Action Play Boys Brand Max Steel™ Debuts as Mattel's Newest Franchise
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
This week, at the New York International Toy Fair, leading toymaker
Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT) will showcase its newest toys that transcend
the traditional playroom. Delivering on three key business strategies of
innovating core brands, developing new franchises and optimizing
best-in-class entertainment licenses, Mattel once again brings magic to
play.
"We engage with kids where they are today through rich content,
innovative toys, and real-world experiences that bring our trusted
portfolio of brands to life," said Lisa McKnight, SVP Marketing North
American Division. "We continue to shape the future of play by extending
engagement both inside and outside of the toy aisle, creating meaningful
and lasting connections with families."
NEW GLOBAL MAX STEEL™ PROPERTY JOINS MATTEL
PORTFOLIO OF BRANDS
Mattel takes its expertise in play beyond toy, and into the content
creation space as it develops and launches new franchises into the
marketplace. Focused on fostering an emotional connection with kids,
Mattel starts with compelling storytelling and aspirational characters
that are rich enough to live on any platform, enabling an immersive
brand experience that reaches kids everywhere they are today.
In 2013, Mattel brings Max Steel™, a
wholly-owned intellectual property from Mattel and currently the #1 boys
brand in Latin America1, to a global stage as its newest
franchise. An action-adventure superhero series for tween boys that
incorporates teamwork, humor and friendship, the story revolves around
the trials and tribulations of a teenaged boy and his pursuit to unlock
his inner hero. With worldwide distribution partners in more than 100
territories including Disney XD in the U.S., the multi-platform
franchise launches with a dynamic
web destination, featuring rich content and interactive gameplay as
well as a robust portfolio spanning toys, digital platforms and consumer
products.
Supporting the property, Mattel will unveil a diverse toy portfolio
including action-figures, vehicles and role play items as well as soon
to be announced publishing, enabling boys to connect with the new brand,
each in their own way. The Max Steel™ Turbo
Battlers Basic Figure Assortment, for example, offers
two-inch scale figures on spinning bases for battles, perfect
portability and collectability.
In less than three years, the Monster High® franchise has earned a spot
on NPD's list of top 10 toy brands2, and become the #2
Fashion Doll property in the U.S. according to NPD Group3.
Utilizing the monster metaphor to encourage girls to celebrate their
imperfections and accept those of others Monster High® brand in 2013
delivers engaging new characters and rich content with an all new, direct-to-DVD
movie, 13 Wishes, in anticipated partnership with Universal,
and complete line of 13 Wishes dolls and playsets. Fans meet new
characters in the Monster High® 13 Wishes™ Doll
Assortment while ghoul favorites return to haunt the
casbah dance in the Monster High® Haunt the
Casbah™ Doll Assortment.
THE FUTURE OF PLAY BEGINS TODAY
With some of the best properties in the industry, Mattel invigorates its
powerhouse brands with new tech innovation, customizable play options
and branded experiences that enhance the brand connection for kids in
new and meaningful ways. By continuously innovating, Mattel keeps its
iconic brands fresh and relevant and with that, growing.
Extending its brand experience outside of the toy aisle, Mattel creates
new ways for kids to connect emotionally with their favorite brands in
authentic and realistic ways. In 2013 Barbie®
invites girls to "See What Happens…"
when she puts her iconic Malibu Dreamhouse® on the market for $25
million and embarks on a global search for the next place to call home.
Throughout the year Barbie® will invite girls to play in her world like
never before with the launch of a global brand campaign featuring
real-life, life-sized experiences, online engagement and retail touch
points that bring the Barbie® Dreamhouse® to life in new ways.
Hot Wheels® invites boys, and their moms, to see what it feels like to
get in the driver's seat through the search of Be
The World's Best Driver™,
a competition that revs into action this spring with a mobile tour
across the U.S., the release of engaging online webisode content, and
promotions and extensions at retail.
Coming off a record sales year in 2012, the Little
People® brand will enchant younger fans with the
introduction of all new contemporary characters for today's new
generation of preschoolers, while preserving the charm that has
contributed to the ongoing success of the brand's 54 year heritage;
Fisher-Price partners with award and Emmy-winning writers, as well as
illustrators and a musical team, including singer/songwriter and
children's TV star, Genevieve Goings, to launch musical and animated
webisode content this June, which will bring to life a multicultural,
ensemble cast of rich, engaging Little People personalities.
Mattel knows technology is aspirational for today's kids and is a leader
in using technology to amplify traditional play patterns and create new
play experiences. Featuring the latest LED and touch-screen technology,
the Barbie® Digital Dress Doll
allows girls to customize Barbie® doll's dress with digital graphics
such as hearts and stars, or explore the draw and design function —
combining fashion with technology. iOS devices are also an exciting way
to animate and expand play, as well as engage and stimulate a child's
development in new ways. New this year, the Barbie®
Digital Makeover Mirror uses facial tracking technology to
transform an iPad® into a digital mirror that invites girls to select
options like eye shadow, lipstick, color, and glitter to apply to the
girl's live image on the iPad® screen without the mess of makeup.
Additionally, girls who love Disney Princesses will enjoy unlocking
activities throughout The Disney Princess
Ultimate Dream Castle with the help of an iOS device and the
Disney Magic Mirror Augmented Reality App. Girls can simply scan the
defined labels in each of the Disney Princess themed fairy-tale rooms
for an even more interactive Princess play experience.
Fisher-Price aids parents of young children in navigating the digital
play space, with offerings from infant to preschool. To date, its Laugh
& Learn™ apps have generated more than 6.5 million downloads. The new Fisher-Price
Create & Learn Case for iPad® protects an iPad while
children draw and play. The stylus invites kids to create with rich
content, and the included Alphabet Animation cards come to life in 3D on
the screen when seen by the iPad's camera, enabling children to watch
and interact with the pictures.
Customized play not only fosters the imagination but gives kids the
opportunity to decide how exactly they want to engage with their most
favorite brands, fostering self-expression and creativity. The new Hot
Wheels® Car Maker lets kids create their very own Hot Wheels®
cars in 1:64 scale using a specially designed internal heating system
that molds the vehicles. And Hot Wheels®
Spinshotz™ Rail Rip Race lets kids take Hot Wheels® for a
whirl—literally—with disc-shaped stackable spinners, that go beyond
traditional vehicle-based play with the ability to speed, accelerate and
fly through obstacles or down the iconic orange Hot Wheels® track.
Preschoolers can create their own Fisher-Price: World of Little People®
thanks to Fisher-Price: World of Little People®
thanks to a clever system of fence connections to organically connect
the home to the farm and more. Finally, the crown jewel of the
Fisher-Price infant business, Laugh & Learn,
introduces its first ever content hub for the brand, a Laugh & Learn
microsite featuring baby's first learning friend, "Puppy," for moms and
their children to explore together and engage with adorable webisodes
and music videos, learning games, play tips, a funny, relatable
"Learning Happens video" and more. The site recently launched in the US
and will roll out globally.
ENTERTAINMENT & PARTNERSHIPS
Having the hottest entertainment licenses for 2013 that span movies and
TV properties as well as in-house mega stars Barbie®, Hot Wheels® and
Monster High®, Mattel is an industry leader at bringing stories to life
across all platforms year after year. In 2013 Mattel unveils a robust
line of licensed toys featuring new personalities from Frozen (Disney),
Sofia the First (Disney Jr.), Octonauts (Disney Jr.), Planes
(Disney), Man Of Steel (Warner Bros.), Turbo (Dream Works
Animation), Bubble Guppies (Nick Jr.), and returning favorites
like Mattel's own Thomas & Friends®.
For girls, Disney Jr.'s Sofia the First, a new television series,
chronicles the adventures of a princess in training. With the Talking
Sofia and Animal Friends Feature Dolls, the 10 ½"
Sofia doll can recognize and talk with three of her best animal
friends—using her special amulet, just like in the series. And from a
princess in training to Disney Princess, the Disney
Princess Klip Klop Stable by Little People® brings
the horses of the Disney Princess characters to life as they magically
"klip klop" or trot down the ramps to different royal destinations
including a Tower and Stable.
For boys, Disney takes racing to the sky with its new theatrical release Planes,
hitting theaters August 2013. Disney Planes
Wing Control Dusty Crophopper radio control plane lets
kids recreate the action of the film with this RC vehicle that offers
role-play remote control, which means the plane moves when they do. Kids
can also play out DreamWorks Animation's high-velocity 3D comedy, Turbo,
about an ordinary snail who dares to dream big - with the Turbo
Shell Racers™ Vehicles Basic 2 Pack Assortment featuring
character favorites from the movie. The collectible character two-packs
feature roll-around racing action in "snail scale" size that make Turbo
Shell Racers perfect for anytime, anywhere play. Fans of Mike the Knight
will love the Mike the Knight Glendragon Castle
Set, which has all the actions, phrases, delightful surprises
and hidden treasures to help play out the world of Glendragon and help
Mike become a knight!
Joining the Mattel stable of brands, Thomas & Friends® delivers a 360º
brand experience through toys, licensed products and experiential
partnerships. Thomas & Friends® Wooden Railway
King of the Railway Deluxe Playset lets kids relive
the excitement of the new Thomas & Friends® DVD movie King of the
Railway by helping Millie get ready for the opening of Ulfstead Castle
on Sodor, delivering endless hours of fun adventures.
