This is Mattel's MO every single time when we acquire somebody. Really surprised AG has nor been infected yet. If Mega product was not expensive it sure will be now that the bloated Mattel over head/profit margin will be added. Lego is all about quality & value while Mattel is now all are cost reduction at the price of quality & value. Plain & simple, just sit in on any of our so called approval mtgs. We start with a great concept at our 1st milestone mtg. & by the time it gets approved if it lasts, it's pretty stripped of what it once was. I've gotten used to it so not complaining or whining, just stating a fact. It's not an Adventure, it's a job that pays my bills. When I'm here I work, when I'm home this place doesn't exist, no more extra effort from me.
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yep, my friends in Canada have been complaining since day one about Mattel processes. everything had slowed to a crawl. it's hubris on mattels part plain and simple. when Disney bought marvel. they were smart enough to take a step back and instead of absorbing marvel into the Disney way they acclimated some of marvels best practices into the Disney model (marvel are notorious cheap bastards). that's how you bring someone new into the fold.
Mega is already seen as sub par quality product by consumers. Moving production to China will only make the fit and finish of the product worse. Mattel should never have bought Mega. We overpaid for what their sales and licenses were worth. If we wanted to be in the construction toy business with engineering and tooling oversight in China and production in uncontrolled factories we should have just done it ourselves. The only thing Mega blocks and crayons had going for them was low price. Adding Mattel overhead to their balance sheets just kills those brands.
Mega is already seen as sub par quality product by consumers. Moving production to China will only make the fit and finish of the product worse. Mattel should never have bought Mega. We overpaid for what their sales and licenses were worth. If we wanted to be in the construction toy business with engineering and tooling oversight in China and production in uncontrolled factories we should have just done it ourselves. The only thing Mega blocks and crayons had going for them was low price. Adding Mattel overhead to their balance sheets just kills those brands.
Mega isn't LEGO by a long shot. Unlike LEGO, whose entire operation is automated, MEGA's margins actually make Mattel's worse. Moving to China and closing the office can only help.
LEGO makes very little in China. Most of their blocks are made in Denmark.
Wait - Mega makes plastic blocks in Canada? No wonder the margins suck. Know that moving them to Asia manufacturing has been in the works probably since the acquisition. AG used to make product in Wisconsin but no longer does and is in better factories in China. I'm actually surprised they didn't close the Mega office earlier.
If the recent comment is correct Mega Canada is in for a closing as soon as it possible/feasible because Mattel has been & will continue to move as much of whatever they can to the Orient. Plain & simple as I was in many management meetings where using the Orient as much & as early was the topic/goal. That includes Design, Engineering, ( ( which no longer exists @ Mattel ) model making, etc. The new goal now is to move as much as they can from our Hong Kong offices to mainland China where it's even cheaper still. Cut all the corners/quality possible in order to pay the high salaries of our executives. If they could they'd move all of EA to HK/mainland China :) Just remember.......all of our IT support went to Pakistan for better or worse. Doesn't matter for the VP's though because they kept their very own IT team here in ES for their own use so they don't have to try to listen to someone you can barely understand.
Mega in Canada is a factory. You have to move all the production to China before you can move the Design+Marketing+Operations to EA.
Upper management probably doesn't want to take this on. It would be a lot of work and a long term project. If your personal stake in the company is short term you don't take on projects like this.
If you're in any satellite office except maybe East Aurora and Middleton, WI, expect some belt tightening and possible closures. Last time I checked, Hasbro didn't need a NYC office... Mega's Rose Art office in Irvine is tiny, but will probably close; the bigger savings would be to close Mega in Canada and move them to East Aurora.
It seems that the truth has upset several upper mismanagement posers on this thread :) I love when that happens as we know who they are. Disney now with Trains, Descendants, they have it all & will Market the hell out of everything they own. Unlike our marketing management who likes to pick colors & play Designer at all of our approval mtgs. :) Absolutely love it when the truth hurts.
When Disney releases "trains" the proverbial crap will hit the fan and you can expect the NYC office to close. The Thomas business will be obliterated by superior content and likeable characters. No matter how long that lame ass property has been around for, the mouse magic will make thomas a thing of the past like Barney. Sadly NYC has known of this movie since 2013 and we have done NOTHING to improve the Thomas content. As for the rest of our properties, the Nick business is pitiful and every other license that beached mega whale has brought in have been utter crap.
Hahaha what would Barbie do?
Dear Pitch-savvy - your endearing pet names have indeed been a great source of warmth and comfort to us in the illuminati. So much so that we would like to "pitch" you as the head pitcher to all our pitchies for all future pitches. We feel like your incessant pitching is only best rewarded as being the biggest Pitch of all. Congratulations!
LOL... if you're so incensed about your situation then why don't you take that flying leap to Burbank? stop crying about your talent not being utilized. have you perhaps considered you're actually not quite talented at all??? we all know you were referring to yourself when you speak of "real talent".
So the mouse is done. AND? it's what you do with the situation instead of crying about what could have been done. SIGH
OK kids let's keep the forks n knives on the table and try to not throw spaghetti all over each other's faces !!! Yipes Soapopera.com/mattel
No, it's called managing your inept stupidity. What you are missing is the scope of your ineptness. Dear kiss ass lackey, get a clue on your "managing reality". The Disney Pixar Cars 3 pitch is around the corner within several months stupid which I'm sure you have no clue of. They moved up the release date to to 2017 imbecile. Word is the Mouse is done with us so we'll pitch it for nothing. Millions of pitch $ wasted for fun. You probably don't even what know what a pitch is do you stupid? Google it you dumb ass. Take a class on being the best tape worm possible which you'll pas with flying colors. No hate, just facts, stayed tuned stupid.
Dear talented and unappreciated- we're sorry we don't seem to realize your potential for greatness. We've been working on a project to make such talents like yourself heard. We agree that you should be able to do your own projects on your own time with your budget etc. just to pretty much do what you want. Because you obviously you know what you're doing. We also think there's a class you might want to attend. It's called "Managing Reality".
I keep saying that today at MattHell real talent doesn't matter, in fact, it hurts the Designers who actually have it. All that matters here today is if you are in the circle of sycophants or not. If you are actually talented & speak your mind or opinion your labeled a loose cannon with a bad attitude who is "hard to work with" by your super insecure upper mismanagement. It's really simple to understand once you see it over & over like I have. It's not right & it wasn't always like that but that's the Cancer Culture here now. Damn I don't want to have to drive to Burbank or move away from the beach......at least I know the offer's there. What morale or morals? There's none left.
Hit cut some super talented folks and left a huge load of worthless employees who are as welcome as a mixed marriage in the south in the Fp office. Can't believe that we'll have to have more talent doles tool infect our office and lower our morale further.
I guess HIT wasn't such at hit just like Quirky ended up a bankrupt Turkey. Nice.
NYC won't close but the Hit office will be closing and the remaining employees albeit useless ail be moved into the FP NYC office.
How 'bout closing that big 15th story office on 333 Continental Blvd. in El Segundo :) ............
I consider NY to be a satellite office. What about the Mega office in Irvine, CA?
didn't know they existed. but i would bet my last dollar that they'll probably be consolidated.