Brief:

• Mattel launched the #unowhoyouare social media campaign to promote its Uno card game, challenging consumers to share their "player personalities" on Instagram and TikTok, Toy News reported.
• The toymaker enlisted social media influencers to promote the challenge, which lets people choose among four player personalities including "sore loser," "dodgy dealer," "victory dancer" or "make your own rules." The influencers include comedian Arron Crascall, who has 8 million followers on his Instagram and TikTok accounts, along with OTB, Fleur, Kyran and Lily Rose, TNP Media reported.
• Mattel is promoting the campaign on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and released a video on YouTube that urges people to participate in the challenge. The #unowhoyouare hashtag has more than 1 million views at press time.

Insight:

Mattel aims to reach younger consumers who are heavy users of social media with an influencer-driven campaign for Uno. With millions of people stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, card games like Uno are experiencing a jump in sales, and attracting demographics that previously preferred digital media as a distraction.

Sales of Uno more than doubled by 116% in May from a year earlier, per data from researcher NPD cited by TNP. The publisher reported that Uno's recent sales rival those from the holiday season, which is typically the most important time of year for makers of toys and games.

Mattel's campaign comes as brands are forecast to increase their spending on influencer campaigns by 49% to $9.7 billion in 2020 from last year, per a report by Influencer Marketing Hub. Influencer campaigns can help to cut through advertising clutter by engaging social media users who follow entertainers, celebrities or trusted thought leaders online. By collaborating with influencers, Mattel can reach younger audiences who are big fans of social media apps like Instagram and TikTok, and are harder to reach through traditional media channels.

Hashtag challenges also are becoming a key part of social media marketing as advertisers seek to entertain and engage consumers with a branded experience that users can participate in. Uno is asking people to share their "player personalities" by posting photos and videos to Instagram and TikTok, along with urging others to join the challenge.

Instagram is estimated to have about 112 million users in the U.S., while TikTok will have about 45.4 million by the end of the year, according to separate forecasts by researcher eMarketer. Those mass audiences make an enticing platform for brands, and companies including American Eagle Outfitters, Chipotle, E.l.f. Cosmetics and NYX Professional Makeup have jumped on the hashtag challenge trend in recent months, with an eye on TikTok, which helped popularize the format. 

The Uno campaign adds to other recent moves from parent company Mattel that show the marketer is looking to better leverage digital and social media to grow awareness. To reach mobile users, Mattel recently integrated its games with Snapchat's Bitmoji for Games platform as part of a pilot program announced at the Snap Partner Summit.