Thesis (D. Com.(Marketing Management))--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Available also on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (D. Com.(Marketing Management))--Universiteit van Pretoria, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Marketing, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (Mar. 26, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-116). Also issued in print.

Yes / Toy industry in the US is product driven and full of challenges. This case presents an overview of the California-based Micro Games of America (MGA) Entertainment, which is a consumer entertainment products company, engaged in innovative lines of proprietary and licensed products including toys and games, dolls, consumer electronics, home decor, stationery and sporting goods. It had more than 200 licences. In 2001, MGA launched a fashion doll called ‘Bratz’, and it sold 150 million Bratz dolls all over the world. Bratz line surpassed the legendary brand ‘Barbie’—Mattel, Inc.’s flagship brand—in a short span of time through many innovative marketing strategies and different product placement, roll-outs, tie-ins and other promotional tactics, despite facing many challenges, such as, fast-changing demographics, shorter product life cycle (PLC) and negative perceptions about brand. This case can be used to address two issues: first, structural change drivers and trends that shaped the toy industry in developed economies and, second, how to develop effective marketing strategies for product with shorter PLC in highly product-driven market?

The aim of this thesis is to determine the strategy and partial steps that are needed to introduce the product on the market. The theoretical part defines the basic terms, which were described in accordance with professional literature related to this topic. The thesis describes SWOT analysis, BCG Matrix, market segmentation and Marketing Mix. In the practical part, the current state of the Marketing Mix is evaluated and it is pointed out how it should be newly set up correctly. The product development strategy was chosen based on Ansoff matrix. The market share of old brilliant watercolours gradually decreased, so the company took a step that innovated this product (saturation, pigment expansion and new packaging). Changes made to the product should have a positive impact on the volume of units sold and the gradual increase in market share. Furthermore, it is important that the company follows the new steps that are suggested based on the marketing mix. It is crucial that the company segment the market properly. In the Market Segmentation section, 11 categories are newly introduced. Brilliant watercolours are newly categorized as Creative, designed for a wide range of elementary art schools and creatives who are not satisfied with plain watercolours and products from ART category (professional products) are, in terms of price, inadequate to use. The new steps to introduce the product on the market include the costs that are reflected in the break-even point calculation. The resulting value is to show whether the payback time has been extended or shortened.