Mattel Goes After Kidult Demographic With Launch Of UNO Social Clubs

Toymaker Mattel, Inc., as part of its broader strategy to turn its toy lines into multi-generational lifestyle brands, is unveiling its first UNO Social Club, an in-person gaming experience designed to appeal to UNO players ages 21 and up.

The inaugural UNO Social Club will have multicolored UNO decor, gaming tables, and other amenities, and will be located in one of the kidadult capitals of the world, Las Vegas.

Going forward, Mattel plans to host additional UNO Social Club pop-ups at bars and other venues around the country, with UNO-themed drink menus, UNO tournaments, and photo opportunities suitable for social-media sharing.

The giant toy manufacturer is responding to sales trends and surveys showing that grownup collectors and game players are the fastest growing toy-buying population, and that Gen Z consumers are eager for in-person experiences.

TikTok Video Contest For Chance To Play

The first UNO Social Club will be located at The Palms Casino Resort. Mattel is inviting UNO fans 21 and older to compete for a chance to win a two-night stay at the resort, and play in the UNO suite, by submitting TikTok videos.

To be eligible for the contest, fans must create a video using the UNO Reverse Card filter and tag their videos with #UNOSocialClub and #MattelContest. The contest runs from today through June 19. The two-day stay at the Social Club is scheduled for July 18 to July 20.

UNO, a best-selling card game, was created in 1971 by Merle Robbins, a Cincinnati barber who sold the rights to the game to toy company, International Games. Mattel acquired International Games, and the UNO brand, in 1992.

Simplicity Made Uno A Hit

Over the years Mattel has created hundred of new versions of the game, including themed sets featuring entertainment characters or sports teams, and created new ways to play it. Toy historian and consultant Chris Byrne, in his book Toy Time!: From Hula Hoops to He-Man to Hungry Hungry Hippos, A Look Back At The Most Beloved Toys of Decades Past, noted that a key reason for the game’s popularity is its simplicity.

All of the instructions are printed on the cards “so people can just sit down and start playing – an important component of a hit game,” Byrne wrote.

Mattel, like its top U.S. competitor Hasbro, has been focusing on the adult collecting and game-playing market as a key growth driver. Mattel has been exploring new ways to extend the reach of its iconic brands, including partnering with sports and entertainment marketer AthLife, Inc. to create toy-branded events at sports arenas, such as last year’s Barbie Game Days and Barbie Game Nights at baseball and basketball games.

Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz, in the company’s fourth-quarter and full-year earnings call in February, said Mattel’s over-arching strategy is to “leverage the strength of our brands to create additional value outside of what we used to do as a company primarily just in the toy business.”

Mattel is looking to create new experiences and partnerships using its brands. “These are brands that have heritage value,’ Kreiz said on the call, and “are very current, very cultural, and really move the needle.”

In a statement announcing the launch of the UNO Social Clubs, Ray Adler, Vice President and Global Head of Games at Mattel, said the clubs are designed “to reimagine what game night can be – bringing people together for real-world fun, connection, and a bit of friendly competition.”

“The UNO Social Club in Las Vegas is just the beginning,” Adler said.