Matchbox Car Guy, In Memorium

Kelly Mills — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:56:00 GMT

Jack Odell, the guy who invented matchbox cars, died this month. There's lots to love about matchbox cars: they are fun for lots of ages; they are inexpensive enough to stock up on; they require imagination rather than whamming kids with lights and beeps; and they come in such a variety, there's a car or two for every kid.

When I was a kid, my dad gave me a set of cars from his own youth, and even though they had survived high-speed races and attack by dinosaurs, they were still in good shape. I supplemented the collection with cars I bought with my allowance, and mounted some wacky NASCAR races: Model T against Corvette, and so on. Now I'm thinking I'll follow Geekdad's advice and get a couple for my kid in honor of Jack.

Matchbox Cars for Girls: Stupid Idea or Brilliant Marketing Ploy?

Karen Murphy — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:19:00 GMT

Growing up, I loved playing with Matchbox cars. The problem was, I didn't have any. But my brother did; he had lots of them. I loved how the tiny doors could open and close on some models. Would I have played with Matchbox cars made just for girls? Hmm. I think part of the appeal was the gender-neutral qualities of the cars, because they were, well, cars. And cars were for everyone. Right?

Wrong, if you're Mattel and you're betting that the new Polly Wheels cars - each comes with its own tiny Polly Pocket driver - will be a big hit with the girls. Designed with the girly-girl in mind, they'll come in sparkly pinks and purples and soon will even be (gag) scented to coordinate with the colors. Even worse, there are plans for a Race to the Mall game which is said to combine the race-track appeal of Hot Wheels with, well, the mall.

What do you think: does Mattel have a winner on their hands? Would you buy this for your daughter?

Strollerderby : matchbox cars

Matchbox Car Guy, In Memorium

Matchbox Cars for Girls: Stupid Idea or Brilliant Marketing Ploy?