1.0.0.3false5.Goodwillfalse1$falsefalseSharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDperShareItemTypeDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares020mat_NotesToFinancialStatementsAbstractmatfalsenadurationstringNotes to Financial Statements [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalsefalsefalse1falsefalse00falsefalseNotes to Financial Statements [Abstract]false31us-gaap_ScheduleOfGoodwillTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationstringNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalse00<div>
<table style="BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0">
<tr>
<td valign="top" align="left" width="4%"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"><b>5.</b></font></td>
<td valign="top" align="left"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"><b>Goodwill</b></font></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%">
<font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">Goodwill is
allocated to various reporting units, which are either at the
operating segment level or one reporting level below the operating
segment level, for purposes of evaluating whether goodwill is
impaired. Mattel’s reporting units are: Mattel Girls
Brands US, Mattel Boys Brands US, Fisher-Price Brands US,
American Girl Brands, and International. Mattel tests its
goodwill for impairment annually in the third quarter, and whenever
events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value
may not be recoverable, based on the fair value of the cash flows
that the reporting units can be expected to generate in the future.
In the third quarter of 2009, Mattel performed the annual
impairment test and determined that goodwill was not
impaired.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%">
<font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">The change in
the carrying amount of goodwill by reporting unit for the nine
months ended September 30, 2009 is shown below.
Brand-specific goodwill held by foreign subsidiaries is allocated
to the US reporting units selling those brands, thereby causing
foreign currency translation impact for the US reporting
units.</font></p>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px">
 </p>
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" align="center" border="0">
<tr>
<td width="53%"></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="3%"></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="3%"></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td valign="bottom" width="3%"></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="1"><b>December 31, 2008</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="1"><b>Impact of Currency</b></font><br />
<font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="1"><b>Exchange Rate</b></font><br />
<font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="1"><b>Changes</b></font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="1"><b>September 30, 2009</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="center" colspan="9"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="1"><b>(In
thousands)</b></font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#CCEEFF">
<td valign="top">
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-INDENT: -1em"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">Mattel Girls Brands
US</font></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">29,224</font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">2,517</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">31,741</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-INDENT: -1em"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">Mattel Boys Brands
US</font></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">130,883</font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">(173</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">) </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">130,710</font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#CCEEFF">
<td valign="top">
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-INDENT: -1em"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">Fisher-Price Brands
US</font></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">215,520</font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">494</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">216,014</font></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top">
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-INDENT: -1em"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">American Girl
Brands</font></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">207,571</font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">—  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">207,571</font></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#CCEEFF">
<td valign="top">
<p style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; TEXT-INDENT: -1em"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">International</font></p>
</td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">232,605</font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">8,175</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">240,780</font></td>
</tr>
<tr style="FONT-SIZE: 1px">
<td valign="bottom"></td>
<td valign="bottom">  </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td valign="bottom">  </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td> </td>
<td valign="bottom"> </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 1px solid" valign="bottom">
 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top"></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">           815,803</font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">              11,013</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" nowrap="nowrap"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">  </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font size="1"> </font></td>
<td valign="bottom"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">$</font></td>
<td valign="bottom" align="right"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">          826,816</font></td>
</tr>
<tr style="FONT-SIZE: 1px">
<td valign="bottom"></td>
<td valign="bottom">  </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 3px double" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 3px double" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td valign="bottom">  </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 3px double" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 3px double" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td> </td>
<td valign="bottom"> </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 3px double" valign="bottom">
 </td>
<td style="BORDER-TOP: #000000 3px double" valign="bottom">
 </td>
</tr>
</table>
<p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 18px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px">
 </p>
</div>5.
Goodwill
Goodwill is
allocated to various reporting units, which are either at the
operating segment level or one reporting level below thefalsefalseNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse12falseUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue