Mega Bloks and Barbie Give Building Toys a Stylish Makeover this Holiday

The World’s No. 1 Fashion Doll Breaks Ground in the Construction Toy Category with the New Mega Bloks Barbie Collection

Montreal, Canada – This holiday season, Mega Bloks and Barbie are transforming construction play for girls with the launch of Mega Bloks Barbie™ – the first-ever Barbie™ building collection designed specifically for girls. Debuting at retail on December 12th, Mega Bloks Barbie invites girls to build, design and decorate their own Barbie world with compatible playsets and mini-fashion figures. From a Luxury Mansion to a Fashion Boutique and even Barbie doll’s signature pink convertible car, Mega Bloks Barbie is making over one of the fastest growing toy categories, one pink block at a time.

Combining girls’ love of storytelling and customization with construction play, the Mega Bloks Barbie line encourages girls to build and play. By capitalizing on the inherent nature of imaginative Barbie role play, every design element in the Mega Bloks Barbie collection encourages girls to create, customize, design, style and accessorize over-and-over again even after they are done building.

“Mega Bloks and Barbie know how girls play. Through our collective brand heritage and expertise in product research and development, we have created a completely new Barbie play experience,” said Vic Bertrand, Chief Innovation Officer, MEGA Brands. “With a focus on creative play and customization, the possibilities for girls are endless.”

Bringing together Mega Bloks’ 27 years of building toy expertise and Mattel’s five decades of insights on what girls love with the Barbie brand, these two industry leaders have joined forces to create an entirely new offering in the fast-growing building toy category.

“Mega Bloks Barbie is unique in that every playset combines customization and building with imaginative, open-ended storytelling that girls love,” said Stephanie Cota, Senior Vice President Global Marketing, Barbie, Girls and Games at Mattel. “In true Barbie style, Mega Bloks Barbie invites girls to build, explore and play in her fabulous and fun world.”

The Essential “Building Blocks” for Girls
The Mega Bloks Barbie collection engages girls in the building process by giving them everything they need to build, design and decorate their very own Barbie world. By introducing construction play through Barbie, girls create an emotional connection to building, while completing a Mega Bloks Barbie playset inspires a sense of confidence and accomplishment. Research in child development has shown that children significantly benefit from playing with building blocks and toys, delivering long-term benefits well beyond the playroom.

“Combining block play with open-ended and imaginative play, children experience an extraordinary level of brain building,” said Dr. Maureen O’Brien, developmental psychologist, child play expert and product research consultant for MEGA Brands. “This combination of play patterns encourages exploration and storytelling, building context for children and a better understanding of the world around them.”

A Construction Toy “Built” for Girls
Mega Bloks Barbie lets girls literally build Barbie doll’s world – piece by piece. The full collection includes compatible Build ‘n Style playsets, such as: Luxury Mansion, Fashion Boutique, Pet Shop, Convertible, Pool Party, and so much more.

Unique to Mega Bloks, most playsets include removable “building plates” – platforms on which girls build each room – for easy building and styling play. And for the classic Barbie fashion and hair play, all Mega Bloks Barbie playsets include one or more mini-fashion figures of Barbie and her friends with interchangeable hair styles and outfits.

Arriving just in time for the holidays and poised to top girls’ wish lists this year, the Mega Bloks Barbie line will be available beginning December 1st for online pre-order at select retailers, with in-store distribution in the United States and Canada starting on December 12th.


-----
BARBIE and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel, Inc. © 2012 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The MEGA logo and Mega Bloks are trademarks of MEGA Brands Inc. or its affiliates.

About Mega Brands:
MEGA Brands Inc. (TSX: MB) is a trusted family of leading global brands in construction toys, games & puzzles, arts & crafts and stationery. They offer engaging creative experiences for children, families and collectors through innovative, well-designed, affordable and high-quality products. For more information, visit http://www.megabloks.com/

About Mattel:
Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT) (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco R/C®, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Thomas & Friends®, Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment inspired toy lines. In 2012, Mattel was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the fifth year in a row. Mattel also is ranked among Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs approximately 28,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. At Mattel, we are “Creating the Future of Play.” Follow Mattel on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mattel