MATTEL MOVES DOLLS IN-HOUSE
By Adnews Staff
U.S.-based Mattel moved its account for the Cabbage Patch Kids line of dolls in-house last week after a year with Deutsch Inc. of New York. The toy company reintroduced the doll to the U.S. market this fall and will launch it in Canada next fall. Ogilvy & Mather's Toronto office creates advertising in Canada and also localizes U.S. material. GCI Communications of Toronto handles public relations. Mattel bought the Cabbage Patch Kids license from Hasbro in summer of 1994. The company has revamped the dolls, giving some synthetic hair that can be styled and making others waterproof for the bath. The dolls were a craze in 1983-84 when they amassed sales of $500 million annually for U.S.-based Coleco. When that company went belly-up, Hasbro took over most of its products, including Cabbage Patch Kids.