Is LEGO about to face a real competitor?
Recently, a well-known toy manufacturer Mattel announced that it will launch a brand-new brand called Mattel Brick Shop this May. While they haven’t explicitly stated it, it’s pretty clear to everyone from the new brand’s design that they’re going straight for LEGO.
When you look at the global brick market today, there isn’t really a brand that poses a genuine threat to LEGO. Occasionally, there are some unauthorized companies that try to copy LEGO bricks, but they’re usually hit with a legal notice from LEGO pretty quickly.
Brands that compete while respecting patents and intellectual property rules generally find it hard to shake LEGO’s 90+ years of dominance.
However, Mattel is no small player—it’s one of the largest toy manufacturers in the world and a leader in designing, producing, and selling children’s products. Iconic brands like Barbie and Thomas the Tank Engine are part of Mattel’s portfolio.
Especially in the building block toy market, its sub-brand MEGA Bloks has been established for years and holds several high-profile licensed IPs, including He-Man, Pokémon, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Fallout, Halo, Hot Wheels, and more.
Earlier this year, Mattel announced a partnership with Ferrari to develop a new Hot Wheels product line, featuring both classic and latest Ferrari models.
Now, Mattel plans to enter the building block toy market with a fresh visual identity, promising innovative, creative, and high-quality bricks. More importantly, they’ve announced that the new block toys will be priced more affordably, making them accessible to a wider audience.
All of these statements seem to target LEGO’s “weak spots”—even though LEGO is the leading brand in the building block market, it has recently been criticized for becoming complacent, with its innovation and high prices drawing negative feedback from consumers. Mattel, on the other hand, appears to be trying to leverage these perceived advantages to challenge LEGO’s market position.
Aside from the mentioned launch date and long-term plans, Mattel has not revealed further details about its new brand, Mattel Brick Shop. So, whether their products can truly pose a threat to LEGO remains uncertain.
In any industry, it’s only a matter of time before a brand’s monopoly is challenged. So, regardless of how Mattel’s new products turn out, the healthy market competition between Mattel and LEGO will definitely benefit building block enthusiasts.
As for whether Mattel will become a real competitor to LEGO in the future, only time will tell.
