Mattel Unveils New Initiatives at Nuremberg Toy Fair 2025Mattel Unveils New Initiatives at Nuremberg Toy Fair 2025

A new line of building sets, a revived partnership with Hot Wheels and Ferrari and a look at its 80th anniversary Ruby Collection were all revealed this week.

License Global

January 28, 2025

4 Min Read
Mattel Brick Shop
Mattel Brick ShopMattel

Mattel unveiled several new initiatives at the 2025 Nuremberg International Toy Fair this week. From entering new categories to celebrating a milestone anniversary and reigniting iconic partnerships, the toy giant showcased its latest plans for 2025 and beyond. 

Mattel Brick Shop: A New Era in Building Sets 

At the Nuremberg Toy Fair, Mattel debuted its new brand in the building sets category, Mattel Brick Shop. This brand is designed to disrupt the status quo, bending the rules of building with innovative features, materials and techniques that inspire builders to try something new. 

Putting the builder at the center of every experience, Mattel Brick Shop provides a quality brick fit, easy-to-follow playbooks, sturdy builds and endless creativity to expand the builder’s imagination. Mattel Brick Shop aims to deliver value with every product, including more surprise features, post-build opportunities like customization and more piece count, all at a competitive price point. 

"Today marks an exciting new chapter as we introduce Mattel Brick Shop,” says Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president, global head, vehicles and building sets, Mattel. “Our commitment is to deliver building sets that surpass builder’s expectations, with elevated designs and authentic details at accessible price points, and I’m looking forward to revealing our first product line in a few months." 

Related:State of Play: Toy Trends from Spielwarenmesse 2025

Mattel Brick Shop’s first product drop will be this Autumn, with new building set releases planned for the future. 

Celebrating 80 Years with the Ruby Anniversary Collection 

“As we celebrate 80 years of inspiring play and sparking imaginations, the Mattel 80th Ruby Anniversary Collection reflects our rich history and commitment to innovation,” says Lisa McKnight, chief brand officer, Mattel. “This collection pays tribute to our iconic brands and the millions of fans who have made Mattel a cherished part of their lives for generations.” 

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In honor of its 80th anniversary, Mattel revealed the Ruby Anniversary Collection, a limited-edition line featuring reimagined products from its iconic brands with ruby red accents. Standout items include the Barbie Mattel 80 Doll, Polly Pocket Ruby Red Ring Box, UNO Ruby Red Edition, a Thomas & Friends die-cast 80th-anniversary engine, 80th anniversary branded Hot Wheels and the Fisher-Price Red Chatter Telephone. 

Founded 80 years ago in a California garage by Ruth and Elliot Handler and Harold Matson, Mattel has transformed the way generations of children play, inspiring dreams and leaving a lasting mark on global culture. To commemorate this impressive journey, Mattel will celebrate throughout 2025, with this product unveiling being the first in a year-long celebration that showcases its vibrant history and dedication to delighting fans of all ages. 

Related:2025 Brand Anniversaries: A Comprehensive List

Since its founding, Mattel has made giving back a core part of its mission, embedded in its culture and amplified through the purpose of its iconic brands. To celebrate its 80th Anniversary and Ruby collection, Mattel will “Play it Forward” by donating resources to Save the Children in the U.S. and U.K., marking 20 years of partnership with the global humanitarian organization. Since 2005, Mattel has supported Save the Children’s education and emergency response programs.  

Hot Wheels and Ferrari Reunite 

Also, during the Nuremberg Toy Fair, Mattel announced a new Hot Wheels partnership with Ferrari to develop a full range of Hot Wheels products. As the first time in more than 10 years that Hot Wheels products will be adorned with the Prancing Horse, the collection will deliver a wide range of Ferrari classics and the newest and most technologically advanced models, including racing and road cars. The first product drop of the collaboration will take place this spring, with the first die-cast available for pre-order on Mattel Creations.  

Related:Hot Wheels Reveals Formula 1 Product Line

Additional announcements and product drops will follow throughout 2025 and beyond.  

Since Hot Wheels was founded in 1968, the two brands have collaborated many times with 26 previous models. Several of these Ferrari castings have become highly sought after by collectors. The new product line will expand on the previous die-cast collection and will include limited-edition models available through Mattel Creations, RC models and 1:64 scale die-casts available wherever Hot Wheels are sold globally.  

“It was a passion project for the Hot Wheels team to deliver authentic visions of these iconic Ferrari models for the next generation of car lovers to enjoy while, at the same time, creating something extra-special for collectors to appreciate,” says Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president, Hot Wheels, head, vehicles and building sets, Mattel. “We look forward to seeing the world’s reaction to our vision for some of the most beautiful rolling works of art in automotive history, crafted by our team of design experts that can do it better than anyone else can.”  

Following the initial release this spring, the collaboration will expand over the course of 2025 and beyond.   

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