...Mattel Case Study Dolls facing new challenges on the global market I. Executive Summary Mattel produces and sells various toys around the world and among these Barbie fashion doll is the flagship. This product was criticized from more aspects from other cultures of Aisa where the lifestyle Barbie represents is not commonly accepted. On the other hand privacy issues were raised by parents regarding the digital marketing activity of Mattel, as rights of children are related in this market. Mattel needs to consider whether these challenges are related specifically to the lifestyle Barbie represents, whether the lifecycle of Barbie can be expanded in a changing global environment. Or the issues are the signs of a general change regarding toys marketed internationally and also digitally. I came to the conclusion that Mattel needs to introduce a new doll which fits the new expectations. II. Problem/Issue Statement Mattel is the No 1. toy producer in the world, in terms of Sale. Their products with the strongest market presence are based on the concept of dolls / collectibles, where these characters are supported with background story, additional gadgets, additional releases of attached tools. The flagship brand of the company is the fashion Barbie doll, which was 50 years old in 2009. Barbie represents an independent, young American girl and as a fashion doll it acted in different professions and situations during the years. Thanks to this concept the lifecycle of the brand could been expanded on...
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...pink. When you browse this area more closely, you will recognize the iconic name, Barbie, branded across a wide selection of dolls, houses, clothing, cars, and other accessories. Most likely, you will notice a news anchor and a computer engineer Barbie, representing the new Barbie careers of the 2010s. If you were shopping in any other decade since the late 1950s, you would see Barbie dolls with different costumes and careers. Since its inception in 1959, by creator Ruth Handler, the Barbie doll has taken on more than 100 different career paths and has become the most successful doll ever produced. This iconic and often controversial doll has had a great deal of influence on every decade since the late 1950s. From its very inception, Barbie was an innovative fashion doll, whose desirability and influence among girls quickly skyrocketed. It was the first ever adult-bodied doll, equipped with breasts, long legs, and a small waist. Previously, the only dolls for girls were baby or infant dolls that allowed little girls to play mommy. But with Barbie, little girls were soon able to imagine being much more than just mothers or wives, and could play as any career they wanted. The Barbie doll was not simply a fashionable toy, but a role model for individuality and freedom of choice for all females. It broke through gender barriers by teaching girls they could be anything they dreamed. However, the doll received a great deal of outrage and criticism throughout the decades as well. In...
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...Image: Cultures Idolizing the Female Form A Comparison and Contrast of the Barbie Doll and Venus de Willendorf Image: Cultures Idolizing the Female Form A Comparison and Contrast of the Barbie Doll and Venus de Willendorf The fact that cultures have idolized the female form in our modern era is not a new concept. Beauty in modern times has been held to the highest standard, but where and why did we get our ideal of beauty? Culture plays a large in role in how beauty is defined, and this is very clear when it pertains to the culture behind both the Venus de Willendorf and the more modern Barbie doll. Clearly, idolizing the female form is an ideal that has existed since the very first centuries that humans walked the earth. Taking a look at the two different cultures that idolize the female form may give us a little bit of insight into the similarities and differences there were between two different society’s composed of very similar beings. The statuette Venus de Willendorf was first discovered in Austria in 1908 by the archaeologist Josef Szombathy. This is the earliest image of a human being known to exist, thought to have been created during the Paleolithic era some 25,000 years ago (Witcombe)! The climate in the region that the statuette was discovered was probably an ice covered land, and therefore, her voluptuous image probably portrays a desire for food and to survive. Humans will always have one thing in common: survival. Whether it is a work of art portraying...
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...Failure of the Barbie Doll in the Indian Market Priti Nemani* INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 97 I. GLOBALIZATION AND THE MULTINATIONAL ........................................ 99 A. Globalization Defined ................................................................ 99 1. The Key to the Kingdom: The Globalized Brand ............. 100 B. Barbie in the Global Economy ................................................. 102 1. Barbie‘s History................................................................. 102 2. Corporate Philosophy and Marketing Strategies behind Barbie ................................................................................ 105 II. MATTEL‘S BUSINESS VENTURES IN INDIA ......................................... 107 A. The Late 1980s: Barbie’s Tango with the License Raj ............. 107 1. The Licensing System ....................................................... 109 2. Limits on Foreign Direct Investment .................................110 3. Mattel‘s Joint Venture ......................................................... 111 B. India’s Economic Liberalization and Mattel’s Second Chance at Success...................................................................................113 1. India, the IMF, and the World Bank ...................................113 2. Mattel in India from 1993-2010 .........................................115 III. UNDERSTANDING WHY BARBIE FAILED IN INDIA...
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...It’s a Barbie World Abstract Barbie dolls have been around for many years and many young girls have gotten a Barbie as a gift at some time in their lives. Barbie is made out of plastic and has unrealistic features to her. Her body proportions are not possible and her look only relates to less than half of the human population. Barbie has the perfect, dream world where she has her dream car, house, an impeccable wardrobe, and of course the man of her dreams. Many girls grow up and admire Barbie for her looks and all the materialistic things she has and will probably grow up wanting to be just like her. This can lead to them wanting to dress in mini skirts and short-shorts at a young age and can lead to prostitution in the future. One simple doll can change the lives of young girls and parents may not even realize it. Keywords: Barbie, unrealistic features, young girls “I’m a blond bimbo girl, in a fantasy world, dress me up, make it tight.” Those are some of the lyrics of Barbie Girl by Aqua who sung a song about a Barbie doll and how she lives this perfect, materialistic world with her true love Ken. Looking back into my child hood. I was never the little girl who played with Barbie’s or had an obsession with having every addition. In other cases though, many girls are influenced by the doll and can have negative effects in their lives. Parents do not realize the effects that a Barbie doll can have on a little girl. Parents may think they are buying the perfect toy for...
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...worry about how much their child’s favorite can affect them, now and in their futures. With Barbie being a popular child’s toy for decades, and with her in a world that has become increasingly filled with ways the media can reach children, one can wonder, how much of an impact does a seemingly docile doll have on children? Barbie caused quite a stir when she was first introduced in 1959. Many adults were outraged claiming she had too much of an adult figure to be a toy for children. Soon after Barbie’s introduction to toy shelves though, women realized that Barbie could be used as a teaching tool...
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...increasing rate at which traditional toys are becoming less appealing to today’s young audience. Essentially, Mattel’s mismanagement and oversight lead to violations in terms of ethical and social responsibilities and safety standards. Issues Relevant to the Problem: Mattel’s problem of mismanagement can be divided into several issues that need to be considered: legal issues, international supply chain issues, and an increase in technology-based toys. In regards to legal issues, Mattel has been involved in prolonged litigation with Carter Bryant and MGA over a breach of an employment contract and copyright infringement. Due to Mattel’s poor management of its overseas manufacturers, in which unauthorized subcontractors and third-party suppliers were hired and unsafe materials used, several toy products were recalled. Advances in technology and changes in socioeconomic and demographic trends have created marketing, privacy, and product development issues for Mattel. Analysis of Issues: Legal Issues: It is evident that Mattel has used poor management practices, in which their HR and Operations Departments have failed to ensure that employees adhere to confidentiality clauses in their employment contracts. The creation of MGA’s line of Bratz dolls and the legal battle that ensued are a direct reflection of this practice. Since 2004,...
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...accomplishment in their offers of the immortal Barbie doll and her extras, and because of this achievement, they saw no compelling reason to modify her in any capacity. The certainty was that they were truly reluctant to adjust her on the grounds that by doing so may detract from the moms and grandmas who might keep on purchasing her for their kids and grandchildren. Numerous dolls had attempted to rival Barbie before, yet none could make the grade regarding the enormous presence and history that Barbie spoke to, until MGA introduced the Bratz doll line. These dolls spoke to everything that young ladies loved on TV. They had the hair, the cosmetics, the garments, the shoes (that were not as simple to lose as Barbie's since the...
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...Mattel’s legal battle with Carter Bryant and MGA, their forced recall of certain toys that were manufactured overseas, and the increasing rate at which traditional toys are becoming less appealing to today’s young audience. Essentially, Mattel’s mismanagement and oversight lead to violations in terms of ethical and social responsibilities and safety standards. Issues Relevant to the Problem: Mattel’s problem of mismanagement can be divided into several issues that need to be considered: legal issues, international supply chain issues, and an increase in technology-based toys. In regards to legal issues, Mattel has been involved in prolonged litigation with Carter Bryant and MGA over a breach of an employment contract and copyright infringement. Due to Mattel’s poor management of its overseas manufacturers, in which unauthorized subcontractors and third-party suppliers were hired and unsafe materials used, several toy products were recalled. Advances in technology and changes in socioeconomic and demographic trends have created marketing, privacy, and product development issues for Mattel. Analysis of Issues: Legal Issues: It is evident that Mattel has used poor management practices, in which their HR and Operations Departments have failed to ensure that employees adhere to confidentiality...
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...What makes a great song? Well, depending on the genre, audiences usually listen to the beat of the song and the voice of the singer, however the meaning behind the song is the most important. Barbie Girl is a song by a band called Aqua and it meritoriously demonstrates human foolishness within society through the use of textual elements such as tone, diction, repetition, as well as visual features. This song is a feminist satire cunningly disguised in a childish, friendly pop hit targeted to young adults and teenagers as it mocks the way a majority of them may think and act as she ridicules how they are desperately trying to resemble Barbie. Aqua uses a sarcastic tone to help send across the purpose of the text. Moreover, the tone throughout the song is understood through Aqua’s use of diction, repetition and visual features. The purpose of the song is to reveal messages of sex and the roles that men and women play in a sexual relationship. Since most listeners of this song do not cautiously pay attention to the lyrics, the sarcastic tone, mixed with the childish, high pitched voice of the lead singer would give the impression that this is fun and cheerful record, exposing the mood. The fake cheeriness and high-pitched voice is used to support audiences understand the mockery that links to the message which is human recklessness within society. The strong use of wording throughout the text demonstrates the superiority of men over women and develops the tone of the song...
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...edu Mattel Responds to Ethical Challenges INTRODUCTION Mattel, Inc. is a global leader in designing and manufacturing toys and family products. Well-known for brands such as Barbie, Fisher-Price, Disney, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Tyco, Cabbage Patch Kids, and board games, the company boasts nearly $5.9 billion in annual revenue. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, with offices across the world, Mattel markets its products in over 150 nations. It all started in a California garage workshop when Ruth and Elliot Handler and Matt Matson founded Mattel in 1945. The company started out making picture frames, but the founders soon recognized the profitability of the toy industry and switched their emphasis to toys. Mattel became a publicly owned company in 1960, with sales exceeding $100 million by 1965. Over the next forty years, Mattel went on to become the world’s largest toy company in terms of revenue. In spite of its overall success, Mattel has had its share of losses over its history. During the mid to late 1990s, Mattel lost millions to declining sales and bad business acquisitions. In January 1997, Jill Barad took over as Mattel’s CEO. Barad’s management-style was characterized as strict and her tenure at the helm proved challenging for many employees. While Barad had been successful in building the Barbie brand to $2 billion by the end of the 20th century, growth slowed in the early 21st. Declining sales at outlets such as Toys ‘R’ Us marked the start of some difficulties for...
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...with the Polly Pocket doll for his daughter. Mattel and Bluebird developed his idea into a very popular toy line. Polly is a small doll--approximately 3 and 3/4 inch tall. She is plastic with jointed legs and arms. She comes with all sorts of miniature accessories and playsets to spark a child's imagination. But, it was the clothes that did me in. Polly Pocket is a line of miniature toy dolls and dollhouses that many little girls find intriguing. When planning a Polly Pocket social event or birthday party for a girl, you can create a few activities to keep the girls entertained. Activities and games give the girls a chance to win or make their own Polly Pocket creations to take home as a memento of the gathering. 1. Activities o Hide several Polly Pocket accessories, clothes, pets and toys around the play area. Give each guest a plastic Polly Pocket-themed bag and have her hunt for the items. After the players find all of the items, give each one a small Polly Pocket doll to go with all her accessories from the hunt. For an added bonus, have the girls count their accessories. Award a large Polly Pocket doll to the girl who finds the most accessories. For another activity, divide the girls into two teams. Have the teams take turns hiding the Polly Pocket accessories or dolls in a room. See how many each team can find in two minutes. Crafts o Help the children make Polly Pocket bracelets. Give the girls a large bowl of miniature Polly Pocket dolls, pink craft wire and...
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...In A Barbie World! A culture that is saturated by consumerism can be referred to as a consumer culture. Barbie can be used as a tool for consumer culture because she is perceived to be the perfect woman, an unattainable achievement. Barbie has the perfect man, Ken; she has her dream house, and car, and even a dream closet. There are life size Barbies bouncing around in T.V. and print media ads that personify this image. Barbie produces a systematic reproduction of consistency; she doesn't evolve but rather promotes change around her. Barbie’s face or body structure hasn’t significantly changed since her creation. The different nationalities that Barbie is produced in are careful not to lend themselves to stereotypes too heavily. Most importantly, the concept of Barbie hasn’t changed throughout the years. Ultimately, she is still a toy. Barbie promotes change by attaching herself to current trends and issues, such as Presidential Barbie, Olympic Barbie, and Sponge Bob Barbie. By presenting current trends in Barbie form, Mattel successfully promotes these trends to parents and children. The perception of perfection that surrounds Barbie is unattainable; however, consumers consistently find satisfaction or happiness in reaching for these goals. We have a car that works perfectly fine, but we want a new one. Our house has more then enough space, but we want a bigger one. Those shoes match absolutely nothing in my closet, but they're new and in style, so I just have to have them...
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...off her nose and her legs/ and offered them up.” This quote from “Barbie Doll”, by Marge Piercy, refers to a young girl who wishes to change her character and her appearance in order to live up to society’s expectations. In fact, instead of being complimented or admired for whom she truly is, people would rather criticize and condemn her for whom she isn’t. As a result of endlessly trying to alter her portrait, the “girlchild” eventually “wore herself out”. This poem suggests that unrealistic societal demands are destructive for a woman’s self-esteem and well-being. When comparing oneself to an idealistic notion of female beauty and behaviour, one can only expect to feel demoralized, discouraged and devalued. Indeed, "Barbie Doll," the title of the poem, symbolizes society’s view of a perfect woman; the way society expects every woman to be. In fact, by using “Barbie Doll” as the title to her poem, Marge Piercy wants the reader to compare and contrast the adolescent’s appearance to that of a Barbie doll. Stereotypically, Mattel’s Barbie dolls have tall, thin yet curvy bodies, with symmetrical, perfect facial features, blonde hair and blue eyes. This, in turn, leads to the protagonist’s void of self-confidence. Additionally, living up to such standards - all the while being a housewife who must clean the house, raise the children and please her husband - is very demanding on the female gender. Moreover, the doll is symbolic of the ways that women themselves have been plasticized...
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...realize how beautiful they are. Most girls have faced issues about feeling insecure about their body, at least once. People don’t even know how difficult is to be a girl (especially teenagers) in today’s society and all the pressure that surround us. Everywhere we go there’s an advertisement that shows a very thin women; there’s also the weight loss ones, that promote some type of miracle exercise equipment that in seconds makes you burn a thousand calories and even “miracle” diet pills. Over time, the beauty standards for teenage girls have changed, and it was for worse. Just in about the twentieth century, girls started to desire that thinness looking. A good example of this was Marilyn Monroe in the 50’s. She was a celebrity, the whole world considered her the personification of perfection. Many desired to look like her (blonde hair, red lips, curvy body). She was a size twelve, in today’s society, a size twelve woman is considered overweight; and feels immediate pressure to lose weight. Because the actual image of beauty that is in media, is a model with 98 pounds, and is a 2 digit size. “Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women” - Dobson, 2006. This unreal picture has lead many girls to enormous health issues. These unreal standards are introduced to young girls at when they don’t even realize how it influence them. Barbie dolls, everyone have at least seen a Barbie doll when they were toddlers. Barbie is tall, thin, with large breasts, and a very small waist...
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