Actors - MyScene

	Actors - MyScene

MyScene
is a line of Barbie dolls, meant to be more modern and trendy than normal. They were created by Mattel to combat the direct and growing threat of competition from Bratz dolls. The details on the dolls and on the playsets are noticeably of higher quality than the Polly Pocket ones.

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In what seems to be turning out to be the biggest rival market battle in Barbie doll's history, Mattel's toughest challenge for the 2002 holiday season came from The Bratz doll line, an upstart line of sassy fashion dolls from MGA Entertainment aimed at so-called "tweens", girls who are eight to 12-year-old. While no doll brand has ever succeeded in toppling the toy world's most profitable franchise, Bratz achieved something Mattel has been trying to do for years: get tweens to play with dolls. "At first we thought no one is going to buy a doll named Bratz," says Isaac Larian, chief executive of MGA, based in North Hills, CA, "But in focus groups, girls really liked it. It meant everything that Barbie is not."

Mattel's answer to the rivalry is the MyScene line, a sort of "anti-Barbie" Barbie doll line that Bratz dolls created. Priced lower than the Bratz dolls at $13.99, the MyScene dolls are attempting to tap into the mind-set of these teen-wannabes with more realistically proportioned bodies, exotic looking faces and edgy wardrobe. While not replacing the familiar Barbie, they feature extra-pouty lips and oversized eyes that were inspired by Japanese-style anime cartoons. In comparison, the Bratz dolls (at $14.99 each), are marketed with racier fashions such as platform shoes, hip huggers, tube tops and fur vests. They are multiethnic, with hip names like Yasmin, Cloe, Cameron, Jade and Sasha. And they have cool activity sets, such as a spa with treadmill, bubble-making Jacuzzi and real makeup compartments. Bratz dolls are an inch shorter than Barbie, so the rivals can't share their wardrobes.

"We made efforts to tap into the tween market, but they had not taken root or had real impact until MyScene," says Richard Dickson, senior vice president for the Mattel Brands division of Mattel in El Segundo , Calif. The line, he adds, was inspired by illustrations used to sell licensed merchandise bearing the Barbie brand, which showed the flagship Barbie doll with a larger head, poutier lips and a hip, big-city attitude.

That led to the development of the MyScene line, which began with Barbie, of course, in this instance a teenage technophile with a cell phone and PDA rather than a grown-up beauty queen, astronaut or teacher. Her two friends are named Madison, a shopping devotee who is African-American, and Chelsea, an artsy downtown type. You may notice the intentional New York City pattern in the names. In 2003, Mattel added new girlfriend Nolee (as in the NoLIta neighborhood of Manhattan), along with MyScene boys Bryant (as in Bryant Park) and Hudson (as in the Hudson River). In late Summer 2003, two new single MyScene boys River and Sutton (as in Sutton Place) are added to the line along with a second edition of Bryant. Another new MyScene boy Ellis (Ellis Island) is also introduced in a MyScene "Crusin' in my Ride" Barbie and Ellis gift set.

Promotion

Mattel is taking the right steps by launching an aggressive ad campaign on network and cable TV , including MTV for the MyScene line. Waves of new merchandise this year will continually freshen the line as Mattel heads full throttle into the tween market war. Public Relations at Mattel describes MyScene as the "new tween-targeted brand from the makers of Barbie". It "captures the spirit of today’s informed, independent and fiercely individualistic urban girl like never before. Inspired by the fashion-forward, high-energy, chic attitude of the big city, MyScene features three “it” girls – Barbie, Madison and Chelsea. These girls each express their individuality though personal style that’s defined by a slice of metropolitan living. Each doll comes with two complete on-trend fashions and their own funky accessories".

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Actors - MyScene

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