Catherine Frymark

Executive Vice President & Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mattel

Search every verified Catherine Frymark interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a November 2024 interview on "The New CCO" podcast, Catherine Frymark discussed Mattel's strategy behind the Barbie feature film and the company's broader transformation. Frymark stated that Mattel was "in a pretty tough spot" and had "never really commercialized its IP outside the toy aisle," describing Barbie as "the most complex of all our biggest brands." She said the company wanted to "create a cultural event and tell the story of our transformation through this incredible proof point." Frymark noted that Mattel's CEO told the Barbie team, "I don't care if this movie sells one additional Barbie doll... Make a great movie and good things will follow." She described the company's approach as "embracing self-deprecation" and giving director Greta Gerwig creative freedom while maintaining input through questions. Frymark also discussed Mattel's evolution from "just a toy manufacturer to an IP company managing franchises across film, episodic television, digital gaming, and live experiences." She said the company had announced 15 other films in various stages of development and production. Frymark mentioned that Barbie had become "the most diverse doll line on the market with 100 different body shapes, styles, and hair colors" as part of a 10-year journey. She described the challenge of managing partnerships, stating she had "on average six Barbie-themed meetings a day for at least eight months." Frymark characterized the internal reaction to the Barbie and Oppenheimer simultaneous release as positive, noting that about 20% of Barbie's opening weekend theatergoers "hadn't been to a theater since pre-pandemic."