Chief’s Post

Snoop Dogg x Skechers almost didn’t happen. 🐕 🚫 👟 I caught a recent interview with Snoop on the All the Smoke podcast with former National Basketball Association (NBA) players, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. The way he tells it, someone on his team was blocking Skechers from getting to Snoop because they felt the Skechers brand was "beneath" the Snoop brand. But as Snoop put it: All shoes are beneath me. (This guy.) Got me thinking about gatekeepers and how an idea can be rejected by someone with the decision-maker’s best interests in mind - but sometimes they’re blocking good ideas, too. And sometimes, a prospective buyer or partner is blocking themselves by rejecting a good idea before they hear it. In Snoop’s case, he thanked Martha Stewart (of course) for going around his team and bringing the Skechers partnership idea to him. Snoop said he understands why his team blocked Skechers from pitching him - but that ultimately it was the wrong decision. As a salesperson, of course, I can’t send 100 cold emails to a prospective buyer and then just ask Martha Stewart to pitch my solution for me. (Or can I???) But it does make me think: even if wrong-headed, the prospect (or their gatekeeper) probably feels they have a reason why they aren’t engaging with your idea. And that’s the “fun” part of sales. It’s comforting, I suppose, to know that even a nearly-$10bn brand like Skechers can sometimes struggle when pitching a winning idea. #sales #branding #marketing #personaldevelopment

Crocs x Licensing = A Winning Mix 💪 Crocs is a great example of a manufacturer that uses #Licensing to expand its manufacturing and distribution by partnering with other brands to create unique collaborations. Crocs sells shoes, but they realized that by licensing brands like #HelloKitty, #Disney, #Pringles, #Nascar, #McDonald’s, #Barbie, and one of my faves #StarWars, they can attract more customers and sell more products. You may think licensing can only work for the bigger companies, but that’s not true. Strategic licensing deals can really elevate a smaller company. After all, every company & brand have to start somewhere. When I worked at Sky Kids (many years ago 😉), we certainly weren’t as big as Mattel or Hasbro, but we had a robust licensing roster which included names such as Sesame Street, WWE, Wizard of Oz, Twinkies & more. It helped take our sales to the next level.  Encouraging you to step outside your comfort zone and consider how licensing can work for you. You don’t know until you try. 💡 Stay safe and stay legal! ⚖ 😊 Hi! I am Stephanie Pottick 🔑 Helping you navigate the ins and outs of Licensing  ⭐ Protecting your brands & business so you can scale & grow  ➡ Follow #protectforsuccess 🔝 Connect with me https://lnkd.in/gAJhPvmg #levelupyourbusiness

On the last day of #CannesLions2024, Ynon Kreiz, Chairman and CEO of Mattel, Inc., received the Entertainment Person of the Year Award in the Palais. He also delivered a keynote that was a masterclass on #leadership of #creative companies and an exploration of #fandom, the power of #brands and the future of #entertainment. Interviewed by CNBC anchor Tania Bryer OBE, Kreiz spoke about the multiyear transformation strategy of #Mattel, from a toy company to an IP-driven entertainment company, and about what it takes to assume the kind of creative risks involved in producing movies like ‘Barbie,’ which became a cultural phenomenon, achieving the largest global box office in 2023 and becoming the industry’s 14th-highest-grossing movie of all time! ▶ “The way you approach risk is to partner with the best creators in the world. There are, of course, no guarantees, but if you trust creative geniuses and support them, magic happens.” 📌 My 4 key takeaways from this inspiring, insightful keynote are: 1️⃣ When Kreiz took the job as Chairman and CEO of Mattel, Inc. in 2018, the company was facing serious financial issues, but what he saw was a creative company with enormous #IP potential. His vision to transform Mattel from a toy manufacturer into a successful entertainment business came from his deep understanding of the #transformative #media and #entertainment industry (Kreiz managed three other creative companies before Mattel). ▶ “Today it’s all about access, ownership, or creation of content that stands out, and that’s where Mattel has a competitive advantage due to our IP but also the strength of our brand portfolio and our franchises.” 2️⃣ Mattel is an iconic American start-up that will celebrate its 80th anniversary next year. How do you take timeless brands like Barbie ®, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, or Bob the Builder that have been around for 2 or 3 generations and make them timely again? ▶ “By infusing brand purpose and cultural relevancy into everything we do, this is not just about marketing.” 3️⃣ There are many different ways to build fandom and emotional connection with consumers through entertainment. ▶ “The advantage of starting with toys is that they are tactile: people hug our product. Even in the digital age, this drives stronger emotional connection than anything else.” 4️⃣ Mattel’s journey to become a force in the world of entertainment has only just begun. They have 16 movies in development, including “Masters of the Universe 2026,” and 13 TV shows and series on air. They are launching their first adventure park in the US before the end of the year, as well as new digital and mobile games. ▶ Leadership of creative companies requires bravery, empathy, and “an ability to infuse #creativity and #innovation in everything you do.” 🔴 What do you think of Ynon Kreiz's approach to transforming Mattel, Inc., and can you name other brands facing similar challenges?

The Oscar Nominations came out recently and one of the main topics of discussion is Barbie's Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie being snubbed in the major Oscar nomination categories. I no longer go to the cinema on a weekly basis (as I did pre-pandemic), so I haven’t watched several of the films nominated for the awards. I have however watched the Barbie movie a couple of times. (Have you seen the movie? If so what were your thoughts?) As you probably know, Mattel produces the Barbie® doll and related products.   While Barbie is in the minds of many the signature brand of Mattel, Mattel owns over 210 brands. As stated on the company’s website: Mattel is the owner of one of the strongest portfolios of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We engage consumers through our catalog of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our brands have been inspiring generations of consumers and have deep emotional connections with a large fan base of children everywhere. As one would imagine, it has a huge number of registered trade marks protecting its iconic brands, but Mattel has also filed patent applications for over 2,500 inventions 😮 , and has a huge portfolio of registered designs. It is a company that is constantly innovating and seeking ways in which to improve what it brings to the market. I don’t know for sure, but I’d like to think that every employee at Mattel (at least the majority) have some knowledge of the importance of intellectual property rights to the ongoing success of the company.

Why is the Cap Brand ’47, which has Grown from Wagon Sales to Officially Licensed by MLB, so Popular? The brand '’47', which was born in Boston, America in 1947, now has a strong presence among competing cap brands. This article tells the story of how a brand, which started with wagon sales near Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox, grew into an official licensee of MLB. Alongside revisiting the not-so-well-known history of '47, I interviewed Taizo Date, the brand's general manager, to introduce their product line and to understand why it has been so popular among young people. ...please read the continuation of this article here. Article link 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gQuA2hir

Great piece on corporate strategy and unlocking the value of your assets by using lateral thinking and relevant product extensions. There can be risk in the strategy as the extensions become a multiplier of the hit driven nature of the business. Will Barbie be a one-hit wonder? Or will the other Mattel, Inc. properties that are on the books for movies have similar success? Will they overuse the Barbie IP and churn out sequels that are less authentic, but hoping for the same incredible results? Managing IP carefully as trends and interests change is work. Just look at Hasbro. Hasbro started leveraging their IP across media in the '80s. As a Disney licensee from 1954 they had a good view of the value of IP across media. GI Joe relaunched with Marvel Comics and Transformers launched with a TV show in 1982 (some might argue that the media were just ads for the toys but it worked). Transformers and My Little Pony movies followed in 1986. However, the amplification of being hit driven affected them just a couple of weeks ago, as their Q4'23 results saw a -31% full year decline in their Entertainment segment (source: Hasbro press release). IP have to be nurtured to stay fresh. That's the magic. Will be exciting to watch.

Nike, the giant fashion retailer that built one of the world's most valuable brands, has stumbled. Pursuing "digital revolution" and edgy cultural trends, it lost touch with consumers that liked seeing their product in bricks-and-mortar stores and wanted to try them out on the streets. If you think this post is about shoes, you haven't been paying attention. This post is about having a passion for your #customers and your #products. It's about putting them in front of what cultural elites and political leaders tell you is inevitable. It's about remembering why you got into your business in the first place, and who helps you be successful. That includes retailers that sell and service your product. That includes customers that choose your product based on what they want it to do, not what influencers or regulators or technology gurus post on social media. It would be acceptable to me if everyone in the fashion industry ignored this article, and every executive in the auto industry read it. Then the alcoholic beverage industry, then the tech industry. The lessons here go far beyond shoes. Pay attention to your customers, and the people that sell your product--or watch your sales go "swoosh." #automotive #autodealers #retailers #franchising #francisees #ford #generalmotors #chrysler #tesla #EPA MICHIGAN AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION Ohio Automobile Dealers Association National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) https://lnkd.in/evnSPa3r

Mattel, Inc. is continuing to take us to school on partnership strategy. My Key takeaways after seeing this post on IG: 1. Long game. Not all campaigns should stop after launch. Think strategically on how you can continue the conversation among your customers even after the big launch day. 2. Stay relevant. Mattel’s partnership selections have been so strategically relevant, putting their brand in more conversations outside their “usual” than ever before. 3. Tasteful cadence. The timing and cadence of how Mattel is entering the chat is also so beautifully calculated. They aren’t showing up all day every day, but they are showing up just enough to stay top of mind, and picking key tent pole moments to align themselves to. 👏👏 Mattel, Inc. #partnershipstrategy #socialmedia #marketingstrategy #mattel #barbie #Super Bowl

Of all the “small big brands” I think Saucony has the most untapped potential. Not only does it have a long history in running and a great archive of originals, but they also an unspoiled history. They have a huge roster of franchise shoes/brands (Kinvara, Ride, Glide, Triumph, Jazz, etc.) While over the years other great run brands went in other directions away from run (Reebok) or too far into fashion (Puma) Saucony has all the authenticity and consistent past to be in a good spot with runners. Saucony has one of the best race shoes in recent memory that doesn’t have a swoosh on it (Endorphin Elite). They have excellent knowledge of materials and engineering (one of the first brands with beaded Pebax). They have a good understanding of fit and a good reputation for quality. All key for runners. In my opinion, Saucony could just use a stronger design direction and product narrative. There’s a lot of great Saucony shoes and the brand is focused on making running “accessible” but what can I point to, on product that says this? If I was at Saucony, I would be asking “How can we ensure differentiation from competitors’ product that speaks for itself on the shelf?” 100% Saucony could be the next New Balance

RUTH HANDLER & THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB: THE MILLION DOLLAR BET The creator of the Barbie Doll knew about the relation between risk and potential return: the more risk, the more reward. Back in 1955, she played a key role in making Mattel, Inc. the first sponsor of the Mickey Mouse Club, recognizing the power of the emerging trend of TV advertising and its power to directly reach children, who ultimately influence toy purchases. In a bold move, Mattel was a very young company at the time, Ruth committed the company's entire worth, roughly half a million dollars, to #sponsor Mickey Mouse for a year. This was a radical #gamechanger at the time. HOWEVER, the sponsorship proved to be a huge success, allowing Mattel to showcase their toys directly to a captivated audience of children, boosting sales and propelling the company to the top of the industry. Today, Mattel is one of the TOP 5 #Toy&Game companies in the world with a market capitalization of $6.8 billion dollars. Ruth Handler revolutionized #marketing in 1955, and four years later, in 1959,  this visionary woman would also change the industry forever with the introduction of the #BarbieDoll, another stroke of genius. What about you, as a #productdeveloper and #inventor, do you have a bold marketing idea that could propel your ideas forward? Share your thoughts below. #success #innovation #marketing #advertising #50s #barbie #themickeymouseclub #productdevelopers #innovators #mattel #toyindustry