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Mattel banks on keeping kids busy during the pandemic

Jul 23, 2020
Mattel has pivoted, playing to the moment at hand with marketing like "play is never canceled" and an emphasis on family activities.
Hot Wheels cars, a Mattel product, weren't flying off the shelves during the pandemic like other games. So Mattel has pivoted.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Mattel isn't having much fun these days

Oct 29, 2019
Rival toymaker Hasbro reported disappointing earnings last week, and Mattel faces similar headwinds from tariffs and store closures.
Mattel's offices in El Segundo, California, in 2009.
David McNew/Getty Images

New movies drive toy sales, but threat of tariffs looms

Jul 25, 2019
The industry is living under threat of tariffs on toys manufactured in China.
Hasbro toys are displayed at a Target store in February 2019 in San Rafael, California.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Mattel, Hasbro to offer snapshot of toy industry

Feb 7, 2019
Mattel and Hasbro will both report their earnings this week. Mattel reports Thursday after the market closes, and Hasbro reports Friday. Combined, these two companies will give us a sense of how the toy industry fared during the all-important holiday season and how they’re coping with the closure of retailer Toys R Us.
There are more than 20,000 variations of Hot Wheels, according to Mattel.
Renata Sago/Marketplace

Mattel is trying to get into the quinceañera business with Barbie

Oct 31, 2017
Barbie was born in 1959. So why is she having a quinceañera? This is the story of how Mattel is trying to get into the quinceañera business.
Quinceañera Barbie.
Shelly D. Brisbin for Marketplace

Goodbye cable, hello YouTube: As kids move online, so do Mattel’s ad dollars

Aug 3, 2017
Toymaker Mattel wants to get kids’ attention, and it’s going online to do it. The company announced this week it will spend at least $10 million on advertising this year on Google’s YouTube Kids platform. It’s the company’s biggest ad buy online to date. Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

It’s not child’s play: Hasbro and Mattel battle for success in the world of toys

Jul 24, 2017
Hasbro, the toy and game powerhouse, reports its second quarter earnings today . So far this year, the company has been going strong, beating expectations, which is not the case for its rival, Mattel. We explore why the companies may be trading fortunes.  Click the audio player above to hear the full story.

For public good, not for profit.

Hasbro beats Mattel for contract with Disney

Dec 31, 2015
Hasbro will now be taking over production of Disney princess dolls with $500 million contract.

Viewmaster goes VR

Nov 27, 2015
This holiday season, the classic toy is getting a fancy upgrade with help from Google.

Mattel wheeling out miniature Tesla Model S

Jun 18, 2015
As part of its Hot Wheels brand, Mattel is coming out with a miniature Tesla Model S.