini Brands Mystery Capsule – Zuru

Bright Fairy Friends – Funrise Toys

Heroes of Goo Jit Zu – Character Options

L.O.L. Surprise! Remix Hair Flip Doll – MGA Entertainment

Rubik’s 3 x 3 Metallic Anniversary Cube – John Adams

Squishmallows 7.5” – Squad 4 Asst – Jazwares

 

Awesome Automobiles:

Back To The Future DeLorean – Playmobil

Barbie 3-in-1 DreamCamper – Mattel

Hot Wheels Sky Crash Tower Playset – Mattel

Laser Battle Hunters Vehicle – Character Options

Micro Machines World Super Van City – Jazwares

PAW Patrol Dino Rescue Deluxe Vehicle – Spin Master

PAW Patrol Dino Rescue Dino Patroller – Spin Master

Technic Fast & Furious Dom’s Dodge Charger Car – LEGO

Toot-Toot Drivers Twist & Race Tower – VTech Electronics

 

In a year which has also seen fewer holidays and more time at home, the importance of toys has come to the fore. A survey of 2,000 UK parents with young children (aged 10 or under), conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the Toy Retailers Association, has shown that this year has led to not only increased time playing with toys but also to parents growing closer with their children.

When asked if their children had played more with toys this year, 46 per cent of parents said that this had been the case and that it was a result of lockdown. 56 per cent of parents stated that they have spent more time playing with their children this year, and a striking 88 per cent of those said that the increased playtime had resulted in them growing closer to their children.

As Christmas approaches, toys seemingly remain at the forefront of children’s minds with 86 per cent of parents saying that their children either already have requested or are expected to ask for toys this Christmas. 82 per cent of parents said that they planned on buying toys this Christmas for their children, demonstrating that they remain the go-to gift for children across the country.