TV Kids BLE Report 2021

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BLE REPORT 2021

Mattel’s Ynon Kreiz / Brand-Building Strategies

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CONTENTS

The Power of Play

70 MATTEL’S YNON KREIZ

The chairman and CEO of the IP-driven toy company on his transformation strategy, trends in retail, the endurance of brands like Barbie and Thomas and more.

While spending quality time with a friend’s adorable and precocious little girls, I had the pleasure of picking up a nostalgic toy from my own childhood, the Barbie doll—and was delighted with the reinvention I saw.

Ricardo Seguin Guise Publisher Anna Carugati Group Editorial Director Mansha Daswani Editor Kristin Brzoznowski Executive Editor Chelsea Regan Managing Editor Jamie Stalcup Associate Editor David Diehl Production & Design Director Simon Weaver Online Director Dana Mattison Senior Sales & Marketing Manager Genovick Acevedo Sales & Marketing Coordinator Andrea Moreno Business Affairs Manager

Ricardo Seguin Guise President Anna Carugati Executive VP Mansha Daswani Associate Publisher & VP of Strategic Development TV Kids ©2021 WSN INC. 1123 Broadway, #1207 New York, NY 10010 Phone: (212) 924-7620 Fax: (212) 924-6940 Website: www.tvkids.com

As a child of the ’80s, my Barbies had long blonde hair and teeny tiny bodies; their clothes were fitted tight and shoes traditionally had high heels. But today’s Barbie dolls are far more diverse. The ones I was handed by these two little girls wanting me to fall into their imaginary worlds were much more reflective of the people they see every day on the streets in their Brooklyn neighborhood. One Barbie had a limb difference and wears a prosthetic leg, the other with vitiligo areas on her face, neck and hands. I was so pleasantly in awe as they continued to display their collection of dolls with different skin tones, hair types, body shapes and abilities.

“Barbie today is much more than a toy; it’s much more than a doll; it is about a very clear brand purpose to inspire the limitless potential in every girl,” Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz told attendees at the TV Kids Summer Festival. “It has been a multiyear journey about diversity, inclusivity, equality and purposeful play. Barbie today is the most diverse doll line on the market, with multiple body types, skin tones, hairstyles, hair colors. Barbie represents the world as we see it today and continues to resonate with consumers and families at levels we have not seen in many years.” More from the interview with Kreiz can be found later in this issue of TV Kids.

We also hear from a range of content owners about the increasingly important role of digital platforms in establishing and building brands today. Kids nowadays are on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and the like, and brands are looking to these platforms as yet another way to make meaningful connections with their audiences.

With the challenging year and a half that kids have faced, the value of playtime has become all the more important.

Indeed, in the first half of 2021, toy industry sales increased by 15 percent to $22.45 billion when compared to the same time period in 2020 and 28 percent when compared to the $17.59 billion generated in the same period in 2019, according to The NPD Group. This is all good news for brand owners taking part in Brand Licensing Europe, where discussions will center on new product partnerships that will hopefully bring about toys that kids will make connections with and see themselves authentically reflected in. —Kristin Brzoznowski

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Leading content owners discuss the increasingly important role of digital platforms in establishing and building brands today.

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TV KIDS: Even last year, despite the pandemic, you had a very good year. Barbie deserves a shout-out—she has been performing really well, hasn’t she?

KREIZ: Barbie strengthened its position as the number one global doll property and continued to gain market share. We are extending characters like Chelsea. We are launching new fashion segments like Barbie Extra. We are celebrating Ken’s 60th anniversary. Barbie today is much more than a toy; it’s much more than a doll; it is about a very clear brand purpose to inspire the limitless potential in every girl. It has been a multiyear journey about diversity, inclusivity, equality and purposeful play. Barbie today is the most diverse doll line on the market, with multiple body types, skin tones, hairstyles, hair colors. Over half of the Barbie dolls today are diverse. Barbie represents the world as we see it today and continues to resonate with consumers and families at levels we have not seen in many years.

TV KIDS: How does reaching out to children and families through movies and television strengthen Mattel’s brands and their connection with consumers?

KREIZ: This is an important way for us to connect with consumers and engage with fans through multiple

Ynon Kreiz Mattel

By Anna Carugati

U

nder the leadership of Ynon Kreiz as chairman and CEO, Mattel has reported quarter after quarter of strong financial gains. As Kreiz told attendees of the TV Kids Summer Festival, Mattel is in growth mode, led by its transformation into an “IP-driven, high-performing” toy company that is extending its storied brands into numerous consumer touchpoints. In that keynote, excerpted here, Kreiz weighed in on the fruits of the strategy, trends in retail, the endurance of brands like Barbie and Thomas and more.

touchpoints. In today’s world, it’s not just about one representation of a franchise or a brand. It’s a holistic experience. Owning the underlying rights for these brands gives us the ability to engage consumers and entertain them in multiple ways. We always stay true to the DNA of our brands and franchises. We maintain the ethos of these brands in a way that is threaded throughout the experience, so it is a consistent representation but gives us a much broader base to reach consumers at many levels.

TV KIDS: You’ve led Mattel to transform itself from a toy company to an IP company. Tell us about that vision.

KREIZ: Mattel today is a very different company than it was just a few short years ago. We had a very clear vision and put together a strategy—the biggest change was to transition from being a toy manufacturing company to becoming an IP-driven, highperforming toy company. Our transformation strategy is paying off, and we are starting to unlock the true value of Mattel.

We finished the heavy lifting of restructuring and are now entering growth mode. This is all driven by the Mattel playbook, which is a portfolio-wide framework and methodology that sets us apart from the competition. We’re seeing our product resonating with consumers at levels we have not seen in years, all fueled by innovation and cultural relevance.

TV KIDS: How are your teams managing and refreshing franchises for new audiences while remaining true to what those properties are?

KREIZ: This is about finding the balance between reviving legacy heritage brands that have many years, decades in some cases, of representation and a built-in fan base and creating them to be more relevant to today’s world, more culturally relevant and still maintaining their brand purpose and what made them successful in the first place. It is about integrity and authenticity. This is one of our core strengths as a creative company—finding that right balance and continuing to innovate, reimagine and stay relevant to today’s world.

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TV KIDS: You have also grown your e-commerce business.

How has it been performing during the pandemic when a lot of families are experiencing financial difficulties?

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KREIZ: Our retail and e-commerce [businesses] are very important parts of our transformation strategy. Covid has brought about a big shift in how consumers shop with the acceleration of online retail and e-commerce— anywhere between two, three, maybe even five years, depending on the market. We pivoted the company and were able to respond to that change in consumer shopping habits. Mattel is engaging with consumers in ways that strengthen and broaden what we do in brick-andmortar stores. This is driven by two strategies. One is through our relationships with retail partners, who have pivoted and expanded their online retail and e-commerce.

Second is what we do as a company in terms of building our own direct-to-consumer sales capabilities.

American Girl is leading the way for us, with end-to-end capabilities, expertise and a robust business that is growing and performing very well. Mattel Creations is our own collective focus website that is highly curated and is getting great response and market feedback. Expect to see more from Mattel in online retail and e-commerce, and specifically in our direct-to-consumer business.

TV KIDS: How do you see consumer behavior as we move out of the pandemic?

KREIZ: One thing is becoming very clear: physical play is here to stay and is projected to grow. We believe in the long-term growth prospects of the toy industry. In 2020, the industry saw extraordinary growth and proved its resilience yet again, partly backed by the shift to e-commerce, but generally, it’s an important part of our daily lives. The pandemic emphasized how parents prioritize physical play, especially when it comes to quality products and trusted brands. Consumers want to buy brands that align with their values and beliefs. Parents are increasingly drawn to toys that promote positive values and reflect how they would like to raise their kids. We know that parents will always prioritize spending money on their children. This is where we step in and do our share in creating products that resonate, that stand true to our mission and purpose as a company. We are aiming to create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. A big part of our success over at least the last three quarters has been driven by our ability to manifest that mission in the products that we make and how we engage consumers on multiple levels. Also, screen time is on the rise, further accelerated by Covid, but it is not taking away from play and especially from physical play and toys. In fact, the toy industry will continue to thrive, even with the rise of screen time or the growth of tablets and video games in parallel. Given the fact that we own the underlying rights, we can participate in these areas. This is a complement to what we do, and we see exciting opportunities for Mattel as part of our midto long-term strategy in those areas as well.

TV KIDS: You worked for some of the most important media companies before joining Mattel. How do your previous experiences help you navigate the challenges and the opportunities that you see ahead?

KREIZ: The companies that I managed before were all creative organizations with core content libraries,

intellectual property assets or access to creative talent.

We looked to leverage market developments and new technologies to reposition those companies, create a new economic model, or find new commercial opportunities. At FOX KIDS, for example, we capitalized on new digital technology to transition from being a distributor of children’s programming to free-to-air broadcasters—which was a mature industry at the time—to become one of the fastest-growing pay-TV channels in Europe. At Endemol, we expanded the business from being a producer of reality and game shows, also a mature industry, to becoming a global distributor of TV programming and a key player in scripted content as demand for localized scripted shows was growing. At Maker Studios, a pioneer in a brand-new industry, we leveraged our relationship with leading YouTube talent and aggregated UGC content through our technology platform to create a global multichannel network and become one of YouTube’s largest partners. And of course, working as part of The Walt Disney Company, one of the world’s preeminent entertainment companies, after they acquired Maker Studios was a great experience in and of itself. So taking all of that, coming into Mattel, I saw the incredible asset catalog, a treasure trove of intellectual properties, heritage brands and incredible franchises with so much appeal and built-in fan bases. I was attracted by the opportunity to extend what we do into new areas, new activities, as part of becoming a high-performing toy company. So the strategy is two parts. First, become a high-performing toy company. There are many opportunities for us to grow and continue to perform well in the mid- to long-term as we extend the brands that we own to all these highly accretive business verticals and capture the full value from these assets. I’m very excited about the opportunity, and we’re seeing it unfold right in front of us as we are executing our strategy.

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Barbie Big City Big Dreams is the latest animated special for Netflix featuring Mattel’s beloved doll brand.

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Sesame Workshop’s Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy.

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READY TO

PLAY

Leading content owners discuss the increasingly important role of digital platforms in establishing and building brands today. By Chelsea Regan

S

ocial media apps and sites that host shortform content and cater to engaged consumers—notably, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube—are becoming fixtures in brand plans for media companies looking to reach young viewers. Meeting the audience members where they are is essential, and today’s kids are online—all the time.

“We know that kids are consuming content through digital platforms,” says Fred Faubert, chief creative officer at Digital Dimension Entertainment Group and its subsidiaries Saturday Animation Studio and Meduzarts Animation Studio. “We need to find creative ways to reach kids where they are and give them the experience they are expecting. You cannot go out now without this broad strategy. Kids [need to] see and interact with the characters everywhere they go.”

Digital Dimension is planning to launch a video game alongside a YouTube channel to accompany the Saturday Animation Studio-produced action-adventure series Chase and CATCH. Together with its social media

channels, the plan is to build an audience to advertise its products to. Faubert sees both brick-and-mortar retail and online sales, which social campaigns can drive, as key for the company’s developing brand strategy.

Laying the groundwork for 2022 product rollouts, Cookbook Media is keen to use the power of digital media and the communities therein. “A big part of the push we’re doing with our partners is creating content not only for broadcast and streaming channels but also in the spaces that their fans and their audiences live,” says Robert Bencal, partner and co-founder of Cookbook, which is developing a consumer-products strategy for Saturday Animation’s Chase and CATCH. “For example, we’re doing a lot of work in developing content in the kids’ space for platforms like YouTube and TikTok.” Cookbook is also looking into the gaming space, as well as NFTs for nostalgia properties like Rainbow Magic. “We’re using those platforms—TikTok, YouTube, NFT spaces, gaming—almost for a dual purpose,” explains Bencal. “Developing from a storytelling and content perspective—and brand marketing.”

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Studio 100 is keeping the Maya the Bee brand refreshed with a range of new initiatives.

This year, Konami is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Frogger brand with a new show streaming on Peacock and the 25th anniversary of Yu-Gi-Oh! with key categories and special releases. Somewhat ahead of the game, Konami has long been in the online space to cater to its target audience.

“We’ve been active in the digital space for a while because our fans have been there for so long,” says Kristen Gray, the newly appointed president of Konami Cross Media NY. “Our episodes have been available

Sesame Workshop has created a 360-degree experience to coincide with the beloved Sesame Street character Elmo getting a puppy named Tango. This includes the debut of the 30-minute animated special Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy. “We’re rolling out brand-new and exclusive digital content featuring Elmo, Tango and other furry friends on our Sesame Street YouTube and social media platforms,” says Risa Greenbaum, VP of international consumer products at Sesame Workshop.

“Our goal is to deepen our connections with families by creating powerful ways for fans to engage with Sesame Street.”

—Risa Greenbaum, Sesame Workshop digitally on many platforms internationally. As digital has grown in each country, we’ve expanded our presence there. We have a strong social media following. We use YouTube episodes, as well as sharing product information and building a community within the show.”

Gray adds, “We think it’s going to continue to evolve, and we’re always looking for new ways to find our fans because they were [on digital platforms] before us. They were the first ones there, and I think our job is to give them what they want.”

“Our goal is to deepen our connections with families by creating unique and powerful ways for fans to engage with Sesame Street,” Greenbaum continues. “One way we’re doing that is by investing in more short-form content.” As an example, Greenbaum points to the Sesame Workshop and Headspace collaboration Sesame Street Monster Meditations, six animated shorts to help children learn the fundamentals of mindfulness, meditation and social and emotional learning. They are available on YouTube and YouTube Kids. Also for YouTube, Sesame Workshop has

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Digital Dimension’s Faubert thinks that children’s desire for fresh content could also benefit properties new to the scene. “Kids today are always clamoring for something new, and we believe that Chase and CATCH has the potential to become a successful and timeless franchise, with diverse characters and universes that will translate into a robust merchandise program. We believe kids will respond to the overarching message that we are stronger together and can make a difference in the world.”

BITE-SIZE CONTENT

Konami Cross Media NY’s Yu-Gi-Oh! marks its 25th anniversary this year.

partnered with The Wiggles on a reimagining of their “Fruit Salad” song and an updated version of the Sesame Street song “The ABCs of Moving You.” While platforms are helping established IPs like Yu-Gi-Oh! and Sesame Street engage with old and new fans alike, they also enable brands just emerging in the market to find a foothold, according to Konami’s Gray.

When using platforms like TikTok to build interest in a new property, shorter content can be used to appeal to the audience in a meaningful way with stories they want to hear, according to Cookbook’s Bencal.

“That’s been a really interesting platform to start working with from a brand and licensing space; it’s in more of an organic way, not just running commercials,” he says. “Working with influencers is a big piece—and finding the right influencers.

There are those mega-influencers that are doing it and taking checks and things like that, but finding more of those micro-influencers who are fans of your brand or believe in your brand and working in a partnership with them is something we’ve had great conversations on. We’re going to put some things into motion here for 2022.”

For new IP, in order to grab the attention of young viewers, it’s also imperative to be shown on several

“Some of these other platforms are introducing new opportunities, and it just turns out to be different metrics.”

—Kristen Gray, Konami Cross Media NY “We have more known brands, but we still see that you have to look at other things like social media, YouTube, what Instagram and TikTok are doing, because they’re leveling the playing field a bit,” she explains. “New IP can find new opportunities there. We think that as much as known brands have an advantage, some of these other platforms are introducing new opportunities, and it just turns out to be different metrics. We’re not looking at ratings so much, but we could be looking at followers and subscribers. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”

different platforms, as theater and linear TV alone are no longer sufficient to gain traction, explains Joachim Knödler, head of licensing at Studio 100 Media. “Digital platforms have had a huge increase over the last two years, and with new IPs, it is imperative to connect with the target group through digital and linear and to get successful L&M programs started,” says Knödler. “This includes print-ondemand products to first get consumer demand satisfied and ‘early movers’ involved in a new IP. Integrated marketing campaigns, especially with influencers, are key

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Saturday Animation’s new series Chase and CATCH will be accompanied by a video game and a YouTube channel.

to get consumer attraction and are the perfect argument to secure shelf space in retail.”

BRAND PLANS Knödler goes on to say that Studio 100 Media has already developed IP with a view to digital releases. Of note, the prehistoric-set Vegesaurs, developed with Cheeky Little Media, was “designed with content that we will address for loyalty campaigns at super and hypermarket chains across Europe,” he says. “The content supports the launch of each campaign on digital channels and acts as a booster in the entire communication circle.”

Across the board, the L&M business is in a healthy place.

While this might create room for some new IP to break through with those willing to take a calculated risk, known brands

Sesame Workshop’s Greenbaum has witnessed new preschool properties managing to pick up shelf space and sees that as evidence of a market in good health. But with the ongoing global pandemic and the implications of a world not yet back to normal, she’s also witnessed consumers craving the comfort of the known. “Especially during challenging times, consumers are gravitating toward the tried and true,” says Greenbaum. “They’re attracted to the brands they grew up with, know are safe and want to share with their children.”

“It’s so important that brands have characters that resonate,” Greenbaum adds. “The Sesame Street muppets have a unique ability to spark deep, often immediate, personal connections with kids. When people meet Elmo, they know he represents love, Big Bird is friendship,

“Working with influencers is a big piece—micro-influencers who are fans of your brand.”

—Robert Bencal, Cookbook Media continue to have an advantage. “Currently, we are seeing a strong demand on classic IPs—the focus on brands well known over generations,” says Knödler. “Retailers and consumers are playing safe with their decisions for such brands, and therefore, they are demanding properties where they value continuity in terms of presence, targeting multiple generations.”

This is good news for Studio 100 Media and such brands in its catalog as Heidi, Vic the Viking and Maya the Bee, for which it has launched the Project Poppy Meadow campaign that places a focus on sustainability.

Oscar is the contrarian and Cookie Monster is the poster child for instant gratification, but he’s working hard on his delayed gratification skills. These relatable personality traits make our characters instantly engaging to kids and adults alike.”

Digital Dimension’s Faubert agrees: “Strong characters and creative storytelling are essential, as is finding ways for audiences to experience the brand when and where they want it, and this will be through a variety of formats,” he explains. “Kids want to be with friends while

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major category drivers—even some of the seasonal people—to let them know what’s coming down the pike.

In some cases, we’re even collaborating with manufacturers, licensees and retailers on developing programs so that everybody is on the same page on making it the most successful it can be.”

FRAGMENTING AUDIENCES

Cookbook Media is working with Saturday Animation on the brand plans for Aiko and the Masters of Time.

they are having their entertainment experiences, which is why Roblox, for example, has done so well. Kids want to connect with their heroes, but they also want to be connected to other kids.”

In order to get the shelf space and the opportunity to reach kids on screens, online and in stores, it can be helpful to partner with retailers at an earlier stage, particularly when it comes to bigger properties,

Looking ahead, challenges in brand-building stand to run parallel to the challenges in the content industry at large.

Namely, “the audience and the platforms are just getting more fragmented,” explains Bencal. “Going over to the digital side, it sounds easy, but it’s hard. On the digital side, people are making decisions on your content in a short period of time. You have to make sure you’re going in with the right kind of content and also being able to have that authentic voice, the right storytelling and the right messaging to get traction because the digital side and some of those platforms are very transient. That said, you’re able to experiment a little more.”

Meanwhile, the more established ways of connecting with an audience, like theme parks, which provide an opportunity for family-fun experiences outside the home, remain—even if they have been in short supply for much of the pandemic. Studio 100 Media and Sesame Workshop are both keen to welcome young fans and their caregivers back to their sites with fresh activities and events around the world.

“With Studio 100’s extensive experience with our own theme park business, we are currently developing new concepts with a partner in Spain to bring the fun and entertainment back into retail with location-based attractions and entertainment,” says Knödler. “Initiating and launching [a] great project in Poland, we will go for a

“Integrated marketing campaigns are key to get consumer attraction and [securing] shelf space in retail.”

—Joachim Knödler, Studio 100 Media according to Cookbook’s Bencal. “There is only so much shelf space and attention space, even in the digital world. You think there’s infinite shelf space, but there isn’t because people can only focus on so much,” says Bencal. It’s important, he adds, to give “retailers an insight into what you’re doing early—and not only retailers but consumer-product companies.”

Bencal continues, “Traditionally, you’d sell a show and then you’d go to the toy companies. We’re getting out there earlier to talk to toy and apparel companies and the

rollout in other European markets soon and combine this with the brand essence of our classic IPs.” Sesame Workshop’s Greenbaum notes, “Families are anxious to get back out and enjoy activities. Themed entertainment—live shows, theme parks, family entertainment centers—will see a rise in attendance.

Milestones like the 50th anniversary of Sesame Street in Germany in 2023 and character birthdays throughout the year are great reasons to invite families to come out and celebrate, once it’s safe to do so.”

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