Mattel Inc., the world's largest toy maker, and Universal Studios have agreed to market and distribute feature-length DVDs starring Mattel's Barbie and Polly Pocket characters to revive doll sales.
General Electric Co.'s Universal will handle global marketing and distribution of future Barbie DVDs, the companies said in a statement. The seven previous direct-to-DVD Barbie films by Mattel have sold 27 million copies worldwide.
Mattel and Universal will release the first film under the agreement, Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses, later this year. Barbie movies, including Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus, have generally had stronger sales than dolls or accessories, the company has said. Total Barbie sales have declined for nine straight quarters.
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"We're confident that marrying the strength of our brands with Universal's marketing and distribution muscle will create a powerhouse," Neil Friedman, president of Mattel brands, said in a statement.
The films will include the first movie featuring Polly Pocket, Mattel's second-biggest girl's brand, the companies said.
For the year, Universal Pictures ranks second in box office sales with $355.7-million (U.S.), behind News Corp. with $406.6-million, according to film tracker Nielsen EDI. Last year, Universal was fourth with $1.16-billion in sales. MAT (NYSE) fell 20 cents (U.S.) to $17.33. GE (NYSE) rose 13 cents (U.S.) to $34.05.