In 2024, the National Retail Federation predicted that gift cards would overtake toys as the top holiday gift. But kids don’t want gift cards. They don’t want to “shop later”. They want to unwrap something exciting now.

2024 was also the year diss tracks dominated culture. Beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake broke the Internet.

In partnership with VIRTUE, MGA saw an opportunity to flip the script for kids everywhere, calling out one of kids’ biggest holiday pet-peeves by tapping into the power of diss tracks.

Amplified by the viral sensation The Rizzler, Diss-Mas reimagined the traditional toy catalog as a cultural event and a rallying cry — a shoppable music video diss track that took over YouTube and streaming platforms, fusing direct commerce with entertainment.

Within 24 hours, Diss-Mas went viral, flooded social media, and ultimately sold out inventory. Holiday toy catalogs will never be the same again.

In recent years, the toy catalog format has largely shifted online where it’s easy for toy brands to get lost in the clutter of major retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon.

MGA wanted to find a new way to stand out in a cluttered retail environment, and so they reinvented the holiday toy catalog—not just as a shopping tool, but as a cultural moment.

Their key insight? Gift cards were projected to be the #1 holiday gift in 2024. But kids don’t want gift cards. They want toys! Pair that with the fact that this was the year of the diss track, and the idea emerged.

MGA and VIRTUE wanted to reposition their master brand as a major player in the toy industry by reimagining the traditional holiday gift catalogue as something born directly out of culture.

With gift cards poised to dominate the holiday season, MGA took a stand. Rather than releasing a traditional toy catalog, MGA tapped into the viral power of diss tracks, a cultural phenomenon in 2024.

The campaign, created with VIRTUE Worldwide, was a shoppable music video featuring The Rizzler, a 7-year-old social media sensation, who delivered a diss track against gift cards. The video debuted on YouTube, quickly gaining traction. Within 24 hours, it exploded online, generating millions of views, and massive press coverage.

Most importantly, the shoppable nature of the video enabled MGA to translate views directly into sales, short-circuiting the traditional funnel and converting awareness directly into sales. Diss-mas drove product sell outs during MGA’s most critical season of the year…

Instead of another holiday toy catalog, MGA flipped the script with Diss-Mas—a diss track-driven campaign that turned holiday shopping into entertainment. The battle? Gift cards vs. MGA toys.

MGA and VIRTUE tapped viral sensation The Rizzler, to drop a high-energy diss track music video on YouTube. Designed for virality, the campaign spread across streaming platforms and social media, sparking remixes, reaction videos, and cultural buzz.

By merging retail with 2024’s hottest music trend, MGA turned the holiday toy battle into an unmissable cultural event—one that made MGA impossible to ignore.

Diss-Mas exceeded all expectations, driving both cultural relevance and commercial success:

Sales Impact: Featured toys sold out within 24 hours, significantly outperforming projections.

Digital Reach: The shoppable music video garnered 7M+ views across platforms.

Engagement & Shareability: 3.4M impressions from reshares and remixes, fueling organic growth.

Press Coverage: 545.7M impressions from media outlets covering the campaign.

Brand Awareness: MGA’s name recognition skyrocketed, positioning it alongside top competitors like Mattel and Lego.

Most importantly, Diss-Mas proved that the holiday toy catalog isn’t obsolete—it just needed a cultural remix. By blending music, commerce, and viral trends, MGA Entertainment turned a marketing challenge into an unforgettable moment that will influence holiday marketing for years to come.