Crisis Management: Mattel - Did they toy with their reputation?

Published 2007

With the 24 hour news cycle now shortening, crisis management plans more than ever need to include a digital response.

A perfect example of that was when Mattel recently recalled Chinese-made toys due to safety concerns about lead paint and loose magnets. The latest recall was the second during August, expanding on the Fisher-Price toy recall announced on August 2.

So how did this crisis unfold online? Firstly, let’s look at how they responded online and secondly how the online world responded to them.

Mattel’s Online Response

Using the online armour of webcasts, crisis response websites and search engine marketing (pay per click) Mattel used the new suite of online tools to reach its customer base.

In Australia Mattell undertook sponsored links on search engines such as Google (often known as pay per click)

This sponsored link then directed them to the international “Voluntary Safety Recall Facts” site.  This type of site is often known as a dark site - or crisis management site - one developed specifically to address the individual crisis.

The site also employed a webcast, an online video of Bob Eckert
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Mattel apologising for the recall. The site was later updated with a new Webcast that discusses the testing they are currently doing on their products.

The Mattel website itself also contained a separate section (shown in red) regarding the recall.

The Media section of the Mattel website also contained specifically targeted Recall Information for journalists (also shown in red)

So with a lot of emphasis placed on getting the information out quickly how did Mattel’s crisis plan work? And did it make the grade?

The best way to examine the online response is to look at Mattel’s key stakeholders and see how they responded.

The Online World responds

One of the key stakeholders is parents groups and in Australia (as well as internationally) they had a lot to say.

Parenting Online Forums

Essential Baby one of the most popular parenting sites in Australia discussed the Mattel recall in their online forum.

 Comments included: 

“That really P!sses me off. My kids have had the sesame street saxophone in their mouths. You think when buying Fisher Price you are getting quality items. Tight ass Pr!cks” 

“What an absolute flipping scandal.  How dare they allow this to happen. Have already sent Thomas stuff back (AT MY COST!!) and I'm just infuriated that these companies are not driven to the wall for this. Lead near children???” 

Another parenting site Minti also contained comments, albeit a little less dramatic:

“Just wondering if anyone has a link to finding which toys are on the recall list. We own ALOT of Polly Pocket (the magnetic ones) and sadly I think they are on the list.”

Parenting Blog, Life as a Daddy, also commented:

Internationally, it didn’t take long for their parenting sites to hot up with comments either.

Sybermums had a thread on the recall

Consumer Associations and the Government

In Australia the Australian Product Recalls website promptly had a notice about the recall

The Consumer Association, Choice website also had a notice

Business Community

Online news sites carried the story prominently in both the general and business sections.  In addition, Online business forums such as the Socially Responsible Business Forum also picked up the story:

“Today’s announcement by the Mattel toy company that it is recalling 9 million manufactured toys due to lead paint and loose magnets once again highlights the modern day tension between profit and social responsibility”

PR and Communications Professionals

There were differing views amongst PR professionals internationally as to whether Mattel had managed the crisis well.

For example, a pr blogger Red Plastic Monkey said:

Here is a little unsolicited design advice Mattel. When you have a sensitive issue, and hundred of thousands of worried and pissed off parents, don’t use SO MUCH RED. It’s ok to go a little off-brand on this, trust me.

Second, let’s look at the letter from Bob Eckert, CEO, patronizingly titled “Because your children are our children to.

The video is probably the worst offender. Every word scrubbed by PR, shot in a sterile corporate setting. It comes off as pretty lame and insincere. What could Bob & co have done better here? How about losing  the tie, for starters. How about showing footage of staff on sight in China implementing “3 point process changes”, instead of describing them. The majority of the video is spent seeming to blame their manufacturers, instead of accepting responsibility. The much needed apology comes close to the end, and seems like an insincere but required part of the “script”…..where are the opportunities to participate on this site? Why can’t I leave comments (vent)?

Also negative was Graham Hales, executive director at Interbrand who said:

"It is strange that Mattel chose to roll out a print ad campaign around the recall in the US, but not the UK. When a brand has the same problems in regions that have commonality, the communications strategy should be consistent across both - especially for global brands. Are American consumers' attitudes so different from that of those in the UK? If the issue is the same for both territories, the brand should arrive at the same conclusion."

On the positive side they did garner favourable comments about their paid search blogger, Mark Silva said:

“Paid placement is a legitimate way to drive up your story in search rankings when needed and ensures the good news gets out with the bad. In this case, it’s good news to see how proactive and seriously Mattel is taking the crisis”

Crisis Blogger - a blog dedicated to crisis communications gave them the thumbs up saying:

“First, let me say that Mattel seems to be handling the potentially organization-threatening recalls and reputation damage very well. And their response seems like the well rehearsed response of messaging, key executive media training, and crisis management response that many of us in this business have been advocating for a long time. Get your CEO out there. Tell the truth, even when it hurts the worst. Be the bearer of bad news yourself”

In a PR centered article entitled Getting a Toy Recall Right, the Harvard Business Review’s online newsletter Working Knowledge said: 

The CEO has taken personal charge of the situation. He has apologized publicly and taken immediate steps to tighten quality assurance requirements on Mattel's suppliers.

At the same time, PR practitioners internationally debated the issue on a special Mattel Recall thread Online social network.

So what years ago would have been a simple news bulletin or newspaper article gathered enormous speed and traction on the web with all the stakeholders groups building momentum and keeping the story alive for much longer.

In the web 2.0 world online forums, blogs, websites, and even wikipedia have all debated, commented on and discussed the recall from a variety of perspectives and unlike the days of traditional media the crisis has been archived permanently on the web. 

Note: The original article contained numerous links so that readers could go directlyto the references on the Web. However, these have been removed because many of the links are no longer active.

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