Tag Archives: mattel

TIME celebrates International Day of the Girl by teaming with LEGO and Mattel’s Barbie

Posted on by

To mark today’s International Day of the Girl, TIME magazine has collaborated with two of the world’s most iconic toy brands, on LEGO-based art and episodes of Barbie You Can Be Anything.

Red Border by TIME (TIME’s branded content studio) partnered with LEGO to highlight inspirational girls and young women who are doing amazing things in the world. As part of the partnership, TIME covers were chosen featuring inspirational young women, and effectively ‘LEGOised’.

The chosen covers feature Gitanjali Rao, 15, who is TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year; Amanda Gorman (pictured above), a champion of the Black experience who, at 23, is the youngest inaugural poet in US history, and Brit Bennett, a best-selling novelist who creates spellbinding stories about kinship and bonds.

In addition, TIME for Kids has partnered with Mattel’s Barbie on two episodes of Barbie You Can Be Anything, an “inspiring digital series for parents and kids featuring conversations with female role models, fun activities, and exciting performances”.

This series is returning following the debut of four episodes in the spring around International Women’s Day and will feature TIME’s Kid Reporters in episodes 5 and 6. Episode 5 (with Kid Reporter Tabitha Kho) will go live on Saturday 16 October and Episode 6 (with Kid Reporters Lauryn Chew, Gabri Blankson and Via Ryerson) will go live on Saturday 23 October.

 

 

 

 

Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go pulls into Channel5’s Milkshake this November

Posted on by

Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go – a new, vibrantly refreshed, 2D animated series following the iconic Thomas the Tank Engine – is pulling into Channel 5’s Milkshake on Monday, November 8th this year.

Produced by Mattel Television in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio, the new series is a major reimagining of the classic Thomas & Friends franchise and the fourth ever major revamp for the world famous kids’ animated show in its 75 year history.

The new series follows Thomas, more playful and relatable than ever before, as the hero of his own adventure. Thomas strives to be the Number One Tank Engine through trial and error, all while just enjoying being a kid.

According to Mattel, highlights of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go include a greater range of character expressiveness, more physical comedy and music, and core characters that are now kids themselves and voiced by British child actors. The show has been ‘crafted to appeal to contemporary audiences’ sensibilities while maintaining Thomas’ core message about the value of friendship.’

 Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go incorporates 26 social-emotional, cognitive, and physical life lessons throughout the series, including friendship, taking turns, teamwork, self-help, and empathy.

Four additional engines make up the core cast of characters:

•Percy – Thomas’ best friend who loves telling silly jokes, Percy has a lot of hidden courage (that not even he’s aware of!) and will do anything to help his friends. 

•Nia – Nia is an engine who loves a good plan, offering both creative and practical solutions. Because Nia is so well travelled, she often has valuable insight into things the other engines haven’t seen before.

•Diesel – Diesel is always trying to one-up Thomas and inadvertently causes trouble for everyone in his quest to be “the real Number One Tank Engine.”

•Kana – An all-new electric high-speed rail train, she is fast talking, loves to race and creates gusts of wind that blow windmills and bend trees in her wake.

 Fred Soulie, senior vice president and general manager, Mattel Television, said: “This new creative direction for the classic Thomas & Friends franchise is crafted to appeal to contemporary audiences, yet still maintain the beloved characters’ core ethos: the value of friendship. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go features stories that are both timeless and timely, with themes that will resonate with children, parents and caregivers alike.” 

Christopher Keenan, senior vice president, global content and executive producer, Mattel Television, added: “We can’t wait for the next generation of fans to meet Thomas and his friends. In Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, we aim for audiences to have fun as we expand the world of Sodor in new and exciting ways. For the better part of the last decade, I’ve had the privilege of working on the Thomas & Friends television series and I’ve seen first-hand how Thomas and his core message about the value of friendship inspire a broad audience – children, parents and caregivers alike. These stories are both timeless and timely, with themes that continue to resonate with kids today.”

 Kelly Philp, director of marketing, Mattel UK, said: “Thomas & Friends has 92 per cent brand awareness in the UK, so we are looking forward to exciting our Thomas fans new and old with all the fun and adventure of the show’s new approach.

“The singable songs and endless laughs have already tested well with our pre-school audience and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go will be a great tool for parents and caregivers too, due to the integrated life lessons and values that are incorporated within the content.”

 Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go will premiere on Channel 5 Milkshake on November 8th. In the UK, the series will be preceded by a new 60-minute animated motion picture, Thomas & Friends: Race for the Sodor Cup™, showing at Vue and Odeon cinemas throughout the UK from Friday, September 17th, which will be the first time that children and parents can see the new-look and feel Thomas & Friends before it hits television screens later in the year.

Mattel debuts new He-Man and The Masters of the Universe toys as first Netflix trailer lands

Posted on by

Mattel has lifted the lid on a new collection of toys and action figures inspired by the new animated Netflix series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, a CGI reinvention of the cult classic series that has been developed for a new generation of fans.

Detailed in a post issued by Mattel’s vice president and global head of action figures, PJ Lewis, the new collection of toys features both classic and never before seen characters, enabling fans of all ages to ‘join the battle to save Eternia.’

The new range takes inspiration from a new CGI animated series, scheduled to land on Netflix this September 16th. Reinvented for today’s audiences, the series will deliver a reimagined storyline and a new stylised take on the world of Eternia.

The first trailer for the new series was dropped earlier this week. Check it out and take a first look below:

The series lands amid a run of recent activity for the Masters of the Universe franchise that most recently made its comeback in the form of the Netflix animated series – Masters of the Universe: Revelation – released this July.

As we continue to reintroduce Masters of the Universe to the world, I am excited to share that on September 16, the sword is being passed to the next generation of fans with the release of the new animated Netflix series He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, a show reinvented for kids today with a reimagined storyline and new stylized take on the world of Eternia,” said Lewis.

“But what’s most exciting to me is we are taking kids’ favourite heroes off the screen and into their hands with the introduction of a slew of amazing toys and action figures inspired by these new series.”

Each articulated figure in the new range comes with an attack feature or projectile, while He-Man and Skeletor can race into action with The Masters of the Universe Vehicle Pack, or engage in head to head battle using the Snake Mountain Throne play-set.

“The options are limitless for even our youngest fans to recreate their favourite Masters of the Universe scenes, and the fun starts October 1st when the new collection becomes available at Walmart,” said Lewis.

Mattel welcomes Oxford Vaccine professor Dame Sarah Gilbert to its Barbie Role Model line-up

Posted on by

Vaccinologist and a member of the team behind the development of the Oxford vaccine, Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert has been welcomed into the ranks of Barbie Role Model by Mattel, who has honoured the scientist with the production of a Barbie in her own likeness.

Professor Gilbert is the Saϊd Professor of Vaccinology at the University of Oxford and Project Leader for ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 which is now in use in many countries around the world.

In recognition of her achievements, Mattel has not only produced a Barbie in her own likeness to be a part of the Barbie Role Model line-up, but is to make a donation to Professor Gilbert’s chosen STEM-focused organisation, WISE (Women in Science & Engineering) in the UK. The organisation supports the outreach resource, My Skills My Life; created to inspire girls to consider a career in STEM.

The programme allows girls to explore personality types and matches them with relatable role models who have rewarding and successful careers in STEM, ultimately, opening eyes and minds to the endless possibilities in STEM.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert said: “I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of girls into STEM careers and hope that children who see my Barbie will realise how vital careers in science are to help the world around us. My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a Vaccinologist.”

WISE analysis highlights that just 24 per cent of the STEM roles across the UK are taken up by women and highlights the wide recognition that women are underrepresented globally in STEM fields.

The Barbie brand has detailed its own commitment to the cause, recognising Professor Gilber among five other STEM and healthcare professionals around the world who have worked tirelessly in the fight against Covid-19 since the pandemic began.

The all-female line-up are experts in their fields, who have shown unprecedented courage and tenacity against the virus and achieved greatness in their chosen careers.

“Barbie recognises that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel.

“To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories and leveraging Barbie’s platform to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back. Our hope is to nurture and ignite the imaginations of children playing out their own storyline as heroes.”

Professor Gilbert leads the line up that also features Amy O’Sullivan, RN (US), an emergency room nurse who treated the first Covid-19 patient at the Wycoff Hospital in Brooklyn, Dr Audey Cruz (US), a frontline worker from Las Vegas who joined forces with other Asian-American physicians to fight racial bias and discrimination, and Dr Chika Stacy Oriuwa (Canada), a psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto, Canada, who advocated against systemic racism in healthcare.

The line is made complete with Brazil’s Dr Jaqueline Goes de Jesus, a biomedical researcher credited for leading the sequencing of the genome of a Covid-19 variant in Brazil, and Australia’s Dr Kirby White, a general practitioner who co-founded Gowns for Doctors, a gown that could be laundered and re-used, allowing frontline workers to continue seeing patients during the pandemic.

In the UK, previous Role Models recipients include Broadcaster Clara Amfo, Fastest Woman in British History, Dina Asher-Smith, Champion Skateboarder Sky Brown, Activist & Model Adwoa Aboah, and Boxer Nicola Adams.

Oxford is ‘twinned’ with Island of Sodor from Thomas & Friends as it’s named UK’s Friendliest City

Posted on by

Oxford is to be ‘twinned’ with the Island of Sodor – the home of Thomas the Tank Engine – having been recognised as the UK’s friendliest city when it topped the newly created Thomas & Friends Friendship Index earlier this month.

Launched to mark International Friendship Day today (July 30th), the Thomas & Friends Friendship Index is the culmination of an in-depth study of 3,000 adults across the nations, to rank towns and cities according to the friendliness of their residents.

The study asked questions around kindness, encouragement, and looking after others. Wrexham was narrowly pipped to the top spot by the Oxfordshire city, while Aberdeen and Gloucester also scored highly to take the third and fourth positions.

Having taken the first place on the Index, Oxford will now house a new sign post, twinning the city with the Island of Sodor – a pivotal setting for the stories about Thomas the Tank Engine, all of which are rooted in friendship and teamwork over the past 75 years.

The twinning sign was unveiled during a special ceremony held at Oxford train station attended by Sir Topham Hatt from the show, and Councillor Mark Lygo, Lord Mayor of Oxford.

To help it land the top spot, Oxford scored consistently high across all categories including most likely place for a friend to put in a good word to get you a job and giving others advice. Findings also show that Aberystwyth and Wrexham are home to those who will go out of their way for others, with locals scoring highest for such behaviour.

North Wales was also the place to be if you’re looking for a compliment, with 55 per cent frequently handing out praise.

Residents of Belfast were most committed to travelling the furthest to helping a friend in need, willing to travel over 61 miles to help with a flat tyre – eight miles further than the average. While the Friendship Index also revealed those from Aberdeen are the most likely to step in to help their friends avoid an embarrassing situation.

Claudia Caron, UK marketing manager for Thomas & Friends, said: “The gift of friendship is truly wonderful and something we have proudly celebrated in Thomas & Friends for over 75 years, so we would like to offer a huge congratulations to Oxford for being the friendliest city in our very first Thomas & Friends Friendship Index.

“We are delighted to officially twin the city with the Island of Sodor, home of Thomas the Tank engine, in recognition of its incredible friendly status.” 

The Friendship Index research has been carried out globally and has today also named friendliest cities of Australia (Sydney), New Zealand (Auckland), Italy (Naples), Greece (Irakleion), Turkey (Izmir) and Poland (Kielce). Oxford joins these six other friendliest places to have topped the Thomas & Friends Friendship Index from around the world, to be given the honour of being twinned with the Island of Sodor. 

 Councillor Mark Lygo, Lord Mayor of Oxford, said: “It’s great news that Oxford has been voted the friendliest city in the UK and I want to thank Thomas & Friends for confirming something that I think our residents have known for a long time.

“Oxford is made up from many diverse communities all of which have benefitted from and added to the city’s long traditions of friendliness and inclusivity, which have proved so important, especially over the last 18 months. Indeed, Oxford has friends all over the world and we are proud of our international links, including twinning with Bonn, Grenoble, Leiden, Padua, Wroclaw, Perm, León, and Ramallah.

“Now, as we come out of lockdown, I want to encourage visitors to come and visit our vibrant, friendly city and experience all that it has to offer. A warm welcome awaits you.”

 THE UK’S MOST FRIENDLY CITIES ACCORDING TO THE FRIENDSHIP INDEX

1. Oxford – 21.8

2. Wrexham – 21.5

3. Gloucester – 20.8

4. Aberdeen – 20.7

5. Worcester – 20.5

6. Aberystwyth – 20.4

7. Portsmouth – 19.7

8. London – 18.8

9. Coventry – 18.5

10. Swansea – 18.3

11. Brighton and Hove – 17.9

12. Edinburgh – 17.2

13. Belfast – 16.7

14. Manchester – 16.6

15. Wolverhampton – 16.5

16. Cardiff – 16.3

17. Southampton – 15.9

18. Sheffield – 15.9

19. Plymouth – 15.8

20. Bristol – 15.5

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

Posted on by

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.

Mattel’s Richard Dickson and Roz Nowicki to deliver keynote at Licensing Expo Virtual

Posted on by

Mattel’s president and COO, Richard Dickson and the firm’s head of global consumer products and franchise marketing, Roz Nowicki will be taking to the stage at the upcoming Licensing Expo Virtual next month, when the pair deliver the online conference’s Day Three Keynote address.

In a fireside chat titled Mattel and Living its Brand Purpose, the pair will explore how the IP driven toys and entertainment company empowers the next generation by introducing purpose-driven products from its portfolio of brands. You can sign up for the free-to-attend keynote presentation here.

Joining senior executives from Warner Bros. Consumer Products, who will open the event as keynote speakers on Day One, Dickson and Nowicki will address the event’s thousands of attendees confirmed to date, who will get an inside look into building and progressing the toy giant’s brand purpose.

Attendees of the event – running from August 24th to 26th – will benefit from the duo’s combined experience that exceeds 50 years of leading brand and innovation strategy, design and development, and franchise marketing. They are responsible for the worldwide growth of brands including Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Peanuts, Hot Wheels, among many others.

The keynote presentation will begin at 8:00 a.m. PST/11:00 a.m. EST, followed by a final day of live content including the new Digital Brand Roadshows, Retail and Sustainability Clinics, industry networking, and many meeting opportunities with hundreds of leading brand owners.

“Year after year, Mattel is an industry leader in delivering new products that not only excite consumers but bring characters and stories to life in a meaningful way,” said Anna Knight, VP of licensing at Informa Markets.

“We are thrilled to announce that Richard and Roz will impart learnings from their work that spans a full range of toy and entertainment brands across categories.”

Mattel’s president and chief operating officer, Richard Dickson, added: “We are proud to represent Mattel at the upcoming Licensing Expo Virtual event this August and speak to a topic that is foundational to our business: delivering purpose-driven products that help shape how children perceive, engage with, and someday, influence the world around them.

“Licensing is a powerful tool that enables us to build brand stories and reach a global audience – Roz and I could not be more excited to share our learnings that attendees can incorporate into their work.”

In addition to announcing the Day Three keynote, Licensing Expo Virtual has also revealed a selection of exhibitors participating in the all-new Digital Brands Roadshows, a collection of curated exhibitor case studies designed to spotlight compelling brands and IP broadcast live at the live event.

Among those participating are:

  • New Exhibitors to the Event with Chan-Chan, Playlife Media, Piney: The Lonesome Pine and Boat Rocker
  • Heritage & Nostalgia with MGM and Art Brand Studios
  • Licensing Around the World with Wildbrain CPLG and Yale University
  • The Live Experience with Penske and Nickelodeon
  • Animation & Anime with Viz Media

Licensing Expo Virtual also confirmed some of the experts as part of the exclusive retail program, composed of ‘Ask me Anything’ live Q&As and sessions on how brand licensing can support retail businesses.

Speakers for this program include Steven Heller, founder of The Brand Liaison; Andrew Cohan, co-founder/co-CEO, ACI Licensing; Sharon Weisman, CEO, Power Station Studios; Michael Connolly, founder & CEO, Retail Monster; Julia Redman, Retail Expert, Buyers Eye; Ankit Mangal, Director, Wayfair; The Insights Family.

Mattel and Playmobil ready new ranges as Universal launches Spirit Untamed across EMEA

Posted on by

Universal Brand Development has launched a cross-category consumer products programme centered on the latest chapter in the DreamWorks Animation Spirit franchise, as the new animated feature film, Spirit Untamed rolls out across EMEA this summer.

Having premiered in Central London last weekend at an event attended by celebrities and their families, the film is swiftly moving through the EMEA region, with Russia, Italy and Spain already out of the stable gate, with Germany ready to welcome the film to screens from July 22nd, and France from July 28th.

“There’s something really special about the connection between girls and horses, and DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Untamed taps into that emotional bond, bringing audiences along for the ride,” said Shannon Vacca, vice president, global franchise management, Universal Brand Development.

“We set out to create consumer products celebrating wholesome characters that empower girls around the world and reinforce Spirit Untamed as the ultimate story about what it means to be wild and free.”

Master toy partner, Mattel is expanding the Spirit adventure beyond the screen with its broad range of horses, character dolls, and play-sets, all featuring innovative details and storytelling accessories, as well as games. In addition, Playmobil is a returning franchise partner with new pay-sets supporting key moments from the film, alongside Just Play with basic plush.

Additionally, Outright Games, alongside Universal Games and Digital Platforms, is launching DreamWorks Spirit Lucky’s Big Adventure, a new video game set in the adventurous world of the award-winning Spirit franchise.

In the game – distributed by Bandai in EMEA – players can go on an adventure and explore the wonders and dangers of the frontier with Lucky and her wild mustang, Spirit. This original story celebrates themes of adventure, friendship and the special connection between a girl and her horse.

Lucky teams up with best friends Abigail and Pru to embark on a fun-filled quest for hidden treasure in Miradero. DreamWorks Spirit Lucky’s Big Adventure will release on Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC digital in summer 2021.

Mattel and MGM partner to develop live action Polly Pocket movie

Posted on by

Mattel has unveiled plans to develop its popular micro doll brand, Polly Pocket into a live-action motion picture, partnering with Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) on the family comedy. The pair has brought Lena Dunham’s production company Good Thing Going in on the project.

Lily Collins (Emily in Paris) will take the lead role of Polly as the film follows the story of a young girl and a pocket-sized woman who form a friendship.

“Polly Pocket was responsible for countless hours of childhood escapism for me – Polly gave me a tiny world of magic and autonomy to narrate, so it’s pretty poetic to be tackling these same ideas now as a director collaborating with the brilliant Lily Collins, Robbie Brenner, Mattel and MGM,” said Dunham.

“I’m so thrilled to bring to bear both my love of this historic property and also my deep-seated belief that young women need smart playful films that speak to them without condescension.”

Collins said: “I’m so excited to partner with this inspiring powerhouse of a team. Developing this project with Robbie, Lena, Mattel and MGM to reintroduce Polly in a fun, modern way has been such a treat. As a child who was obsessed with Polly Pocket, this is a real dream come true and I can’t wait to bring these tiny toys to the big screen.”

Robbie Brenner and Kevin McKeon will lead the project for Mattel Films. Sandino Moya-Smith and Winnie Carrillo will lead for MGM. Good Thing Going’s Liz Watson and Michael P. Cohen will serve as executive producers.

“Polly Pocket is an iconic franchise that has resonated with children for more than three decades,” said Brenner, executive producer of Mattel Films. “The incredible nostalgia that Polly evokes, coupled with Lena’s fresh approach and Lily’s take on the character, will introduce an entirely new interpretation of this classic brand to audiences. We look forward to working with MGM to produce a feature film that will appeal to the whole family.”

Polly Pocket, which was first introduced more than 30 years ago, is the original micro-scale doll and accessories line of toys and, today, is the number one global play-set dolls growth property. In 2018, Mattel reintroduced the popular ’90s sensation with a product line that pays homage to the brand’s origins, with updates to the tiny and mighty doll for a new generation, adding features such as hidden worlds and fun surprise formats.

Children today can also experience Polly Pocket and her world through an animated television series, as well as content on YouTube, that inspires kids to be adventurous, bold and to never let being little get in their way.

Polly Pocket joins other Mattel Films projects in development including movies based on American Girl, Barbie, Barney, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Masters of the Universe, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Thomas & Friends, UNO, View Master, and Wishbone.

Opinion | Channel hopping: Netflix becomes latest global brand to adopt direct to consumer

Posted on by

With Netflix becoming the latest global brand to adopt a direct to consumer model for its portfolio of licensed merchandise, consumer products, and original series brand extensions, industry insights and intelligence expert and seasoned market analyst, Utku Tansel takes a look at the ever-strengthening trend of tapping into the consumer directly

[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]

Netflix’s announcement to unveil an online shop for show-themed licensed merchandise has definitely raised some eyebrows. The entertainment giant’s new platform will sell limited-edition show tie-in apparel, merch, and other collectables. Among the items that will make a debut this month are streetwear and action figures inspired by anime series Yasuke and Eden, as well as apparel and decorative items based on Lupin in partnership with the Musée du Louvre.

There are also other exclusive products in the pipeline which will leverage the licensing power of its popular titles such as The Witcher and Stranger Things. Furthermore, there will be a new Netflix logo-wear from Japanese fashion house BEAMS.

As the escalated streaming wars take their toll on the company, Netflix.shop, which was developed and launched with the e-commerce site Shopify, should provide a brand new revenue source, and will witness an expansion of a product line that already offers through partners like Walmart, Amazon, H&M, Sephora, Target, and others.

Now available in the US, Netflix’s new online is set to expand abroad over the coming months.                   

With its recent move, Netflix’s aims to ride on the rising popularity of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) which has been one of the emerging retailing models in recent years. The ongoing pandemic has accelerated this considerably, prompting many companies to shift their models.

2020 saw a number of brands increase their focus and investment in developing their DTC offerings. Spending more time at home has undoubtedly encouraged more consumers to embrace DTC particularly in grocery and clothing. In the fashion space, VF Corporation (The North Face, Timberland) acquired Supreme. It was reported that over 60 per cent of the company’s revenue comes from its online operations, and VF announced a cornerstone of its strategy will be expanding the brand’s Direct-to-Consumer offering.

Meanwhile, in the toy industry, Hasbro and Mattel expanded their DTC operations in order to meet the growing demand for e-commerce.

As I investigated in my “Retail and E-commerce: The Impact of COVID-19 in the UK” Opinion piece previously, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed shopping behaviour completely making a profound effect on the retail industry.

While COVID-19 continues to cause significant disruption to bricks and mortar retail, DTC is in a good place to be one of the headline trends for 2021. It is the preferred choice for many businesses and brands already as they increasingly become more agile, more authentic and produce more personalised products en masse.

[divider style=”solid” top=”20″ bottom=”20″]

Utku Tansel has 17 years of success in driving global thought leadership, project and content management, delivering strategic business intelligence and actionable insight to major international companies, retailers and financial institutions.

With a solid market research background, Utku regularly writes for leading industry publications including ToyNews and Licensing.biz focusing on the most recent trends and developments.

A sought-after speaker, he also presented at world-renowned industry events including Licensing International Mind Mix Executive Conference, Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, PlayCon, World Congress of Play, and Walmart Global Toy Summit highlighting key findings from the latest global research studies.