We all have our theories on why Mattel is doing as badly as it is. What can we do to turnaround the company? Is it even possible to do at this time? I like working here. Well, I used to like working here before layoffs started hanging over our heads 24/7. I'm still holding out hope that things will get better, but I am less and less sure of it. Is there a way out of this?
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practice stretching, try yoga so you can get in a position to kiss your a$$ goodbye. mattel will be draining the swamp and it will
start with the peons.
Please, no more CBS type hires again!
Please don’t get me started on that twin-kie cultural improvement committee farce. Yes they don’t check bags and gave us free coffee. How that improved culture is debatable. That RD move was akin to giving a bunch of spoiled brats a shut up toy.
Despite the FP-centric suggestion which many will dispute the question really gets to the core of whose vision is driving the future of the company. It’s painfully obvious that Mattel’s efforts have been solely focused on reactive measures and has paid less than a hand wave to long term innovation. Just saying you’re going to make connected toys is about as useful as putting WiFi on my washing machine.
The company is hobbled by its own brands. Every time there’s a potential of an innovative idea it’s desperately show horned into Barbie or HW. Let me tell you that kids don’t look to Barbie for holograms. A speaker once said that these moves are like Madonna struggling to remain relevant but just looking sad.
MG can you visualize this company in 5 years? What does it look like? And what are you doing to get us there? None of us can see the finish line. We just see you signing up some high paid players. How is this different from hiring CBS and other past choices? I sincerely hope you are not dooming us to a repeat of the past.
If the last poster really thinks that the only hope in fixing this totally screwed up company is for HR to be fair/actually help employees, he or she is crazy/delusional.
HR is & will continue to be evil. Come on, they let RD put the freak bro MH twins in control? What a travesty. This place is rancid so just keep collecting that paycheck while you still can or get out
3 options: Do whatever Wal-Mart says (current plan), or stop being (essentially) a global plastics manufacturing company and be a child development company with major presence in China (hard to imagine), or be a plastic manufacturing company that is owned by Amazon, and expand beyond toys (easy path).
99% of the people here are good at their jobs. The most talented people that I have ever worked with in the industry.
The system is what beats everyone into submission. Over and over sustainability of a category has been brought up and that is a big part of the institutionalization of the industry. Retailers expect margins that are no longer achievable with the added bells and whistles. Customers only want commodity in value prices or licenses that have good visibility. Because the consumer base is steadily shrinking and purchase habits are changing. What hasn’t changed is production, marketing, retail and a host of other factors. The Chinese are moving on from the dirty factory businesses yet we still look to create in the same way. We still cater to the remaining retailers who want more and more specialized product for smaller and smaller runs while our global business runs very differently. Innovation is always, always asked of product. Why is innovation never pushed in production, or in finance, retail, or shipping??? We need to look at this business end to end rather than just the product. Then you can ask yourself if you really need that much product to begin with. We all talk about the 80-20 rule but no one, and I mean no one practices it.
mtownsend9@bloomberg.net, please read the thread titled below"What's the problem here". Great analysis for what is happening at Mattel. Yourself and the investments community can force change at Mattel. Call out the nonsense spouted by executive management and the miserable financial performance with their leadership. It feels like they are scrolling through their MBA handbook on how to run a company, but they are ruining a prominent American company. Look at their decisions, performance and poor results and call them out. Do not let them get away with the meaningless brand marketing jargon. Spread the word within your circles of the investment community!
I've been covering Mattel and I'm very interested in talking to as many people as possible. mtownsend9@bloomberg.net; On signal at 917.334.5889 or DM or twitter at https://twitter.com/matt_townsend
Yes, there is a way out and hope for your future. Find another job.