Mattel President and COO Richard Dickson to present BLE day one keynote: ‘Barbie x Fashion’

Iconic global brand Barbie will be the star of Brand Licensing Europe’s day one keynote, ‘Barbie x Fashion’, delivered by Mattel President and COO Richard Dickson.

“Barbie is one of the world’s greatest fashion and licensing icons, collaborating with everyone from Balmain, Karl Largerfeld, Moschino and Diane von Furstenberg, to M.A.C. and River Island,” says Informa Markets SVP of Licensing Anna Knight. “And, like all fashion icons, she has evolved, disrupted, inspired and led from the front – she is the perfect star to take centre stage during BLE’s fashion themed year and it’s no surprise she was labelled ‘The forever icon’ by Italian Vogue. Thank you, Mattel and Richard Dickson – we can’t wait for your keynote at BLE in September.”

During his Barbie x Fashion keynote, taking place at 1pm on Tuesday 20 September, Richard Dickson, Mattel President and Chief Operating Officer, will take BLE visitors on a rollercoaster ride, looking at Barbie’s amazing legacy to date and heralding the remarkable runway that lies ahead.

Brand Licensing Europe is Europe’s leading trade event and takes place from 20-22 September 2022 at ExCeL London. Registration is free and open now.

Richard Dickson first joined Mattel in 2000 and, in his role, he leads Mattel’s portfolio of global brands, overseeing innovation strategy, design and development, and brand marketing. He also oversees franchise management, which includes licensing and merchandising, episodic content, live events, and digital gaming.

During his time at Mattel, Richard Dickson has grown some of the world’s most powerful and purpose-driven brands, including Barbie – the most diverse line of fashion dolls – and Hot Wheels. In 2021, Barbie was the #1 toy property globally, Hot Wheels was the #1 vehicle property globally, and Fisher-Price was the #1 Infant, Toddler, and Preschool property globally, per The NPD Group.

New Hot Wheels Munchy Play plate set to take mealtimes up a gear

Munchy Play is today launching the Hot Wheels Car Plate – the first of its kind to feature a built-in racetrack.

Kids can race their cars around the signature orange Hot Wheels track, dodging obstacles along the way, before taking a pit stop to ‘refuel’. The plate features a 4cm track around its perimeter, which fits all Hot Wheels diecast cars.

Available exclusively in the UK and Ireland, the tableware starts from £15.99 and is available at munchyplay.com, Amazon, and a number of outlets.

Sophia Procter, founder and CEO of Munchy Play, says: “We are thrilled to launch our exciting new Car Plate with Hot Wheels in the driving seat! Designed to bring fun to mealtimes, it’s also a real sanity-saver for parents too. Following the success of our Thomas & Friends train plate collection, it was a natural choice to partner with Mattel again. I know children will love this design as much as we do.”

Munchy Play has received several industry awards for its innovative track plates and was recently named London Start-up Business of the Year by the Federation of Small Business.

Jon Spalding, Mattel Head of UK Consumer Products, says: “Hot Wheels is all about igniting the challenger spirit, and this fun Car Plate certainly promises to rev-up dinner time by tapping into children’s universal love of Hot Wheels and imaginative car play. We are excited to collaborate with Munchy Play again and extend our partnership on this innovative product.”

Suitable from 6+ months, Munchy Play tableware is easy to clean, stack and store. The high sides made it easier for little ones scoop up food, while the sturdy non-slip base helps prevents accidents. Made in Britain using polypropylene, the plates are free of BPA, PVC, and melamine. With zero-single-use plastic, both plate and packaging can be recycled.

For more information, visit munchyplay.com and hotwheels.com.

 

New Hot Wheels Munchy Play plate set to take mealtimes up a gear

Munchy Play is today launching the Hot Wheels Car Plate – the first of its kind to feature a built-in racetrack.

Kids can race their cars around the signature orange Hot Wheels track, dodging obstacles along the way, before taking a pit stop to ‘refuel’. The plate features a 4cm track around its perimeter, which fits all Hot Wheels diecast cars.

Available exclusively in the UK and Ireland, the tableware starts from £15.99 and is available at munchyplay.com, Amazon, and a number of outlets.

Sophia Procter, founder and CEO of Munchy Play, says: “We are thrilled to launch our exciting new Car Plate with Hot Wheels in the driving seat! Designed to bring fun to mealtimes, it’s also a real sanity-saver for parents too. Following the success of our Thomas & Friends train plate collection, it was a natural choice to partner with Mattel again. I know children will love this design as much as we do.”

Munchy Play has received several industry awards for its innovative track plates and was recently named London Start-up Business of the Year by the Federation of Small Business.

Jon Spalding, Mattel Head of UK Consumer Products, says: “Hot Wheels is all about igniting the challenger spirit, and this fun Car Plate certainly promises to rev-up dinner time by tapping into children’s universal love of Hot Wheels and imaginative car play. We are excited to collaborate with Munchy Play again and extend our partnership on this innovative product.”

Suitable from 6+ months, Munchy Play tableware is easy to clean, stack and store. The high sides made it easier for little ones scoop up food, while the sturdy non-slip base helps prevents accidents. Made in Britain using polypropylene, the plates are free of BPA, PVC, and melamine. With zero-single-use plastic, both plate and packaging can be recycled.

For more information, visit munchyplay.com and hotwheels.com.

 

Immersive touring attraction to bring The World of Barbie to life

Kilburn Live, a specialist in branded live entertainment, has revealed a partnership with Mattel, Inc. for a new upcoming immersive attraction: World Of Barbie.

Created in partnership with the leading global toy company, Kilburn Live’s interactive exhibition will allow fans the unique opportunity to step directly into Barbie’s inspiring world, where they can explore her iconic Dreamhouse, walk down her neighbourhood streets into various interactive rooms, and even sit in her one-and-only, life-sized Camper Van, fabricated by the team at West Coast Customs.

World of Barbie launches this summer in Toronto, Canada. From Toronto, the attraction will travel to multiple cities across the United States, with anticipated markets including New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and more.

World of Barbie was designed for multiple generations to interact with and features several visually stunning activations inspired by some of Barbie’s most celebrated careers and playsets, including:

  • Barbie Dreamhouse – Explore intricately designed rooms and jaw-dropping photo ops in Barbie’s Dreamhouse, set on the beach in Malibu. Guests can start their own patio party complete with a DJ kit to mix their own music ‘poolside’.
  • Barbie Camper Van – Brought to life by Ryan Friedlinghaus and his team at West Coast Customs, World Of Barbie will feature a life-sized working Camper Van parked in front, allowing guests to climb in the driver’s seat, hang out in the hammock or look for several hidden surprises tucked away inside this ultimate road trip vehicle.
  • Fashion Studio – Walk the pink carpet and strike a pose inside one of six oversized iconic Barbie boxes.
  • TV Studio – LIVE from World of Barbie it’s The Barbie Show, where visitors become a news anchor delivering headlines in front of various TV studio backdrops, interviewing important guests or giving the weather report.
  • Space Center – Board a spacecraft and blast off in Barbie’s shuttle while enjoying the view of stars in the galaxy. Interact with mission control, track objects on the radar or use the audio transference device to listen to the various sounds of space.

World of Barbie will also house a themed Barbie café sharing the same Barbie aesthetics as the immersive attraction.

In addition, the attraction will celebrate the history of the beloved brand with a dedicated area where visitors can see Barbie’s evolution across multiple decades.

“We were asked to bring Barbie’s playset to life. Who can say no to that opportunity?” says Kilburn CEO Mark Manuel. “Barbie is as relevant today as she was when she was first introduced to the world 63 years ago, if not more. I watched my daughter live and play in her world, I believe it helped shape her sharp and lively imagination, just like it has for millions of other children growing up. So there were a lot of reasons we needed to get this right.”

“Throughout her history and numerous careers, Barbie has represented a world of limitless potential,” says Julie Freeland, Senior Director of Location Based Entertainment at Mattel. “With this exquisitely designed attraction we were intentional about delivering an exciting experience that would leave younger fans with the sense that they could do anything or be anything. And, for those who grew up with Barbie, we wanted to spark a little bit of nostalgia, give these fans a chance to step back, reinvent themselves, if only for an afternoon, and spend a day in the Dream Life!”

World of Barbie will kick off in Toronto this summer in a standalone space at Square One, Canada’s foremost fashion, lifestyle and entertainment destination, before travelling to multiple cities across the United States next year.

Tickets for the Toronto engagement go on sale on May 21, 2022. To register for Toronto tickets or receive information on future tour dates, visit www.theworldofbarbie.com

The announcement comes on the heels of Kilburn Live’s recent successful ventures in the live entertainment space with The Dr. Seuss Adventure, NERF Challenge and The Search For Snoopy: A Peanuts Adventure activations, with The Game Room: Powered By Hasbro set to open later this year. The company is also behind the hit NightGarden franchise in Miami, Florida and another in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

To learn more about Kilburn Live, visit http://kilburnmedia.com/live.

 

Hot Wheels is latest Mattel IP heading for the big screen

Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures have announced that J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot will produce Hot Wheels, a live-action motion picture featuring the iconic toy racing car.

“As the global leader in car culture, Hot Wheels has been igniting the challenger spirit in auto enthusiasts for generations,” says Robbie Brenner, Executive Producer, Mattel Films. “Fans of all ages are now in for the ride of their lives with the incredible talent of J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot joining us alongside Warner Bros. Pictures to transform Hot Wheels’ legendary IP into a thrilling story for the big screen.”

Hot Wheels is the #1 selling toy in the world, with over 8 billion vehicles sold. The franchise has proven its influence through unparalleled collaborations with global leaders in automotive, streetwear, fashion, luxury, entertainment, gaming, action sports and motorsports.

“Growing up, Hot Wheels were more than just cars, they were vehicles for our imaginations,” says Peter Dodd, Vice President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures. “Today, we at Warner Bros. are thrilled to bring that imagination to the big screen with Robbie Brenner and the creative team at Mattel along with the ingenious minds of J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella and the team at Bad Robot.”

Hannah Minghella, Bad Robot’s President of Motion Pictures, adds: “Before Hot Wheels became the global household name it is today, it was the dream of Elliot Handler, who was inventing and building toy cars at home in his Southern California garage. It’s that imagination, passion, and risk-taking spirit that we want to capture in this film.”

Kevin McKeon, Vice President, and Andrew Scannell, Creative Executive, will lead the project for Mattel Films. Peter Dodd will lead the project for Warner Bros. Pictures. Hannah Minghella and Jon Cohen will oversee for Bad Robot.Mattel Films and Warner Bros. Pictures are also partners on the upcoming motion picture, Barbie. Now in principal photography, the film is targeted for theatrical release in 2023. The film stars and is produced by Margot Robbie under her Lucky Chap Entertainment banner and directed by Greta Gerwig, who also wrote the screenplay alongside her husband Noah Baumbach.

In addition to Hot Wheels, the Mattel Films development slate features movies based on American Girl, Barbie, Barney, Magic 8 Ball, Major Matt Mason, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, UNO, View Master, and Wishbone. Mattel Films is also developing Christmas Balloon, based on all-new IP.

Kokomo teams with Barbie for Primark beauty collection

Award-winning licensed toiletry specialist Kokomo has debuted a collaboration with the iconic Barbie brand across a new Health & Beauty range.

The brands have collaborated on a dynamic, inclusive, and inspiring collection for consumers, that celebrate diverse dolls, iconic Barbie logos and graphics, and encompass the Kokomo brand missions; ‘Be Kind to Your Mind’ and ‘Just as You Are’.

The collection of 17 products launches exclusively at Primark across accessories, skincare and cosmetics and is available in-store now. The range has been designed to provide a one-stop-shop for adult Barbie fans with items ranging from £1.50 – £7.00.

Laura Jealous, Kokomo’s Sales & Marketing Director, says: “We are delighted to be working with Mattel on such an iconic brand with an important message to inspire and empower. Working together we have designed a beautiful collection of Health & Beauty products which we can’t wait to see in stores.”

Visit the Kokomo website for more details: https://www.kokomostudio.com/home/

Thomas & Friends autism-friendly clothing to launch on Character.com

The Thomas & Friends brand team in the UK are working with the National Autistic Society and Character.com to develop an autism-friendly range of clothing featuring Thomas & Friends.

Some autistic children are highly sensitive to the feel and colour of certain materials, to the extent that some clothing is unpleasant or even painful to wear. This range has been developed in collaboration with the National Autistic Society, who conducted research with families of autistic children and ran focus groups at the charity’s Helen Allison School in Kent.

Parents involved in the focus groups said that their children preferred softer fabric. Over half of parents who responded to the National Autistic Society’s survey said that there are fabrics their children will not wear, as well as specific colour preferences and ease of dressing requirements and needs.

In April 2021, the National Autistic Society conducted a survey* of over 1,500 parents whose autistic children are under the age of 16. According to the results of the survey, the biggest considerations in choosing clothing are:

  1. Pull-on clothing
  2. Easy dressing clothing
  3. No labels
  4. No buttons
  5. Velcro fastenings

The new clothing range, designed with these insights in mind, includes loose-fitting t-shirts, jumpers and tracksuits, all in soft fabrics and designed for ease of dressing. The National Autistic Society then ran two focus groups at their Helen Allison School in October 2021, where autistic pupils tried the clothes over the weekend and shared their feedback. Following reports that many autistic children ‘retain the love for the [Thomas & Friends] brand beyond the core age’, the range has been designed for fans aged from 3 to 16 years.

The range launches on Character.com during World Autism Acceptance Week on 2 April 2022.

Peter Watt, Director of National Programmes at the National Autistic Society, says: “We are delighted to be partnering with Thomas & Friends and Character.com to create such an important range of clothing for autistic children and teens.

“Parents and autistic young people often tell us how sensory sensitivities can mean that children on the autism spectrum struggle with certain clothes. For some, a label on a t-shirt, a prominent seam, or certain fabrics could be incredibly itchy, distracting or even physically painful. Finding the right clothing can make shopping difficult, time consuming and stressful. So, it’s really great to have the chance to develop this autism-friendly collection.”

“Thomas & Friends is an inclusive brand which invites all of our fans to celebrate friendship,” says Claudia Caron, Thomas & Friends Marketing Manager. “We are very proud to be supporting our Thomas & Friends community of autistic fans through our partnership with our friends at the National Autistic Society to offer more choices and accessible clothing based on what mums and dads of autistic children have told us they want to see.”

Karen Hewitt, Co-Founder of Character.com, adds: “At Character.com, we value charitable relationships and responding to our customers’ needs. As a result, we are thrilled to introduce this Thomas & Friends range, which Mattel developed in collaboration with the National Autistic Society. The Character.com team are delighted to be selling a range that is unique to the industry and provides our consumers with exactly what they need. We are thrilled to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause, and we hope that this is the start of many such initiatives from Character.com.”

To find out more about autism or the the National Autistic Society, visit org.uk

*Survey commissioned by Mattel and run by the National Autism Society, April 2021.

Barbie x 7th Heaven encourages consumers to Be Good to Yourself

UK-based face mask specialist 7th Heaven has teamed up with iconic brand Barbie for the Be Good to Yourself collection, consisting of three vegan, cruelty-free face masks to encourage self-care. The collection launches this month with prices ranging from £2.49 and is suitable for ages 8+.

The collection comprises:

‘Strong Girls Make Waves’ Pink Neon Toning Peel-Off – a refreshing aloe vera and grapefruit peel formulation, containing naturally occurring AHAs to help promote brightening and smoothing of skin through increasing the rate of cell renewal.

‘Radiate Friendship’ Pink Rose Cleansing Clay mask – with a blend of cocoa and marula oil, this mask has been specially formulated to soothe redness and blemishes to improve skin complexion. This formulation also contains willow bark, a natural source of salicylic acid.

‘You’ve Got This’ Pink Chocolate Purifying Clay mask – contains a rich blend of cocoa butter, shea butter and sweet almond oil to lock moisture into the skin.

7th Heaven founder Gregory Butcher says: “I’m very excited to announce our Be Good to Yourself range in collaboration with Barbie. The essence of both brands is to promote empowerment and wellness, leading to a match made in heaven. Your future belongs to you – so make sure you Be Good to Yourself!”

Ruth Henriquez, Head of Consumer Products, Mattel EMEA, adds: “We are delighted to be partnering with 7th Heaven to introduce this new range of products, this is an exciting new category launch for the Barbie brand with lots of opportunity across the region.”

Find out more about the range at myheavenlyskin.com. Shop the collection online on Amazon.

 

Fender and Mattel collaborate for one-of-a-kind Hot Wheels collection

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s Fender Custom Shop has announced the launch of a special collaboration with Mattel and Hot Wheels.

Created by the Shop’s team of 11 master builders and five apprentice builders, the Fender Custom Shop Hot Wheels collection consists of 16 one-of-a-kind, bespoke designs inspired by the die-cast vehicles introduced by Mattel in 1968.

Each guitar in the collection is designed with careful attention to unique designs, graphics and Hot Wheels colour shades that stay true to the 1:64 scale cars. In addition, each model comes with a Hot Wheels strap and pick set as well as a custom Hot Wheels Hardshell case, all adorned in the brand’s signature orange and blue, as well as a Hot Wheels die-cast that its associated guitar is inspired by and a certificate of authenticity.

“We’re honoured to be working with Mattel to bring this Hot Wheels collection to life,” says Mike Lewis, VP Product Development, Fender Custom Shop. “For years, we’ve taken a deep source of inspiration from the automobile industry and with such a unique take on cars, Hot Wheels was always a dream partner. Each builder crafted their own guitar with world-class creativity and we can’t wait for people globally to see these collectible products.”page1image15070912

“The Hot Wheels team is thrilled to create such a special collection of guitars with the global leaders of musical instruments at Fender Custom Shop,” says Ted Wu, Global Head of Hot Wheels Design at Mattel. “Both of our brands trace their roots back to California, with Hot Wheels embodying SoCal car culture and Fender synonymous with Los Angeles rock ’n’ roll. We can’t wait for artists and car enthusiasts alike to see these one-of-a-kind designs.”

The collection features a variety of established models, including the Stratocaster, Precision Bass, Telecaster, Jaguar and Katana.

“Hot Wheels rides have been just as much part of our team’s childhood as classic guitars, so getting the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind instruments inspired by some of our favourite cars has been a dream,” says Dennis Galuszka, FCS Master Builder. “Each builder brought their own unique take to the design process, which was influenced by years of childhood nostalgia and the iconic orange track. The final results are works of art that pay tribute to both Fender and Hot Wheels.”

As the bestselling toy in the world, Hot Wheels has become a worldwide powerhouse franchise with live and virtual events on almost every continent, sought-after consumer products and top-tier collaborations, a number-one-rated content channel on YouTube and more. While 16.5 Hot Wheels are sold every second and over 8 billion cars have been sold to date, the brand continues to expand its presence in new ways such as NFTs and digital gaming, with success across mobile, console and PC platforms.page5image15139584

Hot Wheels Collection guitars will be available for purchase at limited dealers. For more information visit www.fendercustomshop.com.

Mattel and Disney announce multi-year global licensing agreement for Disney Princess and Frozen franchises

Mattel has announced a multi-year global licensing agreement for the Disney Princess and Frozen franchises. Mattel will have the global licensing rights to develop lines of toys for Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing, including fashion dolls, small dolls, and figures. The collection is expected to launch at retailers around the globe at the beginning of 2023.

“We are incredibly proud to welcome back the Disney Princess and Frozen lines to Mattel,” says Richard Dickson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Mattel. “As the worldwide leader in dolls, we look forward to bringing our unique Mattel Playbook approach to brand management, product and marketing expertise, and unrelenting attention to detail and quality to create innovative and inspiring lines for these iconic stories and characters.”

The new licensing arrangement builds on the existing licensing relationship between Mattel and Disney for Pixar Animation Studio’s Toy Story and Cars franchises, and the recently announced global licensing agreement for Lightyear.

“The courage and compassion found throughout our Disney Princess and Frozen stories and characters continue to inspire fans around the globe,” says Stephanie Young, President of Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. “By furthering our longstanding relationship with Mattel, we look forward to expanding the worlds of Disney Princess and Frozen, introducing an innovative new era of these beloved franchises through captivating products and play opportunities.”

Through the agreement, Mattel will develop dolls based on Disney Princess including Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Brave, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Mulan, Pocahontas, The Princess and the Frog, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Tangled, Disney Frozen, The Little Mermaid Live Action, Moana D+ Series, Tiana D+ Series, Aladdin Live Action, Beauty & the Beast Live Action, Cinderella Live Action, and Mulan Live Action.