Bringing a new sense of cultural relevance to Mattel

Over its 75 year-plus history, Mattel has created some iconic toys, from the Barbie doll to Hotwheels cars, and it is now inviting artists to reimagine these in new ways. 

What it’s doing 

A collaborations platform, Mattel Creations, offers the artistic community the opportunity to use Mattel’s brands as a “canvas for conversation” that is curated by Highsnobiety, CEO Richard Dickson told Cannes Lions Live. 

Why it matters

As a lifestyle site that promises to keep its audience ahead of the curve, working with Highsnobiety opens up opportunities for Mattel to connect its brands with a new taste-maker consumer base and to do so in an authentic manner.

Takeaways 

• This approach has enabled Mattel to build new stories around its brands in a unique way. 
• At the same time it has created a new DTC model, selling brand-derived artists’ content based on limited availability in contrast to the ubiquity of the toys themselves. 
• Collaborations between artists and brands should be long-running and not just a short-term fad.

Key quote

“When you think about our toys, they’re iconic form factors … so really all we’re doing is offering these iconic form factors to artists as canvases” – Richard Dickson, President and CEO at Mattel. 

_{[Image: Mattel Creations via Instagram]}