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Mattel Marketing Case Study

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Mattel Marketing Case Study
Marketing
MBA
Fall 2013
Mattel Individual Case Report

I. Executive Summary
Mattel, Inc. (Mattel or 'the company ') designs, manufactures and markets toys across the globe. The company operates in the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, and the company employs approximately 30, 000 people as of December 31, 2012. Mattel has some of the highly recognized brands in the toy industry, with its core brands providing strong sales and earnings. Mattel 's product lineup consists of some of the best-known brands in children 's toys, including Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl, Power Wheels, Polly Pocket and Fisher-Price. Barbie has been the most popular fashion doll brand for over 50 years. In 2012 and 2011, Barbie was named one of the 100 global brands that translated the latest consumer trends into its brands by a globally recognized brand/design studio. Monster High, an emerging key brand in the company’s portfolio, is the second largest selling fashion doll property in the US as well as five European markets including the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, as of August 2012, according to the latest toy industry estimates. Until August 2012, Mattel owned 6 of the top 10 properties in the American toy industry.
The company’s strong brands will continue to help it to penetrate further into new and existing markets as they provide a competitive advantage to the company in most of the markets in which it operates. The company’s does face challenges to continue sustained growth and market share and some of these issues will be addresses throughout this analysis. Some concerns for the company include: Is Barbie past her prime? Barbie’s failure in China, products recalls, constant competition, changing technology and existing product saturation of the market.

II. Problem/Issue Statement
Mattel has been around for several decades and has a maintained a strong stake in the toy & games


Bibliography: 1. “Is Barbie past her prime? Global sales of iconic toy drop 12%. . . but Mattel 's profit from Monster High dolls continues to rise.” Mail Online Margot Peppers 17 July 2013. Accessed: October 25, 2013. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2366933/Is-Barbie-past-prime-Global-sales-iconic-toy-drop-12----Mattels-profit-Monster-High-dolls-continues-rise.html 2. “Mattel Launches Playground Productions, a Creative Storytelling Division Focused on Multiplatform Entertainment.” Business Wire (English) [serial online]. 10: Available from: Regional Business News, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 26, 2013 3. “Mattel Announces Two Upcoming Events.” Business Wire (English) [serial online]. 9: Available from: Regional Business News, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 26, 2013 4. “What do Chinese consumers want? Not Barbie.” By Kevin Voigt, CNN. November 21, 2012 Accessed: October 25, 2013. 5. “Why Barbie Stumbled in China and How She Could Re-invent Herself.” 6. MarketLine. Industry Profile. Global Toys & Games December 2012 7. MarketLine. Company Profile. Mattel, Inc. 2012
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