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Tag: Hot Wheels

  • Varun T Wanvari circles back to Himalaya Wellness

    Varun T Wanvari circles back to Himalaya Wellness

    MUMBAI: Varun T Wanvari has pulled off corporate India’s latest U-turn, returning to Himalaya Wellness Company in May after an 18-month sojourn through Amazon’s retail machinery.

    “Some journeys come a full circle,” the category manager declared on LinkedIn, clearly pleased with his homecoming. He’s not wrong—Wanvari previously managed lotions and creams at The Himalaya Drug Company from 2016 to 2018.

    His career reads like FMCG bingo: systems engineer at Tata Consultancy Services, marketing intern for Hot Wheels at Mattel, brand duties at Reliance’s Hamleys, and five years flogging Good Day biscuits and Toastea at Britannia Industries. Amazon beckoned in late 2023 as senior category manager, but the wellness world’s siren call proved stronger.

    “Grateful for the continued trust,” Wanvari said, deploying enough LinkedIn enthusiasm to power a small ashram. His hashtag-heavy post (#NewBeginnings #WellnessWithPur) suggests genuine excitement about returning to products you can actually smell.

    Whether he’ll apply Amazon’s data wizardry to ancient ayurvedic wisdom remains to be seen. This boomerang has landed exactly where it started—with considerably more corporate spin.

  • Wrangler & Hot Wheels launch new streetwear collection in India

    Wrangler & Hot Wheels launch new streetwear collection in India

    Mumbai: Wrangler has partnered with Mattel Inc’s Hot Wheels for a nostalgia-themed collection featuring denim, jackets, coveralls, and graphic tees for both youth and adults. The Wrangler x Hot Wheels collection also includes a limited-edition Wrangler-branded ’85 Ford Bronco die-cast. Building on the success of their Wrangler x Barbie collaboration in 2023, this new collection showcases motorsport-inspired designs on classic denim and colorful tees.

    “Partnering with Hot Wheels has been a collision of heritage and horsepower,” said Kontoor vice president of global marketing, Holly Wheeler. “Tapping into the resurgence of motorsport and inspired by the classic American iconography and nostalgia of both brands, Wrangler x Hot Wheels hits the market at full speed and ignites a beloved pastime shared from generation to generation.”

    The collection is available for purchase online and in selected Wrangler and Shoppers Stop stores across India.

  • Kinder Joy launches new hot wheels and barbie toys in India

    Kinder Joy launches new hot wheels and barbie toys in India

    Mumbai: Kinder Joy, the most loved confectionery brand from the house of Ferrero, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sweet-packaged products is all set to add further excitement and smiles to consumers with the launch of its all-new limited edition licenses of hot wheels and barbie toys. Yes, you read that right – now every scrumptious treat of  Kinder Joy, will include exciting surprises from the iconic Hot Wheels and enchanting Barbie collections.

    To make the unboxing experience more exciting, Kinder Joy has introduced new packaging depicting Barbie and Hot Wheels characters on individual packs. This will facilitate informed purchase decisions.  Additionally, with this launch, Kinder Joy has for the very first time introduced larger sized toys, thereby providing more excitement in each pack. This series of toys will make a collectors dream come true.

    Defining entire generations for its high-speed excitement and iconic designs, each blue Kinder Joy will include the iconic Hot Wheels toy cars thereby reigniting the spirit of toy car racing again. The most loved Barbie collection will be found in the pink Kinder Joy. With the introduction of these new licenses, Kinder Joy promises excitement for all including avid collectors.

    Kinder Joy has released a new digital film to promote the new collection. The film showcases a mother who surprises her kids with the all-new Kinder Joy, while they excitedly unwrap their favourite barbie and hot wheels toys. It captures the true essence of the happines that Kinder Joy and its toys brings to consumers. The film conveys the key message: “Ab har Kinder Joy ke saath do naye toy collection, Barbie aur Hot Wheels.”

    Commenting on the launch, Kinder regional marketing head Amedeo Aragona said, “Based on market research, we are delighted to bring  two world-renowned Mattel licensed characters to India as part of the Kinder Joy experience. Barbie and Hot wheels resonates with all age groups, and our increase in the toys size will definitely make it a collectors item. Also feature big and high-quality designs will surely delight consumers.”

    So grab your Kinder Joy now to discover the thrill of hot wheels and the charm of barbie in every Kinder Joy that are sure to become the most treasured collectible toys.

  • Hot Wheels debuts in Auto Expo Delhi

    Hot Wheels debuts in Auto Expo Delhi

    MUMBAI: Hot Wheels, the uber-popular and much-loved brand from the house of Mattel Toys, is revving up for its Golden Jubilee. Hot Wheels has kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration with an epic debut at Auto Expo – The Motor Show in New Delhi from 9 to 14 February 2018.

    The experience at the Hot Wheels pavilion promises to be a supercharged treat for fans of the iconic brand as it will showcase two life-size models inspired by Hot Wheels die-cast models. The showcase, representing best of classic and modern times, is designed as an ode to the Hot Wheels 50-year journey since its launch in 1968. While one car will depict the vintage, retro era of the 60s, the second car will display a modern, millennial style, representing designs and innovation of the 21st century.

    Featuring the unmissable Hot Wheels insignia – the red hot flames – the design of the classic car stays loyal to the brand’s signature style. The classic muscle sports a grunge look with its all black body and chrome highlights. The car features a lip spoiler on the rear tail and an air dam in the front (in line with the thematic). The interiors too star a unique chain design steering wheel and a skull head gear knob. Upholstery of the car is draped with red leather which compliments the stunning look.

    The 2018 car features particularly sporty details with the bumper designed with a bold horizontal line and broad air inlets that contribute to the car’s wide and sculpted impression. A swanky black roof, and a rear tail gate spoiler also add to the sporty appeal. The redesigned headlight clusters in black-cladding look feature LED technology, as do the fog lights, and tail lights. Features such as the spoiler at the rear of the tailgate are further elements of the car’s emotive and dynamic design.

    Riding the wave of its 50 year celebrations, Hot Wheels seamlessly integrates its latest campaign, Challenge Accepted, that aims at instilling the challenger spirit amongst young children. The campaign blends in Mattel’s philosophy of ‘play with purpose’ by showcasing concepts of physics, aim, angle and speed; driving children to exploring their truest potential.

    Mattel India head of marketing Lokesh Kataria says, “We are thrilled to set the wheels of our new campaign in motion and roll it out in an exhilarating way. As we celebrate a key milestone, we’re also reaffirming our efforts to grow the market in India by engaging with parents in meaningful ways to demonstrate the value of play with Hot Wheels.”

    Hot Wheels will roll-out an integrated campaign for the Challenge Accepted campaign that will include television and digital advertising, social media promotions as well as various on-ground initiatives to engage more closely with fans and consumers. The anniversary celebrations will also include various engagements targeted to collectors, consumers and parents. 

    During the 3-day extravaganza, Hot Wheels is playing host to an immersive and engaging experience at Auto Expo for participants across ages to witness their favourite cars come to life! The Hot Wheels booth will unveil the much-awaited life-sized cars, allowing fans and admirers to indulge in interactive games and challenges. Fans at the booth also stand a chance to win some exciting prizes while taking advantage of Hot Wheels Photo Stall and Challenge Accepted Selfie Contest.

    Mattel Toys has focused its efforts around the core philosophy of ‘Play with purpose’ – where each toy developed by the global leader has an intrinsic benefit linked to it. The toy-car of Hot Wheels not only engages a child, but also gives practical knowledge about physics & maths like speed, distance and gravity. Hot Wheels at Auto Expo 2018 is designed in a manner to establish the importance of play in the lives of children by boosting their creativity, imagination and letting them push their limits by igniting the challenger spirit.

  • Hot Wheels creates longest track in Mumbai mall

    Hot Wheels creates longest track in Mumbai mall

    MUMBAI: Mattel’s Hot Wheels has executed a unique and innovative activity to create a memorable experience for kids from age group of 6 – 10 years. The ‘Make it Epic’ event is currently underway at Phoenix Market City, Kurla in Mumbai.

    The main attraction of the event is the tallest and longest Hot Wheels track, measuring 21 feet in height and 110 feet in length with five continuous loops for a thrilling experience.

    Hot Wheels has brought to life it’s iconic play pattern of launch, loop and race by creating a larger than life trackset where a child can launch his Hot Wheels car and perform stunts. ‘Make it Epic’ activation which was successfully executed in malls across 4 cities- Mantri Mall (Bangalore), Oberoi Mall (Mumbai), Ambience Mall (Gurgaon) and Pacific Mall (Dehradun).

    “Hot Wheels is committed to delivering thrilling vehicle experiences and building a larger than life version of a track set just amplifies the thrill of watching your Hot Wheels car race and perform stunts,” said Mattel marketing head Lokesh Kataria.

    Speaking on the association, Phoenix Marketcity Kurla president Rajendra Kelkar said, “Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla is a hub for shopping and entertainment. At the mall we have always encouraged fun activities for children and we are glad to associate with Hot Wheels to build a larger than life version of a track set at the mall. We look forward to hosting many more such events.”

    With Children’s Day right around the corner, kids couldn’t have asked for more!

  • Hot Wheels creates longest track in Mumbai mall

    Hot Wheels creates longest track in Mumbai mall

    MUMBAI: Mattel’s Hot Wheels has executed a unique and innovative activity to create a memorable experience for kids from age group of 6 – 10 years. The ‘Make it Epic’ event is currently underway at Phoenix Market City, Kurla in Mumbai.

    The main attraction of the event is the tallest and longest Hot Wheels track, measuring 21 feet in height and 110 feet in length with five continuous loops for a thrilling experience.

    Hot Wheels has brought to life it’s iconic play pattern of launch, loop and race by creating a larger than life trackset where a child can launch his Hot Wheels car and perform stunts. ‘Make it Epic’ activation which was successfully executed in malls across 4 cities- Mantri Mall (Bangalore), Oberoi Mall (Mumbai), Ambience Mall (Gurgaon) and Pacific Mall (Dehradun).

    “Hot Wheels is committed to delivering thrilling vehicle experiences and building a larger than life version of a track set just amplifies the thrill of watching your Hot Wheels car race and perform stunts,” said Mattel marketing head Lokesh Kataria.

    Speaking on the association, Phoenix Marketcity Kurla president Rajendra Kelkar said, “Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla is a hub for shopping and entertainment. At the mall we have always encouraged fun activities for children and we are glad to associate with Hot Wheels to build a larger than life version of a track set at the mall. We look forward to hosting many more such events.”

    With Children’s Day right around the corner, kids couldn’t have asked for more!

  • WWE Superstars get animated with ‘WWE Slam City’

    WWE Superstars get animated with ‘WWE Slam City’

    MUMBAI: Mattel is well renowned to be one of the leading toy manufacturers in the world with the likes of Barbie, Hot Wheels and Monster High, amongst others under its IP. The toy manufacturing giant has inked a deal with the wrestling giant – WWE – for an original animated short format series.

     

    WWE Slam City, the company’s new kids’ property includes an original animated short-form series and a complete line of WWE Slam City merchandise. The 26-episode series, which launched yesterday in US, Canada and UK is comprised of two minute shorts featuring WWE Superstars in their new animated world, WWE Slam City.

     

    The first four episodes began airing from 17 March at WWESlamCity.com and Cartoonium on YouTube. WWE Slam City toys, including action figures, ring sets and more, are currently available at major retail stores.

     

    “WWE Slam City is a multi-platform property that takes our Superstars out of the ring and introduces them to kids through entertaining and action-packed animation,” said WWE chief revenue and marketing officer Michelle D. Wilson. “This strategic initiative is perfectly complemented through our partnership with Mattel and adds to an already dynamic portfolio of content designed to create lifelong WWE fans.”

     

    The series, filmed in the next generation of stop-motion animation, features a new WWE animated character ‘The Finisher’, who fires all of the WWE superstars and sends them to WWE Slam City to find day jobs. WWE Superstars are plunged into new career challenges as John Cena as an auto mechanic, Randy Orton Orton as a zookeeper, Sheamus as a theater usher, The Miz, Rey Mysterio, Kane, Alberto Del Rio as a coffee house barista and Mark Henry pack every street corner with work to do and scores to settle in a new life outside the ring, but still staying true to their WWE personas.

     

    In addition to WWESlamCity.com and Cartoonium on YouTube, WWE Slam City will also be available in US on WWE Network, Hulu, PlayStation, Xbox, AOL On, Nintendo, Vudu, Google Play, Kabillion, Mattel.com and iTunes. WWE will utilise all of its assets, including TV broadcasts, live events, digital and social media to generate awareness for its new kids property.

     

    “Slam City is the result of a seamless collaboration with WWE where we are bringing kids a completely new and invigorating entertainment experience,” said Mattel senior VP, global brands marketing, boys and entertainment Doug Wadleigh. “Combining fun to watch content that features Superstar favorites, along with an engaging line of toys, enables Slam City to further expand the WWE Universe while opening new avenues of play for the franchise.”

     

    WWE Slam City is a key component of WWE’s larger strategy to expand its reach to kids. In 2013, WWE’s national TV programming reached nearly three million kids each week, representing more than 20 per cent of WWE’s average weekly TV audience. WWE also reaches kids through the number two action figure property in the US.

     

    In addition, WWE supports programs that positively impact children and families around the world, including a 30-plus year relationship with Make-A-Wish as well as various literacy, education, anti-bullying and military initiatives.

     

    In addition to toys, a full WWE Slam City merchandise line, including apparel, back-to-school accessories, books, graphic novels and home videos will be available in stores by the end of 2014. In 2015, a WWE Slam City mobile game, as well as health and beauty items, home goods, party supplies and stationary will be available.

     

    The 26-episode WWE Slam City series is co-produced by WWE and Mattel’s Playground Productions, a new division within the Mattel Global Brands with a mission to identify, cultivate and produce compelling storylines through multiple platforms.

     

    “Slam City’s multi-platform animation engages kids where they are today with a unique larger-than-life Superstar inspired storyline that’s authentic to WWE,” said Mattel Playground Productions senior VP David Voss. “We worked closely with WWE to ensure our style and storytelling complimented the brand, and really tapped into our creative expertise to produce a playful narrative that both kids and fans enjoy.”

     

    With the launch of the WWE Network recently and this tie-up with Mattel, the wrestling giant is clearly looking at reaching out to a wider set of audience on both on-air as well as off-air platforms.

  • Zynga asked to change logo following Scrabble trademark row

    Zynga asked to change logo following Scrabble trademark row

    NEW DELHI: Online social game maker Zynga has been asked to change the logo of its ‘Scramble With Friends’ word Game.

     

    US-based Mattel, the world’s biggest toy manufacturer owning brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels and Fisher-Price Toys, as well as Scrabble, alleged that Zynga’s use of the word ‘Scramble’ infringed the trademarks as it was too close to the word ‘Scrabble’.

     

    While giving a judgment in favour of Zynga, a High Court judge ruled that while the name did not infringe the trademark, the use of a curly letter M in the logo ‘gives the impression that the word is Scrabble when one looks at it quickly and has the propensity to confuse’, and therefore it needed to be changed, the BBC reports.

    Mattel spokesman Alan Hilowitz said that while it appreciated the ruling for finding similarities between Zynga’s ‘Scramble With Friends’ logo and Mattel’s intellectual property, the company was disappointed that the court did not rule that Zynga should cease using the name altogether.

     

    Hiolwitz said that Mattel intends to further appeal the ruling.

     

    Recently, Zynga was involved into another trademark row with casual sex app maker ‘Bang With Friends’ for its infringement of ‘With Friends’ trademark.

     

  • ‘Hot Wheels’ director search nearing finish line

    ‘Hot Wheels’ director search nearing finish line

    MUMBAI: Hot Wheels is about to get into gear. The Legendary project is based on the classic Mattel toy car line and has been seeking a director to put in the driver‘s seat.

    Simon Crane, the veteran second-unit director who is coming off of World War Z, and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, best known for directing 28 Weeks Later, are the front-runners for the high-octane gig states The Hollywood Reporter.

    Art Marcum and Matt Holloway wrote the script for the project, which is intended to be more on the lines of a Mission: Impossible than Fast & Furious.

    Legendary is hoping to get the movie revving in the first quarter of 2014. It is intended to be part of Legendary‘s second wave of movies that counts Spectral, Godzilla and As Above So Below among them. (The first wave includes 42, Pacific Rim and Seventh Son.) And it is likely to end up at Universal, the company‘s new home starting in 2014, after its term deal with Warner Bros expires.

    Crane is considered one the premiere second-unit directors in the business, with credits including Salt, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Troy. He is also one of Hollywood‘s top stunt coordinators. He has been attached to make his directorial debut on several projects, but none has reached the starting line.

    Fresnadillo just came on board to direct Villain, a psychological thriller that has Shia LaBeouf attached to star. The project is in development at Start Motion Pictures.