Do you have what it takes to be a professional Uno player? Now’s the time to find out.
Mattel is looking to hire a “Chief Uno Player” to help get the word out about a new version of the card game. The company wants someone who isn’t afraid to throw down a Draw 4 card, will play an Uno reverse with glee and, of course, is willing to put a friendship on the rocks for a family-rated game.
“We’re constantly looking to create new ways for fans to engage with UNO,” Mattel’s global head of games Ray Adler said in a statement announcing the role. “We’re thrilled to offer a position to the ultimate Uno player to help introduce our brand-new game.”
The successful applicant will be tasked with challenging unsuspecting passersby in New York City to games of Uno Quatro and film social media content of the impromptu matches, all while taking home a good chunk of change.
The job listing states the chief Uno player will work four hours a day, four days a week, for four weeks. If you’re starting to see a pattern, Mattel is offering US$4,444 per week, or just under C$6,000. Per hour, the chief Uno player will net C$370.
Uno Quatro seems to be a mash-up of Uno, with its colour and number matching, and Connect 4, as players strategically place tiles to get four in a row.
So, how does one apply to be the chief Uno player?
It’s not a formal application, that’s for sure. People interested in the role are invited to apply through TikTok, by stitching a video released by Uno before Aug. 10.
According to the video, the perfect job candidate will be someone “down to make fun videos” while playing and teaching Uno Quatro to the masses. They should also “be able to sit for long periods of time” and “lift and carry 50 lbs” for setting up the card-playing table and tent, the job posting states.
Oh, and you have to be a U.S. citizen or resident.
Marketing professor Tim Calkins says Mattel’s job posting is indicative of a growing movement in the business world, in which brands seek to create viral stunts to promote their products on social media.
“This really reflects the state of marketing today…. The question is how do you get people engaged and interested in a brand (like Uno) that has been around for 50 years,” Calkins told CNN. “For many brands, TikTok is the key.”
Mattel has had a blockbuster year in the spotlight thanks to its hugely successful Barbie movie, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into sales. In the April to June period this year, Mattel’s sales were down 12 per cent compared with 2022, the BBC reported.
Profits this quarter were meagre, at US$27 million compared with US$68 million last year.
Perhaps Mattel is looking to turn it all around with the power of content, as opposed to physical toy sales.
The company recently announced that it’s working on 45 films based on various brands under the Mattel umbrella. Fourteen films have been officially announced so far, including movies for Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels and Barney.
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