Hasbro vs. Mattel

[@zojirushi1]

Can we just take a minute to appreciate the fact that Company Man brings quality content every week?

[@The.RichRoom]

Yes. He is very hardworking!

[@zojirushi1]

@@curmudgeonaf Company Man: The Rise, Rise, & Rise Again!

[@VictorLima-mv4ni]

Yo he ain't gonna fuck you, chill

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

Can we take a moment to realize this common type of content provider brown nosing gets more thumbs up then 👍 it really deserves...

[@shaggyd9431]

@@The.RichRoom ofc hez a company man 😆

[@jdnelms62]

I was a contractor for Mattel back in the late 90's. I designed Hot Wheels packaging and occasionally game packaging and instruction manuals. What few people know is that the Mattel Corporation's campus in El Segundo, California, was built on the old grounds of Hughes Aerospace. Mattel had acquired most of the old Hughes buildings and repurposed them for Toy production. Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels are literally created in the same building that once produced nuclear missiles! In the main design center that houses the boys, girls, and infant toy design divisions, there are large steel blast doors, covered with playful color stickers and posters, that serve as a reminder of the buildings original purpose. Ironically even in the 90's, security at in the Hot Wheels and Barbie design center was just as tight now, as it was when the building housed ICBM development in the Cold War. The reason as it was explained to me was that espionage in the toy industry was just as ferocious as it was for weapons and defense industries. Mattel was always at risk of spending several months and millions of dollars on developing a toy, only to have a pirate Chinese company steal the design and have cheap imitations for sale in stores, long before Mattel's product was ready for market. When Mattel suffered a huge $430 million loss in 2000 from the sale of SoftKey, if affected me personally. After the profit loss debacle, Mattel had responded by firing it's then president and punishing her with a generous $35 million settlement payment. Since no company keeps $35 million in petty cash laying around, they took the money from accounts payable, IE, the hundreds of small contractors like myself. By Christmas of 2000, I was still owed close to $40K from Mattel for freelance design work I had done that year. By January of 2001, I had received my 1099 tax statements from Mattel, claiming that I had been paid those wages even though I had not received a dime for any of my year 2000 invoices. In March of 2001, I stormed the front desk of the design bureau and demanded to speak to the VP of Boy's Toys, Bob Noll (the guy who signed my checks). He refused to meet me in person, instead letting me speak to him over the phone at the front desk. After ten minutes of patronizing platitudes from him, it was clear that Mattel had no respect for the folks who did 90% of the work for no full time benefits. (Mattel was abusing gig workers long before the term was coined) Since Mattel hired it's art directors and senior staff from it's ranks of contractors, I knew that in standing up for my rights, I was ruining my chance of full time employment. I left Mattel for a startup design company that year and never looked back.

[@PleatherGirl]

Wow! Thank you for sharing this!

[@custommediacreations]

I had no idea the toy business was that bad, thanks for sharing.

[@infernalstryfe]

Sadly, ALL, corporations are like this. They treat their employees as little more than expense numbers, on a spreadsheet. If they can get you out, for cheaper labor, by working you to death, with impossible, & unethical work quotas, downsizing, or just getting inside you head/wallet leading to frustration, & you quitting, they will. All to the tune of a big fat bonus from their shareholders for doing so.

[@kindasomeviews]

damn, to say Mattel had it rough is an understatement. i'd never imagine they had that big of a problem, or that their facility was built like that

[@magusxxx]

Falsifying a 1099 is a Federal Crime which they can still be held accountable for.

[@illegalclown]

I never believed my mom when she said that Mr. Potatohead required a real potato back then. It seemed too bizarre and just something parents would make up as a joke. I was shocked to see it was true.

[@youngimperialistmkii]

Yeah I never knew this. My parents never told me.

[@godmagnus]

Calling your own sainted mother a liar! Shameful!

[@nslouka90]

And it looked absolutely terrifying

[@willissudweeks1050]

Lol

[@megamix5403]

I remember seeing it in one of those I love the 80s type shows on VH1. XD

[@imamoth6969]

Hasbro: you can’t defeat me Mattel: i know but he can *lego appears*

[@gabrielcano7008]

Acctualy in stock market hasbro wins but hasbros cheap jp jw toys are TRASH-😆

[@Skullemojiwithacustardhat]

No mga crushed them both

[@Skullemojiwithacustardhat]

Lego is still alive but there's to much tea with mga

[@grapefruitsodags8387]

Hasbro and Lego of North America are both in New England

[@abandonedchannel1010]

50 years later: Hasbro buys The Lego Group and kills mattel

[@ajlogomanthecreepysusiefan5502]

You picked a good time to talk about Mattel. With the abysmal Thomas reboot on its way, it’s very fitting.

[@dupadupadoo69]

Remember when Happy meals gave you the option of either getting a hot wheels car or a barbie doll for the toy?

[@corrupted3600]

@I am Petitgguy the real toy are the Pokemon card for Pokemon day

[@bartorzech2468]

@I am Petitgguy I remember getting a literal cup from a happy meal..

[@bartorzech2468]

@I am Petitgguy yep

[@bartorzech2468]

I actually have like 2 or 3

[@genghiskhan.2265]

@I am Petitgguy I still have the cups. Two of them if you move them around the image changes

[@gabealexander8878]

If Hasbro and Mattel ever merge, they should be called HasMat, which is fitting considering you'd need a HasMat suit for how toxic it would be to the industry.

[@wendyokoopa7048]

I want fed ex and ups to merge so they can be fed ups

[@Matanumi]

@@wendyokoopa7048 so your percel service can be even shiftier and Amazon can take MORE of the marketplace? No thanks

[@harktheheral]

By all accounts, Hasbro has a pretty toxic corporate culture as is.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

Almost like if hotwheels merged with matchbox would be a hotbox

[@ryananglehart2460]

That will never happen because the department of commerce wont want a market monopoly. Both companies combined would prolly have 80% market share

[@superkooper6594]

every time I hear Mattel all I can hear is “Mattel Electronics presents, B17 BOMBER”

[@heytherecool]

i was thinking the exact same thing when i saw the title lol

[@TheInkPitOx]

B-17 BAWWWWWMER

[@mr.m6522]

BEWN-SHEVENTCHENN BAWNB-ER

[@wendyokoopa7048]

Same. I gotta fix my two inties

[@Crims0n0]

Lol AVGN reference

[@ENDO125RAPTER]

company man: hasbro has had the rights to make the star wars and marvel toys while as mattel has had the warner rights such as the dc and harry potter characters me: ........... you gonna talk about jurassic world yet

[@quinndenver4075]

I think the Jurassic brand is much much smaller than those four

[@Chloe-ln7jd]

@@quinndenver4075 it’s still huge. Jurassic is a huge franchise and especially when you get into the toy and figure side of the fan base.

[@mrsinister8978]

@@quinndenver4075 no its very big. Besides it beats HP.

[@JUANxxTNAFAN]

@@mrsinister8978 Nah, DC, Marvel, Star Wars and Harry Potter are much bigger franchises and it also fits the Disney vs WB narrative everybody loves.

[@yuri42berofficial]

Mattel: I’m better why am I in the down sight Everybody: remember you made a THOMAS and friends reboot? Mattel:

[@steakandcake]

I was hoping to find a Thomas related comment here

[@tidmouthworks0933]

@@steakandcake same

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

@@steakandcake well im here! Mattel just slaughtered the franchise

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

They took Thomas, and stomped it out. They ruined the show.

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

Rip chomas

[@CannonKnight]

I’m surprised you skipped over the 80s cartoons era (Transformers/Hasbro, He-Man/Mattel). They both had multiple cartoon series just to sell toys! Ah, the 80s were a great time to be a kid.

[@devingiles6597]

Take Jem and the Holograms for example. It was produced by Marvel Productions and Sunbow Productions and it was distributed by the now defunct Claster Television Incorporated.

[@mightyfilm]

Jem is a very special case. Unlike most Hasbro based cartoons, the toy line was considered a flop, but the cartoon was a wild success.

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

The cartoons in the 80s are... something else.

[@mightyfilm]

It was a strange time indeed. Things either had to be based on toys or existing properties. I'd say the big name toy based shows were better than they had any right to be, at least. Jem was basically a kids' soap opera. Then you get to the dregs with Maxie's World. A show based on Hasbro directly ripping off Barbie. It's as bad as you can imagine, and a reason why Barbie never had a regular cartoon series back then. If you made a drinking game out of every time they say "surf" in an episode, you'll be unconscious on the floor 2 minutes into an episode.

[@hesklairvoyant]

damn now that i think about it transformers went from kids cartoon a teen cartoon a kids cartoon again then a adult comic LOL

[@MaxWolop]

Hasbro: “I’m the best toy company!” Mattel: “No I’m the best toy company.” ???: “Amateurs...” Mattel: “What was that punk?” Lego: “Amateurs...”

[@Sam-Pound]

Amateurs*

[@brandonsaquariumsandterrar8985]

Very true lego is the best

[@lancedudero4318]

@@brandonsaquariumsandterrar8985 I have alot of Lego( most specifically, Creator, Technic and Speed Champions )

[@matrixpictures7799]

lol

[@someguy5926]

I’d say habrá is still #1 in the toys bbussiness, with big brands such as, Transformers, GI joe, Marvel Legends, Pretty sure Star Wars as well

[@Pharaoh_in_the_sheets]

Lol, even their acquisitions are direct competitors. DC/Harry Potter and Marvel/Star Wars

[@jordanhowell7798]

Disney Vs WarnerMedia

[@syxepop]

Actually IT'S COMPLICATED, as a few years back (mid-2010's?) Hasbro and Mattel flip-flopped on separate deals their Warner and Disney toy rights (Disney going to Hasbro and Pre-AT&T Warner going to Mattel).

[@BlackMishka]

Um, in Italy for example the DC distribution is completely done by SpinMaster which is a completely different company...

[@lucianganea3034]

@@BlackMishka Mattel lost the rights for DC for about two years now and SpinMasters are making DC toys currently

[@jefferyjones8399]

I always thought that was interesting too. Although DC toys went to McFarlane recently.

[@Jadethynehuman]

Hasbro has some pretty good transformers figures, I gotta say it was surprising to me that you forgot to say anything about that or Takara Tomi

[@OptimalMario]

Yeah the siege line was pretty good

[@DeeRizz]

Yeah

[@fernandovargas9635]

Ikr they have a partnership with Takara Tomi when making BEYBLADES which aren’t that good

[@Swindlerformers]

Yeah those where good hasbro sucked on the Jurassic world stuff tho

[@BR_Percy]

umm its Tomy

[@thatrandomredengine9430]

Let’s see Mattel likes to abuse Thomas and kick the fan in the nuts And Hasbro cares for My Little Pony and respects the fans and viewers watching it.

[@J-1410]

@@Gempalace Well Hasbro backpedaled over the potato head thing...

[@mrnemo204]

@@Gempalace Still complaining about SJWs in this age? Grow up!

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

@@Gempalace Still care about those social justice warriors? Three words: WE DON'T CARE!

[@TravTrevTV]

Companies keep getting cheaper...

[@kawaiikatgurl9435]

DO YOU SEE THE MY LITTLE PONY REBOOT!

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

*Fun Fact:* The Monopoly game helped the prisoners of war escape during WW2. British secret service officials used the games to smuggle the maps and tools to help the POWS escape captivity in Germany.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

source?

[@autisticchoppa3589]

@@kittykittybangbang9367 Source: "Trust me bro"

[@anarchomando7707]

Interesting

[@davidfitzsimmons2451]

@@kittykittybangbang9367 look up Christopher Hutton, the man behind the project, for more info. It was remarkably easy to pull off because the geneva conventions had some lines in them that made it possible for charity organizations to donate stuff like games to POWs. And Germany had the mindset of "if they are playing games that gives them less time and inclination to escape." So they were very willing to accept these goods and distribute them with minimal searches of the contents allowing them to get silk maps cleverly hidden past the guards. It's said that Germany had not once figured out the ruse.

[@jamesslick4790]

@@davidfitzsimmons2451 It's sad?!?

[@RedCometXIII]

"The FURBY", the tight zoom on the Furby, I dunno why but this had me weak.

[@CZsWorld]

I'd love to see a video on Frisbee vs Discraft.

[@smokesignal3432]

I agree, brother

[@SKMP]

brother, I agree

[@dolantrimp1691]

We all know Marty McFly invented the frisbee.

[@woofffer2368]

That would be epiccccccccccc

[@geofox9484]

I, brother, agree

[@patdthomas]

This brought back memories of many now defunct toy brands from my childhood: Ohio Art, Parker Brothers, Wham-O, Kenner, Lakeside, Marx, Coleco, Kohner Brothers, A.C. Gilbert, Ideal and Remco.

[@michaelkelleypoetry]

Hasbro invents Mr Potato Head. In "Toy Story", Mr Potato Head says, "I'm made by Mattel." 😂😂😂

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

“Toys.... primarily for children” What do you mea- *OOOOOOHHHHH*

[@skyden24195]

It was nice that toys from Hasbro and toys from Mattel were able to work together throughout the "Toy Story" series.

[@Troy-jy9os]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJmueKWaqd14eqs

[@studio7389]

That’s because Pixar licensed the characters from both companies. Funko does the same thing with Transformers and He-Man Pop figurines and both companies started licensing brands to each other for things like a Barbie edition of Monopoly and Transformers-based Hot Wheels cars. The truth is, competition dissolves if multiple parties benefit from joining forces.

[@skyden24195]

@@studio7389 yeah, I noticed that a lot in the film industry too, in particular with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (even before Disney bought 20th Century Fox) since rights to Marvel characters were spread out between studios, i.e., Fox had the X-Men and Sony had Spiderman. Of course, Disney/Marvel wanted to use some of those hence trades like Deadpool for whatever characters Fox had that Disney wanted at the time (before acquisition.) We're also seeing it now with the Indiana Jones franchise which Paramount has a claim to as well as Lucasfilm does.

[@Heizenberg32]

Interesting that Mattel's pencil division was so successful. I always thought it was just a write-off...

[@Lord_Of_Aether]

Ba-dum ching

[@Style_224]

Booo

[@vengarlof7033]

Hehehehe

[@scockery]

It lead to something greater.

[@Heizenberg32]

@@scockery Yeah, write?!

[@chaoticneutral7976]

And now they're about to collab

[@bretts7072]

"GI Joe hasn't been significant for 50 years." May I introduce you to the 1980s?

[@otakubullfrog1665]

I was going to point out just that. The cartoon made the toys must have items when I was growing up.

[@hardtime3769]

USS Flagg for the win!

[@spddiesel]

And now you know...

[@victoriaanaya1026]

the 80 are 40 years away tho omg

[@PepRock01]

Posted my comment before I saw this.

[@4shadow849]

You never mentioned "Kenner" and how or when Hasbro bought them out..?

[@jordel2010]

It was around the same time they acquired Tonka. But definitely a rather glaring omision he faliled to mention Kenner given how much of a big player it was during 1970's, 1980's and even well into the 1990's.

[@dinosolder6454]

They killed Kenner

[@steelsaber54]

Parker Brothers too

[@75aces97]

Tonka had previously bought Kenner (and Nerf, and Whammo), and Hasbro bought Tonka.

[@MechaSandvich]

Most of the hey day like the 80s was glossed over, GI Joe was mentioned as not being big for 50 years, which anyone who grew up in the 80s, or just knows about 80s culture, knows is wrong. He Man also wasn’t mentioned, which was huge for Mattel back in the 80s

[@Markimark151]

Hasbro has been more diversified with toys and merchandising and they’ve expanded their demographics to older kids and even adults! Mattel mostly targets younger children and produces toys and cartoons for preschoolers!

[@Greely]

I mean hotwheels do host monthly car meets and tour around the US but sure

[@Markimark151]

@@Greely Hot wheels is one of few big boy toys for Mattel. They have some brands for the big boys, just not as big as Hasbro.

[@t0ast647]

Like beyblades

[@Greely]

@@Markimark151 agreed

[@Bbabybear02]

Reminds you of Nintendo (Kids) and Sony/Microsoft (Adults) in gaming.

[@whatcoachareyouon3459]

You didn't mention how Hasbro lost the lisence to Jurassic world and Mattel bought it

[@mralmond693]

And Mattel did way better

[@Chloe-ln7jd]

This is why I came and I was disappointed he didn’t mention it.

[@jurassicfrenzy2884]

yeah, Mattel made some sick Jurassic world stuff, while Hasbro made their dinosaurs look like some Chinese knockoff.

[@W1nkey_]

@@jurassicfrenzy2884 ikr they couldn't even stand

[@RetroActionUK]

And how Jurassic Park and Star Wars originally were from Kenner.

[@DrFeelGoood]

considering Littlest Pet Shop was my whole childhood, and the fact that I still collect LPS to this day [to a bit of an obsessive extent...] I'm going to have to go with Hasbro.

[@mattl_]

I had the confusion position of being called Matt L and doing contract work for Hasbro.

[@aqua_dogx1699]

Ha that's awesome.

[@MateusDrake]

Your profile pic was the cherry on top XD

[@LordDraconical]

Sorry bro

[@bluekewne]

Do Fry's Electronics, they just closed all of their stores

[@cookingGuitarist]

Wikipedia is on point reporting they're defunct today!

[@BriannaBobadilla]

Wait they did? My brother shops there all the time for computer parts. That sucks

[@chicagoakland]

I'd love an episode on completely separate chains started by the same family. Obviously Fry's (Electronics and the grocery stores in Arizona), but also Lowe's (hardware and, yet again, grocery stores.)

[@cookingGuitarist]

@Don Clark They were never in my town. I found out about them from another site.

[@zacharycox9835]

Wait really?? I know a location sorta nearby me and had always wanted to visit it but never got the chance. Now I guess I'll never be able to 😕

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

Yeah, that would absolutely be a monopoly if they joined forces. I'd rather their rivalry continue until the end of time, lol.

[@dannychamberlain6244]

If the two toy companies fused, only LEGO and Bandai Namco, the most successful toy companies, could stop them

[@user-dl3vn8ze9n]

o h n o

[@mrsinister8978]

@@dannychamberlain6244 just Lego.

[@mrsinister8978]

@I am Petitgguy nothing? Mattel knows what us JP fans want

[@mrsinister8978]

@I am Petitgguy yes

[@lotteryfilms6431]

Jurassic fans: I don’t even have to watch this...

[@IGenRexy]

So true!

[@jurassicfrenzy2884]

lmao

[@thespinodino]

Going off of both of their Jurassic World toy lines, Mattel stomps this.

[@mralmond693]

Yep

[@Spacekid_Productions]

indeed

[@BugsyFoga]

Hasbro V Mattel : Dawn of the Toy Aisle

[@JJC-Tube]

Lol

[@mechajay3358]

Ha

[@syxepop]

AND IT USED TO BE WORSE as the Jem and The Holograms 1985 toy line start had some SERIOUS INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE ISSUES as I've read through the years.

[@jamieohjamie]

I wonder how much the explosion of My Little Pony influenced Hasbro's success.

[@user-dl3vn8ze9n]

Probably a lot...

[@ThePuziDestroyer]

Beyblade:am i a joke to you?

[@ThePuziDestroyer]

@I am Petitgguy a

[@hblackburn5580]

Hasbronies!

[@ShrimpDumplings777]

Also how barbie movies and Monster high movies were a big success for Mattel

[@defunctgoosebumpsaccount]

We can't forget Hasbro's greatest creations Transformers, MLP, and G.I Joe

[@hesklairvoyant]

yeah transformers i big for them they have like 3 movies planned one is for beastwars the rest are just for the bumblebee timeline and they have a new videogame planned

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

Plus they're care for their older fans

[@DBSe5Z]

And beyblade

[@alexanderavila8488]

They never actually made transformers

[@DBSe5Z]

@@alexanderavila8488 they did

[@spawnofmelkor]

Hasbro's expansion into the teen and adult market through the acquisition of Wizards of the Coast has given them a pretty significant advantage.

[@Phileas_Albert_Sinatra]

2:46 I like the fact that the kid in the stock footage plays with GAZ 21 Wolga and GAZ M20 Pobeda which where cars manufactured in USSR by Gorkovsky Automobilny Zavod And that fact is so hilarious to me for some reason

[@OdysseyTag]

There's only one toy company that matters and yes, it hurts like hell when you step on one of them.

[@Style_224]

@@RealGreenQueen you ain't wrong lego is a legendary toy

[@OdysseyTag]

@@RealGreenQueen Me: _Slowly erases Mega Bloks from his answer sheet_ *Yea, Legos*

[@PeterGriffin11]

I never really played with Lego that much but as a kid I use to play those Lego licensed games all the time Lego Star Wars, BatMan & Indiana Jones were the shit.

[@Alex-fv2qs]

@@OdysseyTag Btw, Mega Bloks is owned by Mattel

[@OdysseyTag]

@@Alex-fv2qs The plot thickens...

[@alexilonopoulos3165]

When I think hasbro, I think transformers. When I think Mattel I think those off brand hot wheels

[@neycercalle122]

I think those 1950s toy guns

[@smiley2316]

I think of Mattel a bad Thomas and Friends reboot With Hasbro i think of cheap Beyblades

[@LEOMESSIISDAGOAT-28272]

@Archer Neil yeah hasbro toys still good 🙄 ¿But Mattel toys! Are epic figures from jurrasic world 😱

[@stare4539]

@Archer Neil yea

[@stare4539]

@Archer Neil 101%

[@MFMegaZeroX7]

It seems a lot of Hasbro's modern dominance of the two can be attributed to Wizards of the Coast properties (Dungeons and Dragons and Magic the Gathering), which seem to always report quarterly growth, even during the COVID dip.

[@zachariahsmith9130]

Transformers are huge also. Much bigger than most people realize

[@hhs_leviathan]

Don't forget MLP, gen 5 coming soon :)

[@domehammer]

Shame how Wizards of the Coast is trying there hardest to go out of business. Abandon everyone that enjoys it to chase the elusive wider demographic... if I had a dollar for every time that has backfired I could pay my student loans.

[@zachariahsmith9130]

@@hhs_leviathan MLP is also "bigger than you know" lol

[@bodaciouschad]

@@domehammer Agreed. I started playing MTG in Ixilan and since then my standard deck has been banned 5 times. My father hadn't seen that kind of print anything and ban it a month later design philosophy in his decades of play.

[@dotdotdotdotdotdotdottod]

mattel and hasbro always compeating: MGA in the background: 🍿👀🥤

[@abandonedchannel1010]

Lego: am i a joke to you?

[@illuminoeye_gaming]

That list of acquisitions genuinely surprised me, I had no clue they collectively owned so much

[@Kaz999998]

I think the one part at the end with the whole Hasbro and Mattel competing by using super hero toys was fascinating on so many levels. Hasbro competes with Mattel Disney competes with Warner Bros. Marvel competes with DC. I wouldn't be surprised if one day Disney buys Coca-Cola and Warner Bros buys Pepsi in retaliation lmao

[@truckercowboyed2638]

And paramount buys dr pepper

[@hesklairvoyant]

universal buys crush LOL

[@truckercowboyed2638]

@@hesklairvoyant so a universal crush???

[@hesklairvoyant]

@@truckercowboyed2638 well sure. the soda has all the flavors of the solar system such as venus summer acid rain or toxic water and even red rocks flavor

[@truckercowboyed2638]

@@hesklairvoyant sounds delicious to be honest, probably only wanna drink one before bed....might cause gas

[@bartholomewmiller]

"There's been an intense competition between them" Me: There has, bro.

[@reb-dom1ne]

Clever

[@28ebdh3udnav]

Where is the fan requested video? We want: *KZbin - Why They're Hated*

[@AxxLAfriku]

Why is Donald Trump pretty and I am not? But why does he only have a wife but I have TWO HOT GIRLFRIENDS who I show off in my masterpiece YT videos? Do you know the answer, dear jo

[@viksplosion7105]

@@AxxLAfriku Are you a bot?

[@ethanma3916]

@@viksplosion7105 internet troll

[@viksplosion7105]

@@ethanma3916 Oh ok, I’ve seen him many times, and I thought maybe he was a bot

[@rich_d-in6np]

That would get taken down

[@Kazz-Kargonus]

Good video but I was so left wanting more when you started wrapping the video up I was like already? I don't know, this video should have his own hour-long documentary.

[@unstoppableExodia]

One of Hasbro’s most enduring successes has been the transformers. Honestly a whole video could be made about the fascinating origins of it. But the most interesting part is that the toys that spawned the franchise were made by a Japanese toy company named Takara, Hasbro created the characters and the lore that we know today. The original toys were called Diaclone and Takara had unsuccessfully tried to market them outside of Japan/Asia so hasbro offering a partnership upon a hasbro executive seeing Diaclone toys at a toy expo in the early 80s came at the perfect time. The rest is history. However there’s actually more depth to this origin story that I learned about only recently. It began in the 70s when Takara licensed GI joe from Hasbro except they branded it as a sort of cyborg character. But as the price of oil went up in the late seventies the cost of plastic went up and making those huge action figures became too expensive so Takara started making the figures smaller and made vehicles for them to pilot and the vehicles became increasingly innovative with transformations being gradually incorporated into their design until they were producing mech suit robots that transformed into fighter jets, cars and even robot insects and dinosaurs which were the Diaclone toys that were rebranded as transformers. The other interesting part is that with production of transformers toys all the expertise and heavy lifting is handled by Takara. Hasbro for all their strengths have never been able to match their Japanese partners in that regard. But it’s appears from the outside to be a highly symbiotic partnership as hasbro’s brand building has made it into a huge worldwide brand that has since become a big media franchise in its own right and has allowed hasbro to build up its media division where it now makes money off licensing Transformers for not just cartoons but also live action films and apparently they’re hoping to reboot the transformers film series as part of a larger cinematic universe that would encompass the other intellectual properties hasbro owns such as GI joe. I need to mention that like many 80s kids I loved the original generation one transformers series. And as much as I was able to form an appreciation for beast wars in the nineties almost all of what came afterwards really kinda sucked as far as I am concerned. The bumblebee movie I liked but I absolutely despised the Michael bay movies, they were absolute garbage and I don’t care how many billions those terrible movies grossed for paramount. they were absolutely vile and an insult to the source material. I just needed to make that clear.

[@Toontastic_Juju]

Favorite products from Hasbro: My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, Sorry, Monopoly, Jenga, Sorry, Simon, and Trouble

[@theonlymr2]

Mine is DnD

[@Rex-hc1ec]

Mines Transformers

[@kotikvtanke2349]

I know Hasbro didn't make Nerf, but it's still my favorite.

[@mrsinister8978]

You don't like Marvel legends? Just jk

[@edzim10]

Mattel has really messed up with the action figures in the last few years. They've lost the DC license and their stuff just doesn't look as good

[@chrisriley8775]

Yeah, I miss their old fun toys back in the 90's.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

They have both Hot Wheels and Matchbox to save them...

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

And they canceled Monster High and Ever After High

[@mattscp9483]

There messed up a lot for example Thomas a show that could be watched by everyone now just for babys

[@skinnylegend1542]

@@kittykittybangbang9367 monster high is coming back sadly ever after high isn't

[@dI9ESTIVES123]

I like how you made the red line Hasbro and the blue line Mattel. That didn’t confuse anyone...

[@dawnieedreams]

this may just be me loving dolls, but i'd love to see you talk about specifically Mattel's dolls vs MGA's dolls, especially the Barbie vs Bratz stuff i'm also quite surprised you didn't mention how disney princess dolls used to be made by mattel, but have since switched to hasbro after mattel launched Ever After High

[@romajikaiser8450]

I'm surprised the company man didnt mention Hasbro having the rights to make transformers here in the west, that's a major brand that kinda went under the radar in this video

[@dinohermann1887]

Beyblade as well

[@mindofmarisa]

Great video! Was interesting to learn the histories of the companies that made the products that brought me so much joy as a child!

[@ShroudSavage]

I’m surprised you didn’t mention the transformers deal hasbro has with takara .

[@kalebj16003]

Exactly, their most sucsefful partnership and toy brand

[@monicahoger]

Netflix actually goes into greater detail with transformers and Takara in the documentary series The Toys That Made Us. They also cover Barbie and Mattel a bit more there too! There aren't a lot of episodes, but they do cover the cartoons, in general a bit more as well. Fascinating stuff though!

[@hesklairvoyant]

and hasbros deal with idw (they make the new transformers comics and starwars. and tmnt) actually idw is huge LOL

[@RockerMicke1]

and now they own power rangers

[@hesklairvoyant]

@I am Petitgguy agreed IDW to me was at its peak in 2007-2015

[@Mandiness]

There’s a Mattel sticker on the underside of my NES. I remember as a kid I was so annoyed that it was there, because I didn’t want “that Barbie sticker” on the bottom of my game console. 😂

[@tomatodragon8164]

Hasbro being co-owners of Transformers along with surge in popularity of Dnd really helped them out a lot.

[@josephmosseri5647]

8:05 This man really typed “Pokèman” 😂😂

[@DishwaterFood]

That Hasbro logo is nostalgic af

[@Style_224]

Yup

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

Yeah

[@applesaurusrex8075]

Mhm

[@subifyouhatetiktokandreddit234]

It's on the back of board games, that's why

[@justalula7151]

When I think of Mattel, I think of Barbie toys. When I think of Hasbro, I think of My little pony toys.

[@boovproductions8515]

And the game and fandom

[@victoriaanaya1026]

me too

[@MissShembre]

I think of Furby for Hasbro

[@ashahasnain6546]

for me, mattel is barbie and hasbro is board games

[@hesklairvoyant]

when i think of hasbro think transformers

[@kingb6427]

The part of the video where Mattel and hasbro buying all other toy companies reminds me when Sony and Microsoft started buying game studios

[@julilolmo19]

This channel has grown so much

[@boogiedaddy3434]

Company Man: GI Joe hasn't been significant for 50 years 1980s & 90s: Are we a joke to you? GI Joe was massive when I was a kid. Movies, tv shows, and constant commercials and tie-ins with other brands.

[@companyman114]

Significant to them, not you Arron.

[@boogiedaddy3434]

@@companyman114 No disrespect, but that's what I meant. The 80s into the 90s were likely the Joe's biggest decade. Prior to that, they weren't huge sellers. 1982 saw the reimagining of the line with the launch of the small 3.75" figures that everyone knows today. This was followed by the introduction of vehicles, play sets, movies, etc., none of which had ever existed before.

[@companyman114]

I understand Arron but as far as I can tell it wasn't too significant to the Hasbro company overall. Maybe I'm wrong, I've just seen no evidence to say otherwise.

[@boogiedaddy3434]

@@companyman114 Fair enough. Just looking over their portfolio at the time, they weren't nearly as varied as they are now and I assumed it would have been a much bigger chunk. Oh well, neither of us are heirs to their empire so I don't suppose it matters.

[@companyman114]

Haha very true Arron.

[@JonesBrothersProductionsiac]

I'm more on Mattel's side mostly because of Hot Wheels. I still love Hasbro. My favorite brands from them are Beyblade and Nerf.

[@Night_Rider83]

Yeah, I used to love Beyblades, I bought a few fakes because they used to be very expensive in the UK. Now you can find them for very fair prices in Amazon. Though, I prefer Mattel now, my little brother loves Hot Wheels, and I love their Mega Construx Halo sets.

[@GooberThe4th]

The new Mattel jw figs are miles above the ones that hasbro made

[@mariangela_joaopedro261]

I like Mattel more because of the Disney Pixar Cars diecast. But I still like hasbro

[@user-dl3vn8ze9n]

*It's Nerf or nothing.*

[@Cinnamatime]

I feel like MGA would be another good company to make a video about. Heck there were a bunch of lawsuits between them and mattel.

[@Momo-qe2zk]

Yes please!

[@chrizeeey]

@@Momo-qe2zk omg love your pfp

[@Momo-qe2zk]

@@chrizeeey thanks

[@bethhamilton]

i think mga ceo isaac larian is trying to buy mattel as well

[@Cinnamatime]

@@bethhamilton wait really?

[@MaxStax1]

I could never resist saying that line "Pretty sneaky Sis" whenever I played Connect 4.

[@davecool42]

Mattel also had the distribution rights for the first Nintendo console. I remember a big red Mattel logo on my NES box.

[@Kingbacon747]

As long has Hasbro has the lisence for Transformers they'll have me in their side

[@grahf4215]

And luckily they'll never loose that license since they've always owned that IP outright as the creators of it.

[@alexanderavila8488]

@@grahf4215 they don't own it

[@alexanderavila8488]

Hasbro does really own transformers they are only given the rights to produce things based off it

[@grahf4215]

@@alexanderavila8488 Please just tell me you're trying to badly troll because we're on the internet right now. A quick google search will prove me right. Hasbro invented the Transformers brand. They own it. They own Power Rangers. They own GIJoe. They own Play-Doh. They own My Little Pony. They own Magic the Gathering. They own Furby. They own M.A.S.K.. They own Monopoly. They own Mr. Potato Head. They own Micronauts. They own Nerf. They own Tonka. They own Gobots. They own Wizards of the Coast. They own Playskool. They own Kenner. They own Death Row Records. They own Parker Bros. They own Milton Bradley. They DO NOT OWN: Star Wars, Ghostbusters, DC, Top Gun, Back to the Future, Marvel, Overwatch, Toy Biz, Jurassic Park, Pokemon. They also do not own Zoids or Diaclone, TakaraTomy does. Takara are partners with Hasbro for the Transformers brand but they do not own the brand. They help in the design process and are allowed to make their own molds and series based on the brand in Japanese markets but they do not have control over the brand. They do however own most of the G1 molds as they either made them, own the companies that made them or made them alongside Hasbro. However, Hasbro can pretty much use any of those molds as they see fit provided the molds still exist.

[@alexanderavila8488]

@@grahf4215 A quick google search won't prove you right at all if you take the time to look. They didn't make it at all and they don't entirely own it. You are misinformed. They did not make a lot of the characters and they did not have a lot involvement in creating the story, etc. Who would troll in a comment section about toys? Takara created the Diaclone and MicroChange toy lines, which were later imported to the US by Hasbro and turned into the Transformers. Since then, Hasbro and Takara have been business partners.

[@halo3boy1]

Who remembers KB Toys?

[@robertschnobert9090]

Never heard of it 🌈

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

I remember!

[@Night_Rider83]

I presume you're a Mattel guy, considering Mattel has Mega Construx... and Mega Construx makes Halo sets.... well, that's at least the case with me.

[@scockery]

Murdered by Bain Capital and Mitt Romney.

[@scockery]

@I am Petitgguy Toys R Us Canada still exists, at least.

[@jonplaud]

Awesome. What surprised me was the Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon cards which I still have

[@francishollingshead2134]

It's weird that Hasbro and Mattel have bought several other companies. In the movie "Transformers: The Last Knight" one of the guys makes a Rainbow Dash figure out of some material. This is funny because Hasbro makes both Transformers and My Little Pony.

[@bloodycotton]

My aunt worked in Hasbro during the late 80s to 90s, she kept bringing us the unpackaged version of their toys. I remember cabbage kids and some building toys, which we build a tower then watched it fell with a timer demolish device.

[@BatCaveOz]

Fun fact - In the 1960s Mattel used to manufacture the handgrips for M16 rifles used during the Vietnam war.

[@gabrielcano7008]

Mattel gonna realease a gun lol

[@peterwinstead1959]

I’d love to see a video comparing fast food restaurants’ kids meal toys and how successful each restaurant’s toys were

[@HZVideosOfficial]

I remember when Hasbro used to make WWE (then WWF) toys, then Mattel acquired those rights later on.

[@omega_mfw]

Yeah Good times

[@jimbrown5091]

Oh wow...that's tough. I was a Hot Wheels kid...but also GI Joe (1980's 3.75" version) and Star Wars...which was Kenner back in those days...I also had Tyco electric slot car tracks...so thanks to all the acquisitions I'd blow a mental gasket trying to pick a favorite...

[@drewe2331]

Watching this was interesting. It shared many of the beats with what is and was the largest toy company at the time of publishing; LEGO. Family company started long ago (1932 so LEGO is oldest of the 3), initially didn't make toys, named the company by combining two words, all three stretched thin in the late 90s/early 00s and had to figure out what to do about computers. Biggest difference is that LEGO is a behemoth with only one real brand under their belt instead of being a conglomeration of any company they can buy up.

[@brodiecouch]

Mattel’s logo looks like it was made in a microsoft word document to cut cost

[@fitchmichael3975]

And hasbro's was ripped from Aladdin.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

@@fitchmichael3975 What?

[@alexsanchez1883]

THE SHOW DOWN OF A LIFETIME

[@PeterGriffin11]

Mattel vs Hasbro is lowkey another legendary rivalry like Nintendo vs Sony vs Microsoft Pokémon vs Digimon Micky Mouse vs Bugs Bunny Marvel vs DC Coke vs Pepsi although unlike some of these I don’t prefer one over the other I never played with Mattel or Hasbro toys as a kid I mainly played with Pokémon figurines made by Jakks Pacific. If I had to choose one though I’d pick Hasbro only because they use to manage Pokémon Cards though.

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

I think Nintendo vs. SEGA is an interesting rivalry. Mario and Sonic are now friendly rivals, especially for the Olympic games.

[@itzlinglingツ]

Nintendo owns sega

[@itzlinglingツ]

@@poweroffriendship2.0 you can't beat them be them

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

@@itzlinglingツ Nintendo does not own Sega. Sega licenses their product to Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft.

[@mikeboragine8054]

Pokemon and Digimon is not really a rivalry when Pokemon blew past them by a light year. Nintendo and Sega for sure. Sony vs Microsoft is the current one.

[@Itsgay2read]

I cant speak for all of Mattels toys, but their dolls seem to be constant waves of them inventing new doll lines like Monster High, Ever After High, Super Hero Girls, and then almost immediately pulling the plug once things get going. (Ever After High saw them competing with Disney and Descendants came out around that time too)

[@toykeyper8914]

Always look forward to a Company Man video! I would love to see a video about Coleco, the company that used to produce the Cabbage Patch Kids and the Coleco Vision. I know they've been defunct for a while but they have a pretty interesting history.

[@Shalalacls]

Mattel also has licensing on Disney princesses dolls! At least I think they still do... Their versions are usually a lot prettier than the monstrosities Disney makes for itself

[@sydneyferon]

As a girly girl back in the day, you couldn't make me choose between baby alive and Polly pocket/barbie. I liked them equally.

[@kittykittybangbang9367]

"back in the day"?

[@sydneyferon]

@@kittykittybangbang9367 yep

[@lucho_1980]

50 years? Every kid had GI Joes back in the 80s

[@folderolofdestiny4236]

Seriously, I think Company Man might be trolling us.

[@hazelsam13]

The 80s were 40 years ago..........

[@folderolofdestiny4236]

The 80s STARTED about 40 years ago. Which means they didn't end until about 30 years ago. The part where GIJoe was completely changing how toys were conceived and marketed? In between those.

[@stevenglowacki8576]

Not every kid. I had a lot of Lego and other construction kit stuff (I think I had separate large plastic tubs with 4 different systems), but no "action figures".

[@mountaindew7190]

I think he said 15.

[@TristanSamuel]

"Logical transition into making toys... for children." of course I'm sure kids will kinda like toys

[@ashkitt7719]

@ً Also called Woody and Buzz

[@anarchomando7707]

@@ashkitt7719*sigh* God damn it I'll admit that's a good pun But never make something like that again

[@protama-kun]

Remember Hasbro's Jurassic World toys? Now compare those to Mattel's..

[@scottgaskell2079]

Overall, a good video. I did want to dispute one point though. GI Joe was huge in the 1980s. I'm not sure where the "GI Joe hasn't been relevant for them (Hasbro) in 50 years" comment came from. Also Hasbro was the company that made Transformers, which are still relevant as far as I know. Mattel had He-Man and the Masters of the Universe as a hit toy line in the '80s. All of these had their own cartoon shows on TV that served as advertisements, which I think is worth noting. Those are a couple of points that probably ended up on the cutting room floor that I thought were worth mentioning

[@nicksullivan4994]

I prefer Hasbro, because I Love My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, Transformers, Star Wars and Hasbro Games!😍❤️📺🎶

[@mariquitaiguana7393]

Me too

[@Night_Rider83]

I love Star Wars, I only really like Mattel for their Mega Construx Halo.

[@Theorymus]

Hasbro Fan Here 👍

[@Style_224]

Same

[@subifyouhatetiktokandreddit234]

Weird username dude

[@xmega9526]

Now i totally understand when that guy in Ted 2 said "I work for Mattel" 💀💀

[@tarantinoland.automobiles]

I live near the Mattel HQ and they have a factory toy store at the very bottom floor. I went there a lot as a kid to buy the newest Hot Wheels. If I couldn't find it at Target, it was ALWAYS at that store.

[@diegojimenez5251]

this video made me feel old for the first time and im 14 still i loved the video

[@gircakes]

Mattel has the best Jurassic world toys, while the Hasbro ones looked like they were all shot in a drive by.

[@Dinoslay]

The post-Kenner days sure were a long dry season for fans of that franchise. Goes to show how having more faith in the potential of a brand by it’s rights holder can go a long way in single handedly bringing it back.

[@whyisgamaretaken]

0:56 You are making my head spin. Hasbro should be blue, because they are blue and mattel is red

[@Makoto03]

I've always been more of a Hasbro kid. :)

[@Style_224]

My little pony idogs/penguin they are amazing

[@Evilnor7]

My Grandpa was a plant manager for Empire Pencil Co., back in the day, reporting directlyto a Mr. Hassenfeld. We always got pencils in our Christmas stockings 😛

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

I can't believe when he mentioned Tyco the model trains weren't mentioned.

[@dwood78part23]

A tale of the 2 biggest toy companies in America. Personally, I'm more of a Hasbro fan (GI Joe, Transformers, & of course board games likes Monopoly & the Game of Life).