Barbie, Hot Wheels and the Future of Play

Episode 57 of Brands In Play was recorded live at SXSW at the Red Thread X House, with Val Vacante joining Nic Hill on stage for a conversation with Chris Down, EVP and Chief Design & Innovation Officer at Mattel. Chris broke down how Mattel approaches extending brands like Barbie, Hot Wheels, UNO, and Monster High beyond the toy aisle and into connected play, collector ecosystems, gaming platforms, and broader culture.

In this week’s news, Hamilton and Porsche integrate into Resident Evil Requiem, Newzoo’s latest findings on how younger players may not be interested in AAA titles, reports around Epic Games and Google’s metaverse browser ambitions, and Netflix’s acquisition of Ben Affleck’s AI post-production startup.

For the Real-Time Review, Val takes us inside one of SXSW’s most talked-about activations: Invincibles Burger Mart pop-up with Brisk! A physical fan experience that turned a fictional fast-food spot into one of the most photographed brand moments at the festival.

If you are liking the show, give us a follow. We break down how brands, platforms, and creators operate inside gaming, UGC Platforms and Immersive media.

The Brands In Play Episode 57 is now live on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else!

Chapters:
Intro - 00:00 
Announcements - 01:35
News - 02:42
SXSW Burger Mart Experience - 09:34
Chris Down Interview - 12:34
Subscribe - 30:42

Follow Chris Down -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/chdown/

Mattel - https://www.linkedin.com/company/mattel/

Follow Us:

Co-Hosts:
Nic Hill -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/nic-hill-6553873/
Val Vacante -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerievacante/

Producer / Editor 
Edward Regue -   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-regue-%C2%A9-44b0421b2/

Creative Producer
Dr. Giovanna Casimiro https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggcasimiro/

Creative Director 
Ben Caro https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroprofile/

Website: https://www.brands-in-play.com/

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