Posts Tagged ‘Mattel’
« Older Entries |This post was written by Elizabeth A. Reid
Reports: Mattel Finalizing Deal to Buy Hit Entertainment
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
According to multiple news outlets, including the Financial Times, Mattel is in talks with Apax Partners to buy Hit Entertainment for £500 million. Two anonymous sources told the Financial Times that Mattel is in the final stages of negotiations to purchase the company that Apax bought in 2005 for £489 million. The sale of Hit will not include the group’s stake in children’s channel Sprout, but will include Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine, Angelina Ballerina, Fireman Sam, and Pingu.
Tags: Angelina Ballerina, Apax Partners, Bob the Builder, Financial Times, Fireman Sam, HIt Entertainment, Mattel, Pingu, Sprout, Thomas the Tank Engine
Posted in Financial, News | No Comments »
This post was written by Elizabeth A. Reid
Top Toy Trends This Holiday Season, According to Target
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
This holiday season there will be nearly 7,000 toys featured in Target stores and on Target.com. Stephanie Lucy, vice president of merchandising at Target, shares what she thinks will be the five key toy trends this season and the hot toys that match them.
Interactivity
“One of the key items we selected is Fijit Friends. You look at Fijit and the ability to put it in dance mode, and the voice-recognition and built-in responses. Also, Let’s Rock Elmo is interactive for a much younger child, but we believe interactivity is important.”
Tags: Barbie Designable Hair Extensions, Cars 2, Cars 2 Charge Ups Charge ‘N’ Race Speedway, Disney-Pixar, educational, Fijit Friends, games, Hasbro, holiday season, interactivity, LeapFrog, LeapPad, Let's Rock Elmo, Mattel, merchandising, movies, personalization, Scrabble Flash, Simon Flash, Stephanie Lucy, Target, Toys, trends, Yahtzee Flash
Posted in Articles, Licenses, New Products, News, holiday season | No Comments »
This post was written by Ericka Johnson
New Video: Toy Story Characters in Toymation
Thursday, October 6th, 2011
Let your imagination soar with Disney•Pixar’s new space-themed “Toymation” video. The video features the Toy Story Buzz Lightyear Command Center and other action figures from Mattel.
In the video, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and sidekick Rex venture into outer space to battle the evil Emperor Zurg. Using stop-motion animation, this video combines old techniques with new concepts to create a modern animated short for Toy Story fans everywhere.
Tags: Disney-Pixar, Mattel, Toy Story, Toymation
Posted in 9 and up, News | No Comments »
This post was written by Jackie Breyer
Barbie’s First Commerical, Circa 1959
Friday, June 24th, 2011
ah, the good old days… 
Tags: Barbie First Commerical, Mattel
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
This post was written by Erika Graham
Shane Acker to Lead Thomas the Tank Engine Film Adaptation
Monday, June 13th, 2011
Thomas the Tank Engine will star in a live-action fantasy film adaptation of the popular children’s television series. Academy Award-nominated director Shane Acker (9), has signed on to lead a creative team consisting of Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop (Avatar, The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Mattel’s entertainment properties design team. The goal of the new film is to make the Thomas characters and storyline more appealing to the entire family.
Hit Entertainment, which owns the Thomas franchise, has also named Chris Viscardi and Will McRobb (Alvin and the Chipmunks) and Josh Klausner (Shrek the Third, Date Night) as the writers for the film. Julia Pistor (Charlotte’s Web, Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events) will serve as the producer.
Tags: HIt Entertainment, Mattel, Shane Acker, Thomas the Tank Engine, Weta Workshop
Posted in News | No Comments »
This post was written by Elizabeth A. Reid
Classic Media Celebrates Masters of the Universe Anniversary
Monday, June 13th, 2011
In celebration of the upcoming 30th anniversary of Masters of the Universe, Classic Media and Mattel are launching a consumer products program for the franchise. The Masters of the Universe Classics toy line, featuring updated sculpts of vintage Mattel toys, will continue throughout next year, exclusively on Mattycollector.com. The 2012 annual subscription will go on sale the week of San Diego Comic-Con, starting July 22.
The program will also include Halloween costumes and accessories from Disguise, launching first with Skeletor, He-Man, and She-Ra adult costumes, available this fall through a leading online e-tailer. Other new products include a 30th anniversary apparel line from Changes and a special 30th anniversary edition DVD box set from Mill Creek Entertainment (fall 2012). Publishing partners will be announced shortly.
Additionally, Classic Media is introducing a brand-new comprehensive Masters of the Universe style guide this summer, featuring retro artwork, all-new modern artist renderings, as well as a special 30th anniversary logo (above).
Tags: Changes Apparel, Classic Media, Disguise, Masters of the Universe, Mattel, Mill Creek Entertainment
Posted in Licenses, New Products, News | No Comments »
This post was written by Elizabeth A. Reid
Toys “R” Us Names Neil Friedman President of U.S. Business
Monday, April 4th, 2011
Toys “R” Us, Inc. has announced the appointment of Neil Friedman as president, Toys “R” Us, U.S. Friedman most recently served as president, Mattel Brands. In his new position at Toys “R” Us, Friedman will oversee all merchandising, marketing, store operations, merchandise presentation, global sourcing, and product development, as well as merchandise planning and allocation for the company’s 866 stores and online business in the United States. Friedman will report to Gerald Storch, chairman and CEO, Toys “R” Us, Inc.
“We could not be more pleased that Neil is joining our leadership team,” says Storch. “Neil has extensive knowledge of, and has made significant contributions to, the toy and juvenile product businesses throughout his career. We look forward to working with Neil to further our growth strategy as we continue to advance our authority and specialist positions through our many initiatives ahead.”
Tags: Mattel, Neil Friedman, Toys R Us
Posted in News | No Comments »
This post was written by Elizabeth A. Reid
Green Lantern Toys Showcased at Toy Fair
Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) is gearing up for the June 17 release of Green Lantern with a worldwide licensing program led by DC Entertainment’s master toy licensee, Mattel.
The video above shows some of the company’s Green Lantern products showcased at Toy Fair. Mattel’s multi-category Green Lantern toy line will include basic and deluxe action figures, figure/vehicles, role-play, play sets, games, puzzles, and vehicles.
Tags: DC Entertainment, Green Lantern, Mattel, Toy Fair, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, WBCP
Posted in Licenses, New Products, News, video | 1 Comment »
This post was written by Elizabeth A. Reid
Warner Bros. Announces Licensees for Green Lantern
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) has announced the worldwide licensing program for Warner Bros. Pictures’ Green Lantern, to hit theaters June 17. The program will be led by DC Entertainment’s master toy licensee, Mattel.
Mattel will debut a toy line that will include the Green Lantern Ring Blast Jet Figure & Vehicle, the Green Lantern Battle Shifters Figures, and the Green Lantern Movie Masters Figures. The company’s multi-category toy line will include basic and deluxe action figures, figure/vehicles, role-play, play sets, games, puzzles, and vehicles. Each basic action figure will come with a Green Lantern ring that can make kids feel as if they have been “chosen” to be a Green Lantern, too.
Tags: DC Entertainment, Formation Marketing Canada Ltd., Funko, Green Lantern, Hewlett-Packard, Horizon Group USA, Hy-Ko Products, Kidz Toyz, LPG International, Ltd., Mattel, mezco toyz, NECA, Noble Collection, Pressman Toy, Rubie’s, SRM Entertainment, Toy Factory, Trend Setters, University Games, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, WBCP
Posted in Licenses, New Products, News | 1 Comment »
This post was written by Jackie Breyer
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