Monster High Launches Project Belonging Platform To Support  

A World Where Everyone Feels Like They Belong  

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., October 11, 2023 – Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced today that beloved kids’ property Monster High launched a new global program, Monster High Project Belonging, to help increase a sense of belonging for all children. This initiative is an extension of the brand’s values of individualism and authenticity, as now more than ever, kids need to feel a sense of belonging and connection. Monster High is proud to put purpose into action and take one step closer to creating a world where everyone feels proud of who they are. 

Monster High is kicking off Monster High Project Belonging by partnering with The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health, whose mission is dedicated to giving expert-created resources to all U.S. communities so everyone can understand and promote mental health for children. Monster High funded secondary research conducted by William Leever, PhD (Pediatric Psychologist) with the support of Ariana Hoet, PhD, a pediatric psychologist, and executive clinical director of On Our Sleeves on the topics of loneliness, belonging and social connectedness and how it impacts a child’s mental health. The insights from this literature review should help educate and empower parents and educators on how to improve a child’s sense of belonging and offer proactive methods to foster social connection from an early age, as research shows that belonging protects children’s mental health. 

“Monster High has always celebrated individuality and acceptance, and these core values powered the brand to become one of the most successful and beloved kids’ properties of all time,” saidNathan Baynard, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing, Barbie & Dolls, Mattel.  “As we continue to envision the franchise today, and through our newest initiative, Monster High Project Belonging, we aim to create a world where everyone can openly express themselves and live authentically by providing resources for teachers and parents to broker important conversations with kids to create a sense of belonging for all.”  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 children have a significantly impairing mental disorder and children’s mental health has become the #1 concern for parents^{. *} Experts have shared that building a sense of belonging is a proactive measure of mental health, that can include a wealth of benefits, including: 

• Higher levels of belonging and connectedness predict lower levels of depression and anxiety symptoms in young people in school.  
• A sense of belonging reduces the long-term impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences.  
• Social connectedness in the adolescent years predicts adult well-being better than academic performance. 

“We are grateful for this exciting new partnership with Monster High’s Project Belonging. We know that belonging protects and is essential to children’s mental health,” said On Our Sleeves Executive Clinical Director, Dr. Ariana Hoet. “We’d like to thank Monster High and Mattel for funding the literature review that allowed us to inform the creation of important resources for families and teachers so they can understand and promote belonging and connectedness for the kids in their lives. The Monster High brand is on a mission to build a world where everyone belongs, and we are proud to be the clinical experts supporting this important goal for children everywhere.” 

As Monster High Project Belonging brings awareness to children’s mental health the brand is also teaming up with Target during World Mental Health Month. During the month of October, for each Skulltimate Secrets™ Cleo DeNile™ doll sold at participating Target stores and Target.com, Mattel will donate $1 to DoSomething to help protect against loneliness to and connect kids with supportive mental health tools*. These funds will help support DoSomething’s efforts to inspire young people to create positive change in the world.  

Monster High Project Belonging is being announced after the “Monster High 2” live action movie premier on Nickelodeon, coinciding with the themes of acceptance and belonging reflected in the movie and Monster High characters.   

The animated series from Nickelodeon and Mattel, Monster High continues all October with the debut of original and legacy characters and more half-hour specials throughout season one where the students will battle a zombie invasion, a Night of Terror, hunt to find Monster Talismans, midterms and more. The brand-new episodes all lead up to a monstrous season one finale at the Monster Ball dance later this fall. New episodes will continue to air weekdays at 5:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. 

Mattel first introduced Monster High in 2010, and it quickly became one of the most successful and beloved kids’ properties of all time. Today, Monster High is back with a reimagined set of fangtastic characters reflected in a new set of dolls, accessories, apparel, costumes and an animated series and live-action movie on Nickelodeon, inspired by the original ghouls for a new generation that embraces what makes them unique and rallies people everywhere to express themselves.  

For more information on Monster High Project Belonging, please visit MonsterHigh.com/ProjectBelonging. 

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^* On Our Sleeves Literature Review 

**Offer valid through October 31, 2023, at participating Target stores and target.com.  Open only to residents of the U.S/D.C. Excluding South Carolina. No portion of the purchase is tax deductible.  The On Our Sleeves Movement for Children’s Mental Health helps create and share mental health resources with kids, reaching over 2 million classrooms nationwide, and is administered by National Children’s Hospital Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. Offer dates may be extended in Mattel’s sole and absolute discretion. For any reason, including in the event of force majeure, Mattel reserves the right to suspend or cancel the promotion in its sole discretion. 

About Mattel 
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential. 

About The On Our Sleeves® Movement For Children’s Mental Health  

Children don’t wear their thoughts on their sleeves. With 1 in 5 children living with a significant mental health concern and half of all lifetime mental health concerns starting by age 14, we need to give them a voice. The On Our Sleeves Movement For Children’s Mental Health, created by Nationwide Children’s Hospital, one of the United States’ largest network of pediatric behavioral health treatment providers and researchers, is on a mission to give expert-created resources to all U.S. communities so everyone can understand and promote mental health for children. Our vision is to build a world where mental health is a part of the upbringing of every single child. Nearly 1,000 mental health professionals and researchers at Nationwide Children’s, in partnership with other trusted experts, provide their real-world knowledge and expertise to power On Our Sleeves.   

Since the inception of On Our Sleeves in 2018, more than 6 million people in every state across the United States has interacted with the movement’s free pediatric mental health education resources at OnOurSleeves.org.