Interview
Mattel, the campaign wasn’t due to launch until Q1 this year. “However, because of where we are as a business in the UK, and actually ahead of our plan, we took the money and brought that forward into 2019. Actually, we have turned on more campaigns halfway through 2019 that weren’t in the original plan. That’s one of them,” explains Hick. The move underscores just how nimble Mattel has become. “It highlights our ability now to think ‘OK, what’s working, what’s not, and how do we shift our investment to make it work harder?’” says Hick with more than a hint of pride. “Fisher-Price was definitely an area where we knew we needed to invest more, and the brand campaign has been a great opportunity for us.” This year sees the Fisher-Price brand celebrate its 90th anniversary, so it stands to reason that the latest campaign is all about plugging into the heritage of a portfolio that has over the course of nine decades, thrown up some of the most iconic toys in the pre-school space. Including that classic telephone. It’s certainly going to be key to reviving a sector that has suffered a particularly tough year, missing, as it has been, a stand out property and not subject to pester power, but moreover considered purchasing made by parents and grandparents. Mattel now thinks it has found the right hook. But then again, why wouldn’ it? Mattel houses some of the most powerful brands in the toy space, from Thomas & Friends to Masters of the Universe, each of them boasting as much strength of heritage as the last. “The other thing our brands have got is purpose,” says Hick, “and we can really sell and market to that, and therefore it is not just about a product at a price but it’s about ‘what does that brand stand for?’, for mum, and for the child.” Animation and the re-animated 2019, as most of us know, was a big year for blockbuster movies. 2020 is offering a little more breathing space, and with it, the opportunity to witness a potential few standout titles light up the toy and merchandise space once more. Among the slate for the coming year is the latest instalment from the Despicable
Me franchise with Minions 2. And of course, Mattel has it covered. “We have a big movie with Minions 2 coming for next year,” says Hick, “and that is going to be a great opportunity for us. On top of that, we are very excited for Masters of the Universe - it’s the first big movie from the Mattel film division to have been confirmed alongside the likes of Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Magic Eight Ball that will start from 2021.” The re-introduction of the Masters of the Universe franchise - one that burst onto the scene back in 1987 - couldn’t be more timely. Some 30 years on, the franchise is tapping directly into the current retro revival that is sweeping the UK, as well as the cult following that the film and toy franchise amassed back in the yester-year.
“There is a huge cult following for Masters of the Universe anyway that has always been in the background,” says Hick. “So we are going to push out loads of content for it. There’s three different forms of content - the movie, and two different types of Netflix series for adults and kids, with a lot of content and toys on the way for 2021. In a way, streaming platforms like Netflix have been the source of this retro revival we are experiencing; giving power of selection to audiences, and this retro content that they remember from their youth, is what they are wanting to watch. It therefore makes perfect sense for Mattel to team with Netflix in this way.” In fact, 2020 will largely be about bringing Mattel’s slate of heritage IP into the modern market, be that
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