'Buzzmaster' for Bratz
Friday, March 4, 2005 By JOAN VERDON STAFF WRITER
Paris Hilton or Ashlee Simpson could use a publicist like Dave Malacrida.
Over the last four years he's arranged plenty of good publicity for his star clients. But Malacrida would be the first to tell you he's lucky - the divas he represents are "perfect dolls."
As vice president of public and media relations for the California-based toy company MGA Entertainment, he's the official publicist for the Bratz dolls. MGA Chief Executive Isaac Larian called Malacrida the Bratz "buzzmaster."
He's a Paramus High grad who helped take the four original Bratz girls - Sasha, Cloe, Yasmin and Jade - from unknown underdogs to worldwide toy stars with annual sales estimated at over $1 billion.
Part of Malacrida's job has been getting "the girls" seen in all the right places - from their first Toy Fair in 2001 to hanging out with Green Day and U2 in the celebrity lounge at this year's Grammy awards.
Last week at Toy Fair 2005, Malacrida conducted round-the-clock media interviews for the Rock Angelz, the latest Bratz dolls, who've formed a band and already have an album deal. Next stop for the dolls is the celebrity lounge at the NAACP Image Awards on March 19.
Malacrida, 42, grew up in Paramus. After high school, he went to college for film, worked for production companies, did special effects makeup for Troma Films, and eventually moved to California. His mother, Evelyn Malacrida Rocco, taught in Teaneck and Paramus, and encouraged his love of the entertainment and toy worlds by taking him to Broadway shows and toy stores.
He counts the long-gone Sel-Rite toy store and the old Stanley Warner and Century movie theaters in his hometown with giving him a passion for toys and for the entertainment world. The Record interviewed him this week by phone from his office in Van Nuys, Calif.
Q. So tell us how you went from Paramus High to the Grammys.
Yes - from Paramus High to Hollywood. Actually, we're only 15 minutes away from Hollywood. And that's where the Grammy Awards are held, and the Image Awards. ... I've been with MGA since 1999. I was working for a company doing entertainment marketing, and I saw an ad for a public relations coordinator. I'm an avid collector of old toys and games. I also had knowledge of the entertainment and advertising industries, and this position kind of married those three things. Isaac Larian definitely had a vision that toys can be entertainment properties, as well as toys.
Q. I remember you at that first Toy Fair in 2001 - no one had heard of the Bratz, and you were handing out postcards to everyone you met, saying, "Come see the Bratz."
We also had three girls riding the elevators with crazy platform shoes and hair extensions and outfits saying, "Hi, we're the Bratz," and everybody kind of just said, "What? Who?"
Q. Whose idea was it to have those girls there?
It was collaborative. It was Paula Garcia, who is our director of all things Bratz here, and Isaac and myself.
Q. That first year, were you grabbing reporters to come in and look at the Bratz?
That's not my style - unless I run into somebody in the hallways - which I still do. That's why its been so great to have that lobby room [just off the main entrance at the Toy Building in New York City]. You can just walk outside and - all the people that you sent invitations to but didn't hear back from — you can say, "Hey you - you want the 10 minute tour?"
Q. Did you think at the beginning that Bratz would get this big?
At the beginning, everybody just thought it was a fashion doll fad. And it took four years to stop hearing people say it's a fad. It really is the development of a classic new girls' property and an entertainment brand to be recognized. I mean, the brand has over 350 licensees around the world in over 50 countries.
Q. What's it like to be the Bratz publicist?
They're very easy to work with. They're literally dolls to work with. They always show up at the right time, looking good.
Q. Let's see how you handle this tough question? Which is your favorite Bratz girl?
We are introducing a lot of new dolls all the time, but I'm still real partial to the original four girls.
Q. You've been able to get the Bratz photographed with everyone from Green Day to Slash. How do you do that?
People enjoy taking pictures with Bratz. The characters lend themselves to a sense of fun. And we don't do forced promotions. We like to make sure that the celebrities and the Bratz are going to have a good time.
Q. Have the Bratz girls ever refused to do an event? Is there any kind of promotion or licensed product the Bratz won't do?
Well, the Bratz won't do walk-around-characters. You won't see a big giant Bratz shaking hands with people. That's not Bratz style.
Q. Do you think the Bratz girls will one day celebrate their 40th birthday, the way Barbie did in 1999?
Oh, man, it would be so interesting to see what this brand is like in even 10 years. I can't think that far in advance. There's so much going on.
