Mattel is taking a hit again with another toy recall. This one involves the iconic Fisher-Price brand.
I have to tell you I'm getting pretty annoyed with Mattel personally and professionally.
My siblings and I had Fisher-Price toys growing up. They were fun, colorful, and safe. And that continues to be the brand for Fisher-Price...or at least it has been until today.
I love Fisher-Price toys so much I have a small collection of vintage ones and I give new ones to children of friends and family. Not anymore. It's painful enough now as I try to rack my brain trying to remember if I gave any of the ones on the recall list.
(ssshhhh...don't tell my brother...this is his Fisher Price airplane...heh-heh-heh)
Mattel should be ashamed of themselves for not doing the honorable thing from the beginning -- pull every toy made in China off store shelves until they can find a new supplier. Where's their leadership while this is going on? And where are business schools in the teaching of crisis management and ethics? Every class I taught on the topic included discussion of the Tylenol tampering case and Johnson and Johnson's outstanding handling of that horrible situation.
JandJ protected their brand by focusing on the consumer. Tylenol was a late night joke for a while but it wasn't on the store shelves until JandJ reworked the packaging for safety and an investigation into the tampering was completed.
Mattel shareholders should be embarrassed and outraged at the mishandling of this crisis. Toy buyers should vote with their wallets and buy toys from companies who are more concerned about the relationship of trust they have with the consumer.
Johnson and Johnson continues to be a successful company after bouncing back from a true disaster. Will Mattel's brand survive? Only time will tell of course, but I can tell you I'm not rooting for them.
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