Scrabble, the Mattel-owned games brand, is having a major makeover
for the first time in 12 years. The aim is to widen the popular board
game’s appeal to include more children; its current core market is
35- to 55-year-olds.
Mattel has appointed London design firm Brown Inc to come up with a new
look in time for Christmas 1999. A number of ideas are under
consideration, such as using different colours on the board and changing
the plastic tiles to wood. The relaunch will be accompanied by ads
through Ogilvy & Mather.
The toy firm is also looking at a number of brand extensions which may
include a Scrabble-branded dictionary or a branded magazine. A Scrabble
CD-ROM will be launched next year.
Paul McGarry, director of marketing at Mattel’s Spears Games, said:
’This is a major initiative to broaden Scrabble’s appeal and to attract
new games players to the brand. We won’t tamper with the fundamentals,
but will keep it fresh and up to date.’
Over 100 million sets of Scrabble have been sold since Alfred Butts
invented the game in 1948. It is one of the top two games brands in the
UK alongside Monopoly.
