Mattel Canada has switched its $6-million-plus account to Ogilvy & Mather from J. Walter Thompson.
JWT handled advertising for boys’ toys for five years, and the entire account for more than three years.
Michael Burrows, Mattel vice-president of marketing, says the move was part of a global alignment.
O&M is the u.s. Mattel agency, and has been the worldwide agency for Mattel’s Barbie doll for about 30 years.
Burrows says most creative comes from the u.s. agency for Canadian adaption and now o&m in Toronto will handle that part of the account in addition to account management and media placement.
He says the Fisher-Price Canada account will remain with Optimedia – Foote Cone & Belding’s media operation – for now.
The merger of Fisher-Price into Mattel was completed at the end of last November, making Fisher-Price a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel.
As a result of the merger, 85% of Mattel’s business is concentrated in four core brands: Barbie, 40% (down from 50%); Fisher-Price, 30%; Disney, 12%, and Hot Wheels, about 5%.
Burrows says the two companies will continue to run autonomously, with Fisher-Price Canada continuing to report to Fisher-Price U.S.
Burrows joined Mattel last October, replacing Patricia Pape, who left last June.
He was previously vice-president of sales and marketing for Toronto-based in-store marketing and sales company, Actmedia/ RRG (Retail Resource Group.)
He began his 15-year career in the marketing department of Procter & Gamble, later spending eight years with Nabisco, including a stint as director of new business development. PS
