Right to Play: How Mattel Is Leveraging Its Technology Organization to Drive Cultural Change

Adobe Summit 2019 NOTES

Mattel, due to data regulations; basically, start with persona; and assume that they have no data about their audiences – Data Deficit. Understanding the Customers; a Generation in AI/ML; and 3rd Gen for Data Driven Marketing; how to integrate Human Insights. Thick, & Thin Data… How to contextualize the data to for better Cx; More Behavioral Data; Mannerisms => What to put in Experience, for the Exp to Work.


AI would help in the Heavy Lifting. Sometimes the data is made vanilla; Similar Age Band, Interests, watch you tube, e.g. AG, & Barbie… why they are coming to the brand. Need this understanding to provide specific experiences … parents are more interest for classic experience… need more human insights.


Shift to Experience (from Marketing (what I tell you about the products)). Happy Employees drive Happier Customers. Technology is the equalizer for the Business processes.


Design thinking Mindset. Strategic Business Partner. Experience (in store, digital, product) … no. of domains, expertise, …. CEO Transformation Strategic Partner. Gartner. Operations, Environment in Order. Keep the systems up, secure, run in time. Empathy for the business. What values are adding to the business. Drive efficiency, profitability, impact the revenue.
Measure CIO Vs CMO. Connection between Design, & Tech. Applied Innovation. Deliver experiences when they were Designed. Art of the Possible. Art of the Now. What is the Experience that is being created; can come from anywhere (design, development, …) Cross Functional Team.
UI, UX =, the core is the consumer. Erodes the issue that were Experience sits. Innovation at the edge or in the middle (core). Tech for tech’s stake. Connected Toys Stake. Mixed Play. Price Point. Margins as per Retailers Desire. Tech to be part of the Natural Experience. Stop Work to Automate. Novelty. Play > Tablet > Play (Bad Ex). Tech must be Seamless. Consumer at the core.


Mattel is going through Transformation. Lock Arms. Make them feel Engaged. Natural to Attack Innovation. How to keep Toys Relevant. Political Ecosystem. Every Company is Different, But they all Kind of Same. Talent Acquisition. Training.