August/September 2021 | FEATURE
Playtime
IS OVER Toymakers are getting serious about content inspired by their products, focusing on deeper stories and new genres in an effort to entice a wider audience. BY: ELIZABETH FOSTER Hasbro is launching content inspired by toy brands including My Little Pony, Transformers and its games portfolio
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ovies and series inspired by toys haven’t always had the best reputation. The term “glorified commercial” might come to mind. And after several years of influencer-focused unboxing videos on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, many in the larger entertainment industry still might consider toy-focused content to be distinctly lowbrow. Today, however, toymakers are focusing on high-quality, family-friendly content that attracts an audience far beyond the target demographics of their products. Mattel, for one, is launching a slate of new series that appeal to parents just as much as children. The LA-based toyco has a long history of launching content based on hit toy brands such as Barbie and Hot Wheels. But moving forward, Mattel is looking to lesser-known properties for inspiration, and focusing on unscripted formats to attract a larger audience. Case in point: Mattel is developing a reality show based on the classic carnival and arcade game Whac-A-Mole. The
series will see opposing teams fight to eliminate each other in challenges that feature life-sized Whac-A-Moles, races and obstacles courses. Another unscripted series from the toymaker is inspired by its card game UNO—this reality competition show pits four teams against each other in rounds of physical challenges and trivia. While Barbie naturally suggests a focus on fashion and the racing theme of Hot Wheels easily translates on screen, games like UNO and Whac-A-Mole don’t have such obvious storylines. As a result, the Mattel team was free to explore a variety of different themes and styles in its upcoming slate. The decision to focus on live-action content, meanwhile, signals a shift away from solely kid-focused fare and a concentration on formats that encourage co-viewing. But these new content offerings also open up possibilities for connected consumer products programs featuring categories that might not traditionally be considered a natural fit for, say, a board game brand. Turning UNO into a competition series, for example, could help the property
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