American Girl Sales Grow in Q4 2024
- Admin
- Feb 4
- 2 min read
Mattel's earnings report for quarter 4 of 2024, and 2024 as a whole, indicated that American Girl's sales grew as a whole in 2024 compared to 2023. As American Girl is not a separate division of Mattel as they were in years past, we don't have the exact numbers of sales, but it is encouraging to see American Girl doing better in 2024 than the year before!
Things that I think did well in 2024 were three key factors.
Firstly, the few historical launches with connections to the collector American Girl fans, such as a successful relaunch of Kirsten and the limited-edition outfits for Addy and Josefina, ended up selling out. Julie's new clothes and refreshed collection also gave more attention towards a character who's popularity has never wavered since her launch in 2007.
Secondly, as much as it is different from what American Girl has done in the past, there is no denying that the Disney dolls have been doing great. Some may see Disney's dolls as a cash grab. Though part of it is, storytelling is at the DNA of American Girl, and each Disney doll has a story that is explored in not just books, but movies, rides and other areas of engagement. Younger girls who have watched the Disney movies over and over again have latched onto them and the immersive, movie-accurate accessories, and it shows.
Lastly, I think Lila was a big hit. Though Lila released at the end of 2023, 2024 was her year to shine, and shine she did. For the second Christmas in a row, items from her collection sold like hotcakes, and her story about embracing your true self - with a hint of Gen Z American Girl nostalgia in the form of McKenna's involvement in Lila's story - seemed to resonate with many people.
I do think one area American Girl could have improved was with Summer. Summer looks similar to some other American Girl dolls, namely Isabelle, has a story that is nothing but a mixture of other dolls that target-aged fans might have not forgotten about (let's be real - thanks to Olivia Rodrigo, Grace will never be forgotten), and it just didn't resonate with collectors and no one older than the youngest of AG fans.
I can't wait to see what the rest of 2025 brings for American Girl! I am also eagerly anticipating Mattel's shareholder presentation that should be sometime this spring - if my calculations are correct, that is when we will see Raquel's logo for the first time.
I just looked at the Mattel report and they didn't mention AG at all. All they said is that the doll category has declined year-on-year, mostly due to Barbie coming down from the bump given by the movie success. For all we know, AG might not have done well at all. I do hope they mention the brand in their upcoming event.
Is any one else suprised lila sold better than summer even tho I think lila didn't get as much ads as summer
Isn't the Kirsten series like the Little House series? Even Lisbeth and Anna remind me of Laura and mary. And even Julie liked the 1970s TV series and she has like some kind of Kirsten egg in her book
Awesome!
amazing! here's hoping more historicals and princesses come out this year! and that raquel has more of an impact like lila! ;D