Marketing in the Toy Industry: A Balanced Approach

Kristina DiMatteo Fields is the Senior Director of Global Media and Operations at Hasbro, a leading toy and game company. Previously, she served as the Senior Director of Integrated Media for North America and the Senior Manager of Digital Marketing.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [0:00] Intro
• [0:51] Kristina DiMatteo Fields shares how she started her career in media and marketing
• [6:06] A brief overview of Hasbro
• [7:56] How Hasbro balances brand and performance marketing
• [15:53] The challenge of marketing to kids while targeting parents as buyers
• [19:45] How evolving consumer behavior impacts toy industry marketing
• [23:24] Key metrics for evaluating brand versus performance campaigns
• [28:06] Why flexibility in media budgets is essential for managing a portfolio of brands
• [33:16] AI’s influence on marketing and creative strategies

In this episode…

Toy marketing isn’t just about selling products; it’s about building meaningful connections that drive both brand loyalty and sales. With children influencing purchasing decisions and parents acting as the buyers, brands must craft campaigns that engage both audiences effectively. How can marketers balance brand awareness and performance-driven media?

Marketing expert Kristina DiMatteo Fields highlights the importance of aligning brand investment with data-driven performance strategies to maximize impact. By strategically allocating budgets, optimizing media campaigns, and embracing AI-driven efficiencies, brands can enhance engagement and scale their efforts effectively. A flexible and adaptive media strategy ensures brands remain top-of-mind while responding to shifting consumer behaviors.

In this episode of Chief Advertiser, Samir Balwani welcomes Kristina DiMatteo Fields, the Senior Director of Global Media and Operations at Hasbro, to discuss performance and brand marketing in the toy industry. Kristina shares insights on navigating dual-target audiences, leveraging AI for creative optimization, and ensuring media plans drive awareness and conversions in an increasingly digital-first world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Kristina DiMatteo Fields:
LinkedIn -   / kristina-dimatteo-fields-2829904  
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesparklyr...
Email - [email protected]

Hasbro - https://shop.hasbro.com/en-us