Toy maker Mattel Inc, which owns global brands Barbie and Fisher-Price, recently announced a move to establish strategic relationship with China's social media company Tencent QQ.
The two will jointly explore innovative cooperative mode in toy industry and social media. More diversified online and offline entertainment and social products are expected to enter the market.
The plan will also allow Mattel to further expand its presence in China and Asian market.
"With the rapid development of digital technology in China and Asian market, internet has become an important platform for young people to communicate. As a leading brand in children's learning and developing, this move will allow Mattel and QQ to work together to provide more valuable social network content and rich offline products for Chinese teenagers," said Peter Broegger, managing director of Mattel Asia-Pacific.
As one of the largest social media tools, Tencent QQ has a large number of users, and it is also popular among Chinese teenagers.
According to the company, it will create a series of toy products for QQ family imagine, which is famous for its penguin imagine. Such strategic relationship will allow Tencent QQ's online imagine to transform into offline products.
"We will give full play of our strengths and advantages to create more diversified products to meet the demand of China's consumers," said Patty Wu, vice-president of Mattel Inc.
Mattel is a creations company that inspires the wonder of childhood, and its portfolio of global consumer brands includes American Girl, Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, Monster High and Thomas & Friends. The company creates a wealth of lines and products made in collaboration with leading entertainment and technology companies in the world.
