How Mattel Is Going All in on Digital, Diversity, and Sustainability

Whatever generation you belong to, you'll likely have some experience of Mattel's products.

The late 60s and 70s saw the Hot Wheels range of die-cast cars take off. If you were a child of the 80s, you'll likely have fond memories of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. And, of course, there is the omnipresent and iconic queen of fashion dolls - Barbie.

Whatever your personal experience of Mattel is, there's no doubt the California-based toy giant has some serious staying power. This ability to remain relevant in an ever-changing market is down in no small part to its ability to move and change with the times. In 2021, that means taking advantage of the opportunities presented by digital technology and our always-online world.

Mattel Online

Late last year, Mattel launched Mattel Creations, a special online platform and membership program which offered a space for dedicated fans of its products to access a new level of engagement with their favorite franchises.

Through the platform, members can access special benefits such as the opportunity to purchase exclusive products, vote on the design of new lines, gain priority access to sales, exclusive content, and members-only forums where they can interact with a community of like-minded toy collectors.

Now Mattel has announced the launch of a new toy takeback program - Mattel PlayBack - which aims to reduce the environmental impact of its toy production and provide a way to extend the lives of its products when customers have finished playing with them. Customers can visit the page, print a freepost shipping label, and return their toys which will then be sorted, processed, and their parts recycled into new toys for a whole new generation of kids to enjoy.

"Mattel toys are made to last and be passed on from generation to generation," said Richard Dickson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Mattel. "A key part of our product design process is a relentless focus on innovation, and finding sustainable solutions is one significant way we are innovating. Our Mattel PlayBack program is a great example of this, enabling us to turn materials from toys that have lived their useful life into recycled materials for new products."

The PlayBack program is up and running right now and presently accepts Barbie, Matchbox, and MEGA toys, with plans to add more lines in the future as part of Mattel's goal of achieving 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based plastic materials across all products and packaging by 2030.

Digitally Driven

Another cornerstone of Mattel's success has been its ability to recognize patterns and trends and evolve its products and marketing to meet them head on.

Take the Barbie Dreamhouse for example. This iconic playset has been around in one form or another since the 60s (the first iteration was made of cardboard) and has remained a popular toy ever since. Mattel noticed there was a sharp uptick in searches and interest in this product over the COVID-19 lockdown period - and stepped up its marketing in response.

"This is an item that's typically marketed and has its peak sales during the holiday period because it's an expensive, premium item and is often bought as a big gift," said Lisa McKnight, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Dolls, Mattel. "With summer camp and birthday parties cancelled since mid-2020, we have seen parents looking to spend a little bit more on presents and gifts that have a lot of play value."

Barbie has also been hitting social media and producing educational content on YouTube. The vlogs and how to videos have proven very successful, especially during lockdown restrictions. The next frontier Barbie is looking to break into is test-and-learn virtual events, hosting speeches from inspiring female role models, interactive workshops, hands-on activities, and more.

What's clear is that Barbie is evolving into much more than a simple fashion doll and is being used as a figurehead to drive home important messages regarding imagination, independence, female empowerment, inclusivity, and diversity.

"We've always, as a brand, been committed to inclusivity, to diversity, but we saw last year with the Black Lives Matter movement that we weren't doing enough," said McKnight. "We are not only ensuring that we've got more diversity in our product line, but that we've got black lead characters in our content, so we're working on more black role models in the dolls we create and having our dolls bear a likeness to real inspiring women."

Final Thoughts

Mattel has gone from strength to strength over the years, now leveraging the power of digital technology to its fullest. Brands in all industries could take a leaf from Mattel's book when it comes to how to evolve and stay relevant through the ages.

You can hear Mattel's Manager of Omnichannel Retail Marketing Meredith Wollman speak at eTail Palm Springs 2022, taking place February 28 to March 02 in Palm Springs, CA.

Download the agenda today for more information and insights.