'Take that Bratz'
Barbie 2.0: Toy icon goes interactive
'The No. 1 fashion doll now comes with an MP3 player and a Web portal to a virtual world where girls create digital characters, design their own rooms and shop at an online mall.
Barbie has arrived in girls' bedrooms in coaches and convertibles, on party buses and dream boats, her friend Ken at her side. Now her latest vehicle is a data port, and her newest dream house is online.
Mattel (MAT, news, msgs) this week unveiled its newest Barbie: a $60 device that connects girls to a new Web site, BarbieGirls.com. Mattel is hoping that Barbie Girls will reinvigorate the brand and serve as a case study in how a 1950s-era business finds its place in the Digital Age.
At stake is Mattel's newfound momentum. The El Segundo, Calif., toy maker's stock, a laggard for much of the past six years, has surged 80% since July 14, in part because of a feeling on Wall Street that even though Barbie's U.S. sales are falling, Mattel overall is doing a better job connecting with tech-savvy kids. Top sellers last year included a $40 Elmo that wriggled across the floor and a $70 digital camera for tots.
"Mattel watched products like iPods sell so well," says Sean McGowan of Wedbush Morgan Securities. "They know parents will spend money if the toy is fun."
This combination of online and offline play is shaping up to be the hottest trend in toys. The most visible example is Webkinz, from privately held Canadian toy maker Ganz. The $11 stuffed animals come with distinctive pass codes that give kids one year of access to a site where they can play games and chat with friends. Ganz says it has sold more than 1.5 million of the critters since their introduction two years ago.
The latest Barbie isn't a doll but a 4½-inch-long gadget that attaches to a PC via a docking station and USB port. When the device goes on sale in July, it will be the only way kids can fully interact with BarbieGirls.com.
In this virtual world, girls will create a character they can name, dress and customize by skin tone, hairstyle and expression. They'll shop for clothes and furniture in a virtual mall, using "B-bucks" earned by playing games and watching product promotion videos.'
'The No. 1 fashion doll now comes with an MP3 player and a Web portal to a virtual world where girls create digital characters, design their own rooms and shop at an online mall.
Barbie has arrived in girls' bedrooms in coaches and convertibles, on party buses and dream boats, her friend Ken at her side. Now her latest vehicle is a data port, and her newest dream house is online.
Mattel (MAT, news, msgs) this week unveiled its newest Barbie: a $60 device that connects girls to a new Web site, BarbieGirls.com. Mattel is hoping that Barbie Girls will reinvigorate the brand and serve as a case study in how a 1950s-era business finds its place in the Digital Age.
At stake is Mattel's newfound momentum. The El Segundo, Calif., toy maker's stock, a laggard for much of the past six years, has surged 80% since July 14, in part because of a feeling on Wall Street that even though Barbie's U.S. sales are falling, Mattel overall is doing a better job connecting with tech-savvy kids. Top sellers last year included a $40 Elmo that wriggled across the floor and a $70 digital camera for tots.
"Mattel watched products like iPods sell so well," says Sean McGowan of Wedbush Morgan Securities. "They know parents will spend money if the toy is fun."
This combination of online and offline play is shaping up to be the hottest trend in toys. The most visible example is Webkinz, from privately held Canadian toy maker Ganz. The $11 stuffed animals come with distinctive pass codes that give kids one year of access to a site where they can play games and chat with friends. Ganz says it has sold more than 1.5 million of the critters since their introduction two years ago.
The latest Barbie isn't a doll but a 4½-inch-long gadget that attaches to a PC via a docking station and USB port. When the device goes on sale in July, it will be the only way kids can fully interact with BarbieGirls.com.
In this virtual world, girls will create a character they can name, dress and customize by skin tone, hairstyle and expression. They'll shop for clothes and furniture in a virtual mall, using "B-bucks" earned by playing games and watching product promotion videos.'
Labels: Business, Kids, Pop Culture, Toys
posted by Big Daddy at
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Denver
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