Mattel Retail Store

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE FIRST MATTEL BRANDED RETAIL STORE

The design of this Mattel retail store experience, a one-of-a-kind storefront, came with a built-in challenge: its location in the Delta Terminal at Los Angeles World Airport. Customers have limited time to learn and purchase while making their flights or connections. Because the area is not a ‘destination,’ there is a sense of urgency and purpose. The Mattel retail store has the additional challenge of competing with the Internet, food concessions, and other distractions for the traveler’s limited time.

To meet this challenge, we created a fun and interactive environment that turns the wait time into “play time.” Every aspect of the 1,093 sq. ft. space encourages kids and adults to experience the breadth of the Mattel brands.

The bright red facade of the Mattel Retail Store

The experience begins at the shiny red façade, which attracts attention from a distance and frames the predominantly white interior. Older customers will recognize many of the toy icons sculpted on the façade, which, along with “Play Made Here” in backlit letters, invites adults and children inside.

Once there, the entire space can be seen at a glance. The inspiration for the layout was the Mattel logo itself. Circular shapes and red color accents are subtly repeated throughout the space. A nine-foot light box on the ceiling playfully mimics the gear- shape of the Mattel logo and anchors the center of the store. The logo is used sparingly but playfully, appearing only on the two PlayStations and as ‘lollypops’ on the bust forms. The round cash wrap and the curves in the four perimeter walls create a large circle and a concentric and engaging shopping path.

graphics and brand identity

Each of the three walls in the Mattel Shop features a large graphic from a specific brand: Barbie and Hot Wheels on either side and Fisher-Price on the back wall. The store includes something for everyone, child or adult, and new memories are created through the joint shopping experience. Interactive PlayStations and displays throughout the space engage the consumer and encourage sales. Large marshmallow-shaped, building block-inspired floor fixtures house merchandise in a kid-friendly fashion, their rounded tops and offset bottoms complementing the shapes and offset nature of the wall cubbies.

Ample space is left between fixtures to allow customers with luggage and small children in tow to navigate the space comfortably. The careful placement of merchandise also contributes to the store’s storageability. Lower cubbies allow children to touch the merchandise, while products positioned on higher shelves showcase the brand from a distance.

infusing experience with play at the Mattel Retail Store

The cubbies are intentionally offset to evoke a playful ‘discovery’ feeling about the product, creating a visual rhythm that encourages browsing. A small amount of negative space is introduced between the fixtures to prevent sensory bombardment. This makes shopping easier and more conducive to accepting product messaging. Two displays that offer photo opportunities keep customers engaged inside the store: the Hot Wheels Bone Shaker display and the Barbie doll box display.

The Bone Shaker attracts customers from its position at the front entrance, and the Barbie doll box, located on the backside of the storefront, is strategically placed at the exit to extend the shopping experience. The Barbie doll box allows children and adults to have a photo taken as if they were themselves a “doll” in a Barbie doll box. Both displays also provide sales associates an avenue to initiate dialog with shoppers. Adults and kids can also play branded games on two interactive PlayStations strategically balanced on either side of the store. The Fisher-Price area in the back of the store is dedicated to play and, with its small table and two stools at a height conducive for three-year-olds, allows children and parents to interact.