The Undead Dolls Fans Won't Let Die
2023
How the cultishly cute Mattel fashion dolls have retained a following through the years.
On February 23, 2021, the official Monster High Instagram account (@monsterhigh) posted for the first time since 2018. The post had no caption. Eight more images followed that day, all captionless, but forming a cohesive image of a brand logo. Dark and mysterious, emerging behind clouds read: Monster High.
“Yassssss! Jesus has answered my prayers!” One comment read. Another declared, “YAY! I’M BACK FROM THE DEAD! MONSTER HIGH IS BACKK.”
The Monster High Instagram was mum besides a few sporadic replies to commenters. The most direct question, “Are they coming back?” received a speculative, “You never know what’s in fright!”
Indeed, Monster High had a thrilling surprise in store in the following months. Collector dolls, special edition releases, the announcement of a Nickelodeon animated series, and a live-action movie, as well as a new generation of dolls that served as the whole reason for the brand’s comeback.
Once a top-selling brand of the early 2010s with hundreds of dolls and related media, Monster High became dead air by the end of the decade. Since the last reboot six years ago, designs, personalities, and even pronouns for the dolls are different. Clawdeen, the now main character of the brand is biracial and Afro-Latina. Frankie Stein, the previous main character of Generation 1 now identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.
While the 2022 reboot has yet to prove whether it will land among the best or worst of Monster High’s past—or forge a new path completely—for the niche online doll community, the attachment to Mattel’s fashionable teen ghouls is eternal
G1: The Golden AgeFor kids and teenagers aged 9 to 14, the year 2010 produced a consumer goldmine out of a ghostly gamble. Conceptualized in 2007 by designer Garrett Sander, inspiration for Monster High came from a trip to the mall with young girls. Sander noticed the children gravitated more toward goth fashion than anything else. From this, Sander set out to create a conceptually dark doll line. (via MattelShop official YouTube account)
Monster high influencer Maddie Strutko (@mad._.dollz) began collecting the new Mattel brand the year of its launch at age seven. “It was something I had never seen before,” she stated, “I was so used to Barbie and girly Bratz, and [Monster High] was dark, gothic, [and] creepy. . . I was like, ‘This is the coolest thing I have seen in my entire life.’”
From release, Mattel experienced success of monstrous proportions with Monster High. Originating as just six dolls, the brand expanded rapidly with associated media such as an animated web series, movies, and books.
As sales continued to soar, Mattel’s focus remained on growth. Quoted in Mattel’s 2012 Financial Information Report, “While Barbie® continues to be the No. 1 doll property, in three short years Monster High has become the No. 2 doll property worldwide. In fact, Monster High has now grown to be a $1 billion brand at retail.”
The company established a formula following the rapid success of its ghoulish doll line. Each year’s sales goals centered on saturating the franchise with more collections, more characters, and more media. In just a few years of existence, over 500 unique character dolls were in production.
While this repetitive practice didn’t immortalize the top-ranking sales of the billion-dollar company, it solidified a fruitful culture for the fans of Monster High. Beyond the workings of Mattel, fans took the dolls to new heights with the boundless creativity of the online Monster High community.
Digital creator Jay Schaffner (@zombiexcorn) has been cultivating a presence in the online Monster High community since 2014. Over the past eight years, he has amassed over 900,000 followers between his Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube accounts. Being one of the early members, he describes the initial eras of Monster High’s digital fanbase:
“When it first started (early 2010s) it was people who were interested in the dolls reviewing them. Then we moved on to the doll-hunting period. For the first three years of the franchise [specific], dolls were hard to find and the hunt made it so fun to follow your favorite YouTuber…After that, there was a stop-motion craze. That’s when I came in (2014). People made music videos and shorts and it was cool to see people animate the physical dolls.”
While fans enjoyed the freaky and fabulous of Monster High, a foreboding future lay ahead. For Mattel, decreased sales beckoned a disappointing crisis. As early as 2015, mentions of a brand revamping began to circulate in corporate reports, due to “continued softness.”
“Yassssss! Jesus has answered my prayers!” One comment read. Another declared, “YAY! I’M BACK FROM THE DEAD! MONSTER HIGH IS BACKK.”
The Monster High Instagram was mum besides a few sporadic replies to commenters. The most direct question, “Are they coming back?” received a speculative, “You never know what’s in fright!”
Indeed, Monster High had a thrilling surprise in store in the following months. Collector dolls, special edition releases, the announcement of a Nickelodeon animated series, and a live-action movie, as well as a new generation of dolls that served as the whole reason for the brand’s comeback.
Once a top-selling brand of the early 2010s with hundreds of dolls and related media, Monster High became dead air by the end of the decade. Since the last reboot six years ago, designs, personalities, and even pronouns for the dolls are different. Clawdeen, the now main character of the brand is biracial and Afro-Latina. Frankie Stein, the previous main character of Generation 1 now identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.
While the 2022 reboot has yet to prove whether it will land among the best or worst of Monster High’s past—or forge a new path completely—for the niche online doll community, the attachment to Mattel’s fashionable teen ghouls is eternal
G1: The Golden AgeFor kids and teenagers aged 9 to 14, the year 2010 produced a consumer goldmine out of a ghostly gamble. Conceptualized in 2007 by designer Garrett Sander, inspiration for Monster High came from a trip to the mall with young girls. Sander noticed the children gravitated more toward goth fashion than anything else. From this, Sander set out to create a conceptually dark doll line. (via MattelShop official YouTube account)
Monster high influencer Maddie Strutko (@mad._.dollz) began collecting the new Mattel brand the year of its launch at age seven. “It was something I had never seen before,” she stated, “I was so used to Barbie and girly Bratz, and [Monster High] was dark, gothic, [and] creepy. . . I was like, ‘This is the coolest thing I have seen in my entire life.’”
From release, Mattel experienced success of monstrous proportions with Monster High. Originating as just six dolls, the brand expanded rapidly with associated media such as an animated web series, movies, and books.
As sales continued to soar, Mattel’s focus remained on growth. Quoted in Mattel’s 2012 Financial Information Report, “While Barbie® continues to be the No. 1 doll property, in three short years Monster High has become the No. 2 doll property worldwide. In fact, Monster High has now grown to be a $1 billion brand at retail.”
The company established a formula following the rapid success of its ghoulish doll line. Each year’s sales goals centered on saturating the franchise with more collections, more characters, and more media. In just a few years of existence, over 500 unique character dolls were in production.
While this repetitive practice didn’t immortalize the top-ranking sales of the billion-dollar company, it solidified a fruitful culture for the fans of Monster High. Beyond the workings of Mattel, fans took the dolls to new heights with the boundless creativity of the online Monster High community.
Digital creator Jay Schaffner (@zombiexcorn) has been cultivating a presence in the online Monster High community since 2014. Over the past eight years, he has amassed over 900,000 followers between his Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube accounts. Being one of the early members, he describes the initial eras of Monster High’s digital fanbase:
“When it first started (early 2010s) it was people who were interested in the dolls reviewing them. Then we moved on to the doll-hunting period. For the first three years of the franchise [specific], dolls were hard to find and the hunt made it so fun to follow your favorite YouTuber…After that, there was a stop-motion craze. That’s when I came in (2014). People made music videos and shorts and it was cool to see people animate the physical dolls.”
While fans enjoyed the freaky and fabulous of Monster High, a foreboding future lay ahead. For Mattel, decreased sales beckoned a disappointing crisis. As early as 2015, mentions of a brand revamping began to circulate in corporate reports, due to “continued softness.”
G2: The Dying and DeathIn late 2016, Mattel released the first reboot of Monster High dolls. The characters remained the same in name, but the dolls’ designs and storylines were drastically altered, spelling the end of the original Monster High generation, and for many fans, the end of the line completely.
“I can’t tell you how many teenagers who had doll accounts grew up instantly,” Schaffner stated, “They wiped their accounts, sold their dolls, and as [the reboot] kept getting worse, more people decided to do that.”
On the surface, Mattel rationalized the brand reboot as a response to critical reception. In a 2015 corporate promotional video that preceded the revamp’s official release, Mattel stated, “For some Monster High is considered too dark, too scary. . . But that is not who we are.” The new doll style was introduced as more appropriate for younger audiences, with a “new brand image,” and an overall more meaningful message. But according to Schaffner, the new generation “Went against what the original was preaching.”
For many fans, the rebrand provided nothing new of substance. The quality of the physical dolls and clothing decreased. The figures no longer had articulated limbs, their character-defining makeup was largely removed, and their once unique fashionable outfits were reduced to simple-patterned fabrics. The fictional origin of Monster High also changed. Established as a sanctuary for monsters to coexist and learn—the lore was complex and developed. Schaffner stated, “In G2 [Monster High] was Draculaura’s house and she [decided] to make it a high school. It was weird.”
Mattel’s attempt to regain relevance economically proved to be the final nail in the coffin. No further plans for expansion of the brand were announced following the 2016 release and after two more years of faltering sales, Mattel canceled the franchise in 2018.
The (truly) Dead PeriodA two-year period of silence followed the discontinuation of Monster High dolls. No new media was released and Monster High’s corporate social media presence appeared abandoned.
For the doll community, this was a time of dormancy. Although the online spaces didn’t burst with new content as they once did, a population of Monster High fans continued in the catacombs of Youtube and Instagram.
“A lot of people were nostalgic. They posted about their favorite dolls in a spotlight format [discussing] what they liked about them and what they didn’t and hearing what everyone else’s opinions were,” stated Schaffner.
G3: The RevivalAlthough Mattel remained silent on any Monster High news entering the new decade, a new type of doll graced the long-awaiting community. The first release of collector dolls from Mattel Creations honoring horror movie icons came out at the end of 2020.
Although the collector dolls had no connection to the canonical Monster High fictional universe, the presence of new items meant something for the Monster High brand. The releases of the dolls were a grand event in the community, selling out chaotically each time.
With movement at the corporate level again, Monster High was in preparation for its 2022 reboot. Similarly to Generation 2, Generation 3 of Monster High was produced with the intent to fit the current generation of kids.
Overall, the ghouls of G3 are fewer and far removed from the original cast of 2010’s Monster High. And although G3 is still in its infancy, the immediate response from the doll community has not been the outcry of 2016, but rather a reignition of passion.
“We have Rebecca Shipman who was one of the original designers taking control of G3. I feel like she’s brought the original message back,” Strutko stated, “I love G3 because it’s like seeing my Monster High just modernized.”
“I think G3 is a really good start. [Mattel] had enough time to research what the fandom liked and needed. I do think a lot is different—some characters aren’t recognizable anymore—but some of the changes are probably for the best. I’m excited that they’re adding more depth to the characters we know. So far it seems like people are enjoying what’s coming out.”
This is merely the beginning for the new generation of Monster High. Although it hasn’t received complete approval amongst members of the doll community, the intricately structured relaunch of 2022 has left an impression of devotion on behalf of Mattel. With more surprises in store for both young and old fans, Generation 3 has the potential to immortalize the long-adored students of Monster High in a new way.
“I can’t tell you how many teenagers who had doll accounts grew up instantly,” Schaffner stated, “They wiped their accounts, sold their dolls, and as [the reboot] kept getting worse, more people decided to do that.”
On the surface, Mattel rationalized the brand reboot as a response to critical reception. In a 2015 corporate promotional video that preceded the revamp’s official release, Mattel stated, “For some Monster High is considered too dark, too scary. . . But that is not who we are.” The new doll style was introduced as more appropriate for younger audiences, with a “new brand image,” and an overall more meaningful message. But according to Schaffner, the new generation “Went against what the original was preaching.”
For many fans, the rebrand provided nothing new of substance. The quality of the physical dolls and clothing decreased. The figures no longer had articulated limbs, their character-defining makeup was largely removed, and their once unique fashionable outfits were reduced to simple-patterned fabrics. The fictional origin of Monster High also changed. Established as a sanctuary for monsters to coexist and learn—the lore was complex and developed. Schaffner stated, “In G2 [Monster High] was Draculaura’s house and she [decided] to make it a high school. It was weird.”
Mattel’s attempt to regain relevance economically proved to be the final nail in the coffin. No further plans for expansion of the brand were announced following the 2016 release and after two more years of faltering sales, Mattel canceled the franchise in 2018.
The (truly) Dead PeriodA two-year period of silence followed the discontinuation of Monster High dolls. No new media was released and Monster High’s corporate social media presence appeared abandoned.
For the doll community, this was a time of dormancy. Although the online spaces didn’t burst with new content as they once did, a population of Monster High fans continued in the catacombs of Youtube and Instagram.
“A lot of people were nostalgic. They posted about their favorite dolls in a spotlight format [discussing] what they liked about them and what they didn’t and hearing what everyone else’s opinions were,” stated Schaffner.
G3: The RevivalAlthough Mattel remained silent on any Monster High news entering the new decade, a new type of doll graced the long-awaiting community. The first release of collector dolls from Mattel Creations honoring horror movie icons came out at the end of 2020.
Although the collector dolls had no connection to the canonical Monster High fictional universe, the presence of new items meant something for the Monster High brand. The releases of the dolls were a grand event in the community, selling out chaotically each time.
With movement at the corporate level again, Monster High was in preparation for its 2022 reboot. Similarly to Generation 2, Generation 3 of Monster High was produced with the intent to fit the current generation of kids.
Overall, the ghouls of G3 are fewer and far removed from the original cast of 2010’s Monster High. And although G3 is still in its infancy, the immediate response from the doll community has not been the outcry of 2016, but rather a reignition of passion.
“We have Rebecca Shipman who was one of the original designers taking control of G3. I feel like she’s brought the original message back,” Strutko stated, “I love G3 because it’s like seeing my Monster High just modernized.”
“I think G3 is a really good start. [Mattel] had enough time to research what the fandom liked and needed. I do think a lot is different—some characters aren’t recognizable anymore—but some of the changes are probably for the best. I’m excited that they’re adding more depth to the characters we know. So far it seems like people are enjoying what’s coming out.”
This is merely the beginning for the new generation of Monster High. Although it hasn’t received complete approval amongst members of the doll community, the intricately structured relaunch of 2022 has left an impression of devotion on behalf of Mattel. With more surprises in store for both young and old fans, Generation 3 has the potential to immortalize the long-adored students of Monster High in a new way.