EL SEGUNDO, Calif.,
March 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Hot Wheels® announced the return of the Hot Wheels™ Legends Tour, a
national traveling car show searching for a life-size custom car
worthy of being made into a Hot Wheels toy car. This epic tour will
kick-off in Miami on March 16th and make 18 stops looking
for cars that embody the high standards of performance and design
of Hot Wheels.
"Our first Hot Wheels Legends Tour set the bar high, bringing
together tens of thousands of passionate, brand fans and car
enthusiasts of all ages in a first-of-its-kind tour experience to
celebrate our 50th anniversary," said Chris Down, Global Head of Hot Wheels. "It was
invigorating to see fans and families showcase and celebrate car
culture in a way only the Hot Wheels brand can and now we're ready
to take year two to the next level by expanding the tour with new
partners and stops."
Attracting over 3,600 cars and 65,000 fans, the inaugural Hot
Wheels Legends Tour – held in 2018 to celebrate the brand's
50th anniversary – brought together car fans of all ages
from across the country. Partnering with brands like Mobil 1,
Dickies, Honda, Microsoft Xbox and Mechanix, the second annual tour
will expand with additional and new stops in the U.S. to give even
more fans a shot at seeing their custom car become an iconic 1:64
die-cast toy car. The winning vehicle will also be inducted into
the Hot Wheels Garage of Legends™, a collection of one-of-a-kind
cars that embody the brand's challenger spirit and legendary
design.
"We're proud to support the Hot Wheels Legends Tour in its
second year, giving fans of such an iconic and nostalgic brand yet
another opportunity to experience this unique event," said
Michele Biamonte, Consumer Brand
Marketing Manager, ExxonMobil. "The chance to celebrate car
enthusiasts of all ages throughout the year and help ignite the
automotive passion in today's youth is something Mobil 1 is honored
and excited to be a part of, and we can't wait to make this year's
tour even bigger and better."
At each stop, fans will show off their unique custom builds to a
talented team of judges consisting of Hot Wheels designers,
automotive experts and influencers, who will select one finalist
based on the criteria of authenticity, creativity and garage
spirit. At the end of the tour, one finalist from each of the 18
stops will win a trip to the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, where their custom creations will
be judged side-by-side to determine which one will be made into a
die-cast car sold around the world.
This tour is much more than a car show; each tour stop will also
include on-site experiences such as racing simulations, pit stop
challenges, Hot Wheels Kid Zone, photo opportunities, and a chance
to check out the rest of the Hot Wheels life-size fleet. And to
keep the fun rolling between stops, Hot Wheels will send a custom
"vending machine + play" truck to over 75 additional Walmart stores
so fans of all ages can get their hands on their own Hot Wheels
toys and exclusive merchandise.
The Legends Tour will stop at select Walmart stores in the
following U.S. cities: Miami
(March 16), Houston (March
30), Dallas (April 13), Atlanta (April
27), Bentonville (May 11),
Charlotte (May 25), Philadelphia (June
1), New York City
(June 15), Detroit (June
29), Chicago (July 13), St.
Louis (July 27), Denver (August
10), Seattle (August 24), Phoenix (September
7), San Jose (September 21), San
Diego (October 5),
Los Angeles (October 19). The tour will also make a special
stop at Hot Wheels headquarters in El
Segundo, CA on May
15th to celebrate the brand's 51st
birthday. International stops will be announced later in 2019.
Conceived in 1968 by an innovator, a rocket scientist and a car
designer, Hot Wheels 1:64 scale die-cast cars were designed to look
cool and perform better than anything else out there. Five decades
later, Hot Wheels is the #1 selling toy in the world* with more
than 16.5 cars sold every second. The brand has evolved from a
simple, yet beloved, toy car with iconic orange track into a global
powerhouse franchise that offers fans of all ages thrilling
vehicles experiences across toy, entertainment, consumer products,
content, and PR.
To learn more about how the Hot Wheels Legends Tour visit
www.HotWheels.com and follow
#HotWheelsLegendsTour. To check out the Hot Wheels
Garage of Legends visit
www.HotWheels.com/GarageofLegends.
*Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service/G12/Jan-Dec
2018/Total Toys/Units
About Mattel
Mattel (NASDAQ: MAT) is a leading global
children's entertainment company that specializes in design and
production of quality toys and consumer products. We create
innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and
develop children through play. We engage consumers through our
portfolio of iconic franchises, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®,
American Girl®, Fisher-Price®, Thomas & Friends® and Mega®, as
well as other popular brands 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 40
locations and sell products in more than 150 countries in
collaboration with the world's leading retail and technology
companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a
trusted partner in exploring the wonder of childhood and empowering
kids to reach their full potential. Visit us online
at www.mattel.com.
Media Contacts:
Marissa
Beck
Mattel Global Communications
Marissa.Beck2@Mattel.com
310-252-4974
Scott Shaffstall
Mattel Global Communications
Scott.Shaffstall@Mattel.com
310.252.3610
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SOURCE Mattel, Inc.