Mattel is kicking off a series of new initiatives as part of its “Play it Forward” platform in an effort to leverage its brands to give back.
Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes is the first of several brand efforts geared toward honoring the workers who keep communities running across the country. #ThankYouHeroes launches with a collection of 16 action figures representing doctors, nurses, EMTs, and delivery drivers, each packaged in a collectible display box. For younger kids, the Fisher-Price Little People Community Champions set features five characters including a grocery store worker, delivery driver, doctor, nurse, and EMT.
“#ThankYouHeroes is designed to immortalize and honor healthcare and everyday heroes, and to drive additional donations to support first responders,” says Chuck Scothon, senior vice president of Fisher-Price and global head of infant and preschool, Mattel. “Whether these toys are given as a gift to recognize someone working on the front lines, or used as a tool to help children have conversations about how they are feeling, it is our hope that Fisher-Price toys, and play in general, can ultimately make these difficult times easier for both kids and adults.”
#ThankYouHeroes are available to preorder via the newly launched Mattel Playroom website. Each item retails for $20, from which $15 from each sale will benefit #FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative created to support first responder healthcare workers as they serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We launched #FirstRespondersFirst to support healthcare workers and their families who are on the frontlines of this pandemic,” says Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, one of the organizations behind the #FirstRespondersFirst initiative. “Mattel’s iconic brands and products speak to something deep within us. So it will be wonderful to see this new Fisher-Price collection not only bring joy to children, but give parents and caregivers a new way to honor healthcare first responders and everyday heroes and their families.”
Preorders for the special edition toys will be open through May 31 with shipment expected by December 31.
In recent weeks, Mattel has joined a number of toymakers in the fight against COVID-19 by supporting healthcare workers through the production and donation of masks and face shields in addition to supporting families affected by the spread of the coronavirus and its economic impact.
