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Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Accumulated benefit obligation of defined benefit pension plans | $ 632,200,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation | $ 579,000,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation |
The impact to postretirement benefit plan obligation from a one percentage point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rate for each future year | 2,000,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnAccumulatedPostretirementBenefitObligation |  |
The impact to postretirement benefit plan obligation from a one percentage point decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rate for each future year | (1,700,000)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointDecreaseOnAccumulatedPostretirementBenefitObligation1 |  |
The impact to postretirement benefit plan service and interest cost from a one percentage point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rate for each future year | 100,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointIncreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents |  |
The impact to postretirement benefit plan service and interest cost from a one percentage point decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rate for each future year | (100,000)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanEffectOfOnePercentagePointDecreaseOnServiceAndInterestCostComponents1 |  |
Total estimated cash contributions to be made during the next fiscal year for defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans | 21,000,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear |  |
Total estimated cash contributions to be made during the next fiscal year for unfunded defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans | 7,000,000 mat_TotalEstimatedCashContributionToBeMadeDuringNextFiscalYearForUnfundedBenefitPlans |  |
Percentage of domestic defined benefit pension plan assets to total defined benefit pension plan assets | 80.00%mat_PercentageOfDomesticDefinedBenefitPensionPlanAssetsToTotalDefinedBenefitPensionPlanAssets |  |
Percentage limitation of an employee's total account balance that may be allocated to the Mattel Stock Fund in the Mattel, Inc. Personal Investment Plan | 25.00%mat_PercentageLimitationOfEmployeesTotalAccountBalanceThatMayBeAllocatedToStockFundInPersonalInvestmentPlan |  |
Liability for deferred compensation and excess benefit plans | 73,600,000 us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityClassifiedNoncurrent | 68,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredCompensationLiabilityClassifiedNoncurrent |
Cash surrender value of life insurance policies | 67,600,000 us-gaap_CashSurrenderValueOfLifeInsurance | 66,000,000 us-gaap_CashSurrenderValueOfLifeInsurance |
Expense for incentive compensation plans | 25,200,000 mat_ExpenseForIncentiveCompensationPlans | 65,000,000 mat_ExpenseForIncentiveCompensationPlans | 108,100,000 mat_ExpenseForIncentiveCompensationPlans
January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013 LTIP |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Performance cycle | 3 years |  |
Number of shares earned related to performance related component | 1.0 mat_NumberOfSharesEarnedForPerformanceRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember |  |
Number of shares earned related to market related component | 0.5 mat_NumberOfSharesEarnedForMarketRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember |  |
Number of shares earned related to dividend equivalent rights | 0.1 mat_NumberOfSharesEarnedForDividendEquivalentRightsComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember |  |
Number of shares earned related to performance and market related component | 1.6 mat_NumberOfSharesEarnedForPerformanceRelatedAndMarketRelatedComponentsOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnitsThatMayVest / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember |  |
January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013 LTIP | Performance- Related Component |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted average grant date fair value of restricted stock units granted |  | $ 42.30 mat_WeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueOfPerformanceRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember | $ 32.87 mat_WeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueOfPerformanceRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember
Expense recognized for restricted stock units |  | 10,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember | 12,400,000 us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember
January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013 LTIP | Market- Related Component |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted average grant date fair value of restricted stock units granted |  | $ 4.59 mat_WeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueOfMarketRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = mat_MarketRelatedComponentMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember | $ 4.55 mat_WeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueOfMarketRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = mat_MarketRelatedComponentMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember
Expense recognized for restricted stock units |  | 1,400,000 us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = mat_MarketRelatedComponentMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember | 1,800,000 us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = mat_MarketRelatedComponentMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyElevenToTwentyThirteenMember
January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 LTIP |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of shares that can be earned for each of the three years for the performance-related component of performance restricted stock units - range of possible outcomes - (low-end) | 0 mat_RangeOfPossibleOutcomesRelatedToPerformanceRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnitsLowEnd / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
Number of shares that can be earned for each of the three years for the performance-related component of performance restricted stock units - range of possible outcomes - (high-end) | 0.5 mat_RangeOfPossibleOutcomesRelatedToPerformanceRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnitsHighEnd / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
Adjustment (for the market-related component) to the results of the performance-related component of performance restricted stock units over the three-year performance cycle - range of possible outcomes - upward adjustment - (high-end) | 0.5 mat_RangeOfPossibleOutcomesRelatedToMarketRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnitsUpwardAdjustmentHighEnd / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
Adjustment (for the market-related component) to the results of the performance-related component of performance restricted stock units over the three-year performance cycle - range of possible outcomes - downward adjustment - (low-end) | 0.5 mat_RangeOfPossibleOutcomesRelatedToMarketRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnitsDownwardAdjustmentLowEnd / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 LTIP | Performance- Related Component |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted average grant date fair value of restricted stock units granted | $ 39.03 mat_WeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueOfPerformanceRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
Expense recognized for restricted stock units | 0 us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016 LTIP | Market- Related Component |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Weighted average grant date fair value of restricted stock units granted | $ (3.57)mat_WeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueOfMarketRelatedComponentOfPerformanceRestrictedStockUnits / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = mat_MarketRelatedComponentMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
Expense recognized for restricted stock units | 0 us-gaap_RestrictedStockExpense / us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis = mat_MarketRelatedComponentMember / us-gaap_PlanNameAxis = mat_PerformanceCycleTwentyFourteenToTwentySixteenMember |  |
US equity securities |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Target allocation for domestic defined benefit pension plan assets | 35.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis = mat_UnitedStatesEquitySecuritiesMember |  |
Non US Equity Securities |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Target allocation for domestic defined benefit pension plan assets | 35.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis = mat_NonUnitedStatesEquitySecuritiesMember |  |
US Long-Term Bond Securities |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Target allocation for domestic defined benefit pension plan assets | 20.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis = mat_UsLongTermBondSecuritiesMember |  |
US Treasury Securities |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Target allocation for domestic defined benefit pension plan assets | 10.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |  |
Defined benefit pension plans |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Estimated net actuarial loss and prior service credit that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost in 2015 | 16,700,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmountToBeAmortizedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNextFiscalYear / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember |  |
Long-term rate of return on plan assets used to determine net periodic benefit cost for domestic defined benefit pension plans | 8.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 8.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember | 8.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Postretirement benefit plans |  |  |
Employee Benefits Disclosure [Line Items] |  |  |
Estimated net actuarial loss and prior service credit that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost in 2015 | $ 100,000 us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmountToBeAmortizedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNextFiscalYear / us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis = us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember |  |

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- Definition Percentage limitation of an employee's total account balance that may be allocated to the Mattel Stock Fund in the Mattel, Inc. Personal Investment Plan + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Percentage of domestic defined benefit pension plan assets to total defined benefit pension plan assets. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of amounts which could be received based on the terms of the insurance contract upon surrendering life policies owned by the entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 17 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6812-107765 + Details
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- Definition For defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Accumulated Benefit Obligation -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503844 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount included in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost for the fiscal year that follows the most recent annual statement of financial position, including gain (loss), prior service cost (credit), and transition asset (obligation). + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition An assumption as to the rate of return on plan assets reflecting the average rate of earnings expected on the funds invested or to be invested to provide for the benefits included in the benefit obligation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 30 -Glossary Expected Long-Term Rate of Return on Plan Assets -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6512013 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of effect of a one-percentage-point decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of effect of a one-percentage-point decrease in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit costs. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation for health care benefits. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition The effect of a one-percentage-point increase in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the aggregate of the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit costs. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (m) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of employer's best estimate of contributions expected to be paid to the plan during the next fiscal year beginning after the date of the latest statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35743120&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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