Mattel Toy Recall

Victoria Lim

Wu Guan Jun

Ong Wee Siong

Mona Soesilo

Gregg Speirs

Outline

Communication Process Background Situation Analysis Message statement Audience Key Audience messages Implementation Budget Monitoring & Evaluation

Communication Process Verbal Communication Written Communication Visual Communication

Communication vehicles used may include: Internet Radio Video TV Newspapers

Response by Mattel

Visual Communication Written Communication

Communication vehicles used : Internet TV Newspapers

Background

Consumer Product Safety Commission, one out of 11 children in the US has high concentrations of lead in their bloodstream.  

Older homes are a source of lead poisoning that affects children.

Lead gets into the human body when people touch surfaces that have been painted with lead paint

Lead contamination causes health problems for children and adults

The problem with lead in children’s toys is not a new one

happened repeatedly Mattel are not the first company to fall victim to

this crisis Some company affected by the same

problems and some of the steps they took to remedy the issue took

Situation Analysis

Firms Recall’s unit

OKK Trading About 2,000

Educational

Insights

About 130

Toy Puzzle

Vehicle

About 198,000

S.U. Wholesale About 5,000

Downeast

Concepts

About 400

Firms RemedyOKK Trading Keep the toys away from

children and return it to the store where purchased for a refund.

Educational Insights All purchasers have been contacted and requested to return the games for a store credit or refund.

Toy Puzzle Vehicle Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy puzzle sets away from children and return to QVC for a full refund including shipping and handling.

S.U. Wholesale Consumers should immediately take these toys away from children and return to them to the store where purchased for a refund.

Downeast Concepts Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy gardening rake away from children and return it to the store where purchased for a replacement toy hand rake.

Message Statement

New safety regulations in place Reassure to public that measures have been

taken to prevent this from happening again Apology to the public

Audience

Very emotive issue People most affected are families (parents &

children)

Key Audience Messages “We are recalling our products, and are sorry for the

inconvenience caused” “We are adamant this will not happen again” “You will be fully compensated for the inconvenience” “Mattel is working WITH you to make safer toys”

Implementation

(Day 1) Release a broad media message (Television) to announce that problems have been discovered, and issue loose details of what products are a risk.

(Day 2) On the company website, issue a statement regarding the recall of all Mattel products from a certain time-frame. Coupled with an apology to the public, a promise of compensation and information about the dangers of lead

(Day 3) Contact suppliers/retailers about the issue; discuss halting the transportation of goods from certain suppliers, and the pulling of product from shelves of retailers.

(Day 4) Set up a helpline for people to call in to, staff with people on 8-hour shifts, asking them to redirect people to the company website for more information.

(Week 2) Release print-based, full-page red/black and white messages in local broadsheets.

(Week 3) Use follow-up interviews with specialists in the field to keep the issue around, but not in the headlines

Budget

Description Price

Yahoo ads 30 second for 10

cents (2 months)

Recall’s website 6000

Others media 15000

Transportation &

shipping fee

670000

Monitoring and Evaluation

The campaign is set up by the Mattel to recall all the products

Some of the steps taken are to issue a recall statement at yahoo.com. Use bold red ads to show the seriousness of the crisis

Mattel set up planning by describing all the defective products and provide clear instruction on how to return recalled products

Offer comparable value of compensation for the inconvenience they have caused to recalling the products

According to the business times, Mattel deserve praise for stepping up to its responsibilities as the leading brand in the toy industry