UPDATE: This Saturday, I asked Garrett Sander (the Monster High creator) how the fandom can best express our feelings about Monster High and its presence at comic-con to inspire change. He gave a me a few pointers:
• Call the customer service number, and leave comments about how much you love Monster High and how much you miss the SDCC panel and display: 1-800-524-8697
• Write letters to Mattel, Incorporated explaining why Monster High is important to you, and why Mattel should put it in their focus. This is an especially good option, because it allows us to relay the largest amount of information.
Mattel, Inc.
333 Continental Boulevard
El Segundo, CA 90245-5012
• concentrate our social media efforts as much as possible to one place. I was told that it’s important to consolidate ourselves so Mattel can see how many of us there are! I’d like to propose that we choose the Mattel Instagram page (Instagram.com/mattel), because it serves the dual purpose of getting our point across while also keeping negativity away from Monster High’s social media pages. if you don’t have an Instagram account, don’t worry; the above two options are still really important.
Perhaps most importantly of all, though, we have to STAY POSITIVE. Be cordial, be kind, lay off the swear words, and speak from the heart. Social media reps are trained specifically to ignore negative comments (or to respond with positivity), so if you’re going to post on Instagram, make sure to say that you love and miss Monster High, and wish to see them again at SDCC next year! When you write letters, keep the suggestions and complaints to a minimum. Mention how the artistic integrity, detail, individuality, and posability of these dolls is important to you, so Mattel knows those things are worth putting money into. We can absolutely do this. I believe in us.
ORIGINAL POST:
I just spoke to Becca Shipman, the current lead designer of Monster High.
the higher-ups at Mattel decided to focus only on their licensed brands at SDCC this year. it’s supposedly a better business strategy. that is the reason for the huge focus on WWE and DCSHG, as well as the lack of a Monster High panel. the designers of Mattel’s home-grown brands, Monster High included, were crestfallen, but there’s nothing they can do about it. Monster High spent the year preparing for SDCC as usual before the corporate decision was finalized, so they slated reveals, which are now happening on social media, and Becca designed that Cleo de Nile and Ghoulia Yelps 2-pack, which was supposed to be the SDCC exclusive.
the Monster High crew cares so deeply about the brand. they care about girls, they care about misfits, they care about stories, they care about fashion and art, and more than anything, they care about their fans. I know this firsthand. I know they love each and every one of us.
there’s been a lot of transition from the Monster High fans I follow from despair into acceptance. people seem to be sure that this is the death knell for the brand. I’m telling you otherwise. please make an uproar about Monster High’s presence at SDCC. please try to make your voice heard, guys – and don’t bother Monster High’s people about it. go directly to Mattel. storm their official Instagram. write letters and e-mails. even if nothing comes of it, they should at least know how we feel about this. the brand is important to us! its presence is important to us! and the artists behind the brand who care so deeply about it are important to us. we don’t have to whine about it online (although we still can – a healthy amount of whining is important), and we don’t have to accept defeat. I think it’s time we make our feelings known in the most positive way we can. conventions aren’t just for superheroes and wrestlers! they’re for ghouls, too.