PCs to Feature Hot Wheels, Barbie Themes
Mattel Inc., the world’s largest toy maker, said Monday it has entered a licensing agreement with Patriot Computers to begin selling computers for children with Barbie doll and Hot Wheels car themes.
The brightly colored PCs, extending two of Mattel’s most popular toy lines, come as the company is seeing strong growth in sales of software and CD-ROMs but declines in sales of traditional Barbie dolls.
The silver-colored Barbie computers, with pink and purple floral accents, will include monitors and speakers and come with special Barbie accessories such as the Barbie digital camera, a flowered Barbie mouse, mouse pad and CD holder.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The blue-and-gold Hot Wheels PC will boast the well-known flame logo. Accessories will include a Hot Wheels steering wheel peripheral, mouse, mouse pad and CD holder.
The PCs will sell for $599 apiece, Mattel said.
“This is the first opportunity for us to take some of our powerful brands and partner with a hardware developer, and it’s furthering our goals of making the PC friendly and affordable for families,” said Dana Henry, a spokeswoman for Mattel Media, which focuses on entertainment software, video games and CD-ROMs based on Mattel’s and other brands.
El Segundo-based Mattel has had several rough quarters as sales of Barbie dolls declined, but sales of interactive products such as software and CD-ROMs have been strong.
