By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Experiential licensing is back in a big way, as Mattel and Disney invest heavily in theme parks in Arizona and California. Disney is now dropping a cool billion dollars on its properties in Anaheim, California, while Mattel is preparing for the opening of Mattel Adventure Park in Glendale, Arizona. The story on Disney wouldn't be … [Read more...] about Experiential Licensing: The Latest on Disney and Mattel Adventure Park
Barbie
Feature: TLL’s Top Licensing Trends of 2022
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief As 2022 draws to a close, we at TLL have been struck by the amazing talent for innovation and rapid change we've seen in the licensing industry. Certainly 2022 has been a tough year by any standard. Between the ongoing hangover of the COVID-19 pandemic, the War in Ukraine, ongoing logistical logjams, runaway inflation, and … [Read more...] about Feature: TLL’s Top Licensing Trends of 2022
Opinion: Mattel Triumphs As Barbie Becomes Major Influencer
“Barbiecore,” “Kencore,” and Barbie are on the Rise By Richard Gottlieb Barbie is hot. Not just with little girls and not only with their moms. She is hot on Wall Street. Consider these headlines: How The Barbie Movie Is Changing Mattel’s Business – CNBC, Aug. 23, 2022 Why Barbie Fashion Is the Exhilarating Trend We Need Right Now, Wall Street Journal, Aug. 20, 2022 The … [Read more...] about Opinion: Mattel Triumphs As Barbie Becomes Major Influencer
Toy Licensing: Barbie and Rose Ayling-Ellis Team Up For Diversity Project
Mattel's Barbie division continues to promote diversity, now teaming up with deaf actor Rose Ayling-Ellis on a new line of Barbie Fashionistas dolls. Ayling-Ellis stars in the popular British series Eastenders, was the first deaf contestant in Strictly Come Dancing, and has become a global advocate for those with all types of physical challenges. The new line, which launched … [Read more...] about Toy Licensing: Barbie and Rose Ayling-Ellis Team Up For Diversity Project
LEGO Named World’s Most Popular Kids Entertainment Brand
By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief According to a sweeping new report on brands for children, LEGO is now the most popular kids’ entertainment brand in the world, followed by Disney, Marvel, Barbie, and with Paw Patrol rounding out the Top 5. The data comes via a report from Brand Trends, in which mothers provided answers to a survey on behalf of their children, from ages 0 … [Read more...] about LEGO Named World’s Most Popular Kids Entertainment Brand
Mattel TV Announces Two New Barbie Specials
Mattel has said it will be greatly increasing its film and television production efforts in 2021, and the company this week announced the launch of two new animated Barbie specials for streamers and broadcasters this spring. The first of the two specials is “Barbie & Chelsea The Lost Birthday,” the first dedicated television movie featuring Barbie’s younger sister Chelsea … [Read more...] about Mattel TV Announces Two New Barbie Specials
Barbie Named Top Global Toy Brand For 2020
Mattel, Inc. enjoyed a wildly successful year in 2020, producing many of the top selling toy brands globally, and riding a large increase in toy spending during the pandemic to one of their best revenue years of all time. As well, the definitive retail industry research company The NPD Group has now named Mattel's Barbie brand as the 2020 top global toy property of the year, … [Read more...] about Barbie Named Top Global Toy Brand For 2020
Barbie and Tim Hortons ‘Double Double’ Down on Hockey For Girls
By Gary Symons, TLL Editor in Chief Few people in the licensing biz know this about me, but among other things I was a minor hockey coach for many years, as my elder daughter was a bit of a pioneer among female players. She started out playing full contact hockey against boys, because there was no girl's team in our city, and later joined a girl's hockey team. Every weekend at … [Read more...] about Barbie and Tim Hortons ‘Double Double’ Down on Hockey For Girls
Hello Kitty Scores Partnership With Bandai UK’s Tamagotchi
It's been a busy and successful week for Sanrio's Hello Kitty property, as the company followed up on its partnership with Mattel's Barbie, announcing a collaboration with the popular Tamagotchi 'virtual pet' game. Tamagotchi was introduced to the world as a virtual pet, housed in a tiny digital device, first released in Japan in 1996 and internationally in 1997. The little … [Read more...] about Hello Kitty Scores Partnership With Bandai UK’s Tamagotchi
Cuteness Overload: Barbie Partners with Hello Kitty
US toy giant Mattel has partnered with Sanrio to create a branding dynamo, combining the iconic Barbie line with the globally popular Hello Kitty brand for the first time. The two companies say they will collaborate on the development of a colourful and contemporary product line aimed at kids and adults that will span accessories, apparel, health and beauty, and footwear. The … [Read more...] about Cuteness Overload: Barbie Partners with Hello Kitty