Mattel BRAND CHAMPION
As a Brand Champion for the Barbie brand at Mattel, it was my responsibility to ensure that all of the items that I managed as Product Development Engineer were true to Barbie and everything that the brand stands for. It was crucial for me to ensure that my team, including all of the functional groups in the United States and Hong Kong, met all milestones in time to deliver the best possible product by the launch date. There are three segments that I managed, which are Club Chelsea, Babysitters Inc., and On The Go.
The Product Development process for these segments required that I clearly understand the status of every single project from the moment slots are created and presented by the Marketing team until the product is on shelves. In the early stages of development, I supported the Design team by providing an engineering perspective regarding features, mechanisms, and functional requirements. Additionally, using my knowledge of mass manufacturing, plastics, and assembly, I provided the initial ballpark cost for every open stock item and every item in assortment, followed by presenting the team with an assessment of the feasibility of each project based on the complexity of each item, the target cost, and the schedule, among many other factors.
At any one point I was managing up to 3 seasons of each segment which amounted to at least 45 items per every two seasons and even more SKUs if including language variants. As every item neared the approval stages, a significant part of my role was to ensure that the team was aligned on the vision for the product and that all the data to be presented (financials, cost estimates, design specs, etc.) was up to date and accurate. Once each product was FPR (Final Product Review) approved, the team in Hong Kong could begin preparation for manufacturing. From the Tool Start stage and on, it was my responsibility as Brand Champion to make sure that the teams in Asia executed the product as it was approved. I collaborated with the Hong Kong team to address any issues, concerns, or questions related to the design, manufacturing, and cost of the product. Additionally, I worked closely with the New Toy Planning and Data Control teams to create every item in Mattel's online systems and databases where all product information was stored and where the sales team could clearly see what product was being offered when and for which markets.
The Brand Champion role extended far beyond doing Project Management and Engineering, since at times it required that I observe product testing with users, attending packaging photoshoots, documenting the development process, leading team meetings, and organizing sample review meetings, among many other tasks. For that reason, I was able to obtain a significant amount of knowledge about the Product Development Process at a company that is one of the leaders in the toy industry.
Club chelsea
Barbie continues to be one of Mattel's best performing brands thanks to segments like Club Chelsea. The benefits of having a well established segment like this one is that, I was able to look into cost saving efforts beyond product design changes. Some of these include implementing automation, using different types of printing processes, modifying packaging material and structure, and reusing molds.
Once product was on shelves, in my free time I found myself walking down the toy aisles at various retailers to assess the quality of the product I helped develop. If anything seemed off, I took the initiative to reach out to the teams in Asia to find out what could be done to improve future product whether it meant we would have to implement running changes or take our observations and conclusions into consideration for future new items.
Babysitters inc.
The Skipper Babysitters Inc. segment did incredibly well when it launched on shelves due partly to being product that moms found very appealing for their young kids as we found out during toy testing. Additionally, the playsets offered the right balance of piece count and unique features paired with a babysitter and a toddler or baby.
One of the biggest challenges we faced with this segment was meeting reduced target costs for the next season with new items in the assortment that had the exact same number of contents as previous items in the assortment. To help solve this problem, I worked with the Product Designer and the Soft Goods team to find creative ways to reduce cost by changing materials, sewing patterns, edge stitches, or even modifying the fasteners (velcro in many cases).
on the go
Barbie as a 4-inch, bobblehead doll, with no rooted hair or soft goods is unique to the On The Go (OTG) segment. The purpose of these track playsets is to encourage kids to build and customize their own Barbie On The Go worlds. With three different motorized vehicle offerings, Barbie OTG had a numerous amount of positive reviews online from users all over the world.
Because this segment was brand new for Barbie, as Brand Champion I very closely analyzed and tested the functionality of every OTG item. There were times when we received FEP samples with functionality issues still present. In these cases, I found myself scheduling calls at the end of the day with the teams in Asia to discuss quick and effective solutions to any of these problems. Being nimble helped us modify product as needed and be able to see the changes by the time Production samples came around while avoiding the risk of delaying schedules or implementing running changes.
VOLUNTEER SERVICE
While working at Mattel, I had the opportunity to participate in several extracurricular and volunteer activities. Two of the most rewarding experiences that I had the pleasure of volunteering in were Party on the Pier and Read to a Child. Being in the toy industry means we create products specifically geared towards children. For this reason, I find it very important for my career to interact with children in an effort to understand their perspective as users and as a reminder to myself of my purpose in working on these types of consumer products. The fact that I can engage with young kids while giving back to the community is something that I am very grateful for.
Party on the Pier!
Every year, a group of volunteers from Mattel and UCLA get together to host an event on the Santa Monica Pier in an effort to collect donations and toys for the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. This year, I contributed by manning carnival booths, welcoming families, and giving out toys to those in attendance who participated in the many fun activities. Knowing that the event was a success and many children at the hospital benefitted from it was very rewarding!
Read to a Child LA
As a Reader at Peter Burnett Elementary School, I was partnered with a 3rd grader to whom I read to once a week. The purpose of reading to Nico was to improve his reading and communication skills while helping him feel more confident and encourage him to come out of his shell. After a year of reading to Nico, the positive effects of the program and my influence were very noticeable and we both had a new friend we could count on.
