Dissecting Barbie's Dream World: A $100 Million Dollar Rebranding Phenomenon

As one of the film’s trailers proudly touts: 'If you love Barbie… if you hate Barbie, this movie is for you.' And I think that goes for this article too.?

Barbie's journey from a childhood toy to a cultural phenomenon has been nothing short of extraordinary. As the iconic doll approaches her 65 birthday next year, she shows no signs of slowing down. From a fashion model to the President of the United States, Barbie has conquered countless roles throughout her lengthy career, and with an impressive $1.7 billion in annual sales in 2021 she still remains everyone’s favorite gal.?

But what started as a childhood toy has now transformed into a silver screen pink-themed fever dream, captivating the hearts of practically everyone. And how could it not? The road to the Barbie movie's has been paved with a promotional campaign that flooded social media platforms with teasers, trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive interviews, igniting excitement and anticipation worldwide before it hit the theaters. And it seemed as if Barbie overnight, became a cultural phenomenon, reaffirming her status as an enduring icon.

With Barbiemania sweeping across the world this summer, the movie’s release surpassed all expectations, garnering praise from both critics and fans, while simultaneously giving a boost to moviegoing overall - and even coinciding with the release of Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, "Oppenheimer," which led to the playful moniker of "Barbenheimer."

The Barbie brand, synonymous with everything pink and playful, has strategically (and naturally) capitalized on this momentous occasion and hype, but there's more to this success story than just a movie release. In reality this is about rebranding.?

The mothership behind the Barbie brand,?Mattel, Inc.?Inc., has invested a staggering $100 million to redefine Barbie's dream world and revamp her image, in an attempt to make her more relevant and captivating than ever before. And the movie? Well, it was just a centerpiece of their larger business strategy. And I’m here - once again upon no one’s request - to dive into the strategies and thoughts behind it all. So, whether you love Barbie or hate Barbie, this article is for you.

The strategy and tactics

You wouldn’t be alone in noticing that social media, and life in general, has recently been tinted with a hot pink “Barbiecore” hue. And if it feels like the pink has been going on for ages, just know that what I'm about to tell you has been years in the works. Because with 100 million dollars to spend, Mattel, Inc. made sure that regardless if you wanted to see the movie or not, you'd stumble upon the brand and at least one of their 100 branded partnerships in one way or another.

It was executed with meticulous planning to make Barbie's transition into the digital age a resounding success. And by leveraging Barbie's well-established cultural influence, Mattel, sought to capture the imagination of younger audiences and reignite the nostalgia of long-time fans and playmates across all platforms – online and offline.?

So come on Barbie let's go.. dive into actual strategy and tactics!?

1. We are all Barbies and Kens

The Barbie team released a selfie generator that let fans insert themselves straight into Barbie Land. The?UGC tool meant anyone could star as Barbie, with their own tagline, f.eks. This Barbie is a… advertising journalist (Don’t worry, I'm not).

The internet quickly did its thing, and the first pop of pink began to flood social media feeds and timelines everywhere. And naturally it only took a quick second before the template was used for generating memes, and both celebrities and brands like Gwyneth Paltrow , HBO Asia and Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team joined in.

The term "Ken-ergy" was also introduced by Ryan Gosling, and it quickly turned in to a buzzword used to positively describe the intangible masculine energy of Ken in the film. And throughout June, there were Barbie floats in gay pride parades across the country. It was also reported that people on the street would greet each other and say ‘Hi Barbie’ or ‘Hi Ken’ when they saw someone in pink, offering a sense of community and togetherness.?

This way the Barbie-campaign not only gathered us all through the joy of shameless selfies and memes, but also celebrated the diversity among all of us Barbies and Kens, illustration a more inclusive dream world than before.?

2. Barbie's online dream world

The extensive marketing material spread across various media channels heightened the brand's visibility beyond belief. From billboards to Google Confetti for Greta Gerwig, Ryan Gosling, and Margot Robbie, the campaign left no stone unturned in showcasing the doll's new image and solidifying her position as a cultural icon.

According to internal Pinterest data, “Barbiecore” and “Barbie moodboard” searches went up 980% this year. Which perfectly illustrates the hype around the brand, and how much everyone wanted to be a part of – even live in the Barbie-pink dream world.?

3. Barbie is experimenting

Mattel invested significantly in experiential marketing, such as pop-up?Zara Group?stores in Paris and New York, an immersive Barbie exhibition in Montréal, to changing the name of London based Barbican train station to Barbiecan, and a pink Tardis also appeared at London's Tower Bridge, Barbie-themed events were also were held across the globe. And in another unforeseen move, the streaming service Roku and Warner Bros. Discovery Bros teamed up to add the Barbie Dream House, equipped with a dance floor, hot pink slide, and extensive shoe closet, to the streaming tool’s screensaver.

Additionally, did all the stories about Barbie become ubiquitous - she was everywhere from local TV news spot to features in?Architectural Digest?and?The New Yorker. The value of this kind of publicity is immeasurable.?

All of these real-world guerilla marketing initiatives and experiences helped blend the best of the digital Barbiemania craze with fun in the physical world, making the Barbie-brand inescapable, and offered an opportunity for consumers to interact with the doll online and offline.?

4. Barbie's lifestyle plan on sale

What has been most noticeable is the vital role all the branded strategic partnerships and promotional partnership deals has played in Barbie's resurgence.?

Collaborating with well-known fashion designers and influential celebrities, Mattel successfully positioned Barbie as a trendsetter and style icon once again. The doll became a staple on red carpets, runways, and social media feeds, catapulting her back into the limelight and making her relevant to a younger, fashion-conscious audience.

But don't be fooled! Many of these deals have been reported to have been 12 to 18 months in the making and can be worth tens of millions - and by the looks of the +100 brands they have collaborated with, Mattel have been very good at being selective and gone out of their way to make them feel less like a regular licensing deals.?

Instead, they were selling Barbie's lifestyle plan.

From how she would eat, dry her hair, her insurance plans, to the $190 Barbie x Impala Rollerskates, Barbie Xbox, BéIS x Barbie luggage collection, Barbie-branded Crocs, Inc. , Barbie x Moon electric toothbrushes, Barbie x 塔吉特百货 , Barbie x Truly soap sets, Barbie x OPI nail polish, Barbie x Tangle Teezer Ltd , Barbie bras from MeUndies , Barbie x Gap clothing, Barbie x Show Me Your Mumu , and more.

Including Barbie x Forever 21 and Barbie x Claire's - a perfect marriage between Barbie and the two popular shopping mall destinations for teens in the ‘90s and early ‘00s.

All over the world Barbie-fans and lovers of all things pink can buy the exact gear they’ve been obsessing over since they were children. And each of these +100 partnership deals, can be worth tens of millions.

Obviously all sorts of brands rushed to cash in on?the Barbiemania - even Progressive Insurance and 通用汽车 used Barbie in custom TV and digital ads - partnerships that's probably worth at least $70 million. But some of the more noticeable partnerships were...

Barbie’s Dreamhouse.

Through an partnership with?Airbnb, a few lucky fans got a chance to live out their pink fantasies and stay in Barbie’s Dreamhouse themselves - naturally john Legend and Chrissy?Teigen?already took?their family.?

The life-size Dreamhouse included cowboy accessories, guitars and rollerblades, Barbie’s wardrobe, a pool, line dancing class on the outdoor disco dance floor, and frozen treats from Pinkberry.

Barbie goes dating

Barbie needs her Ken or Barbie. And Ken, his Barbie or Ken. Or Both. Whatever way you swing,?Bumble Inc.has helped singles find a date to the Barbie movie premiere this summer.

The dating app?Bumble Inc.?teamed up with?Warner Bros. Entertainment, and released a Barbie-themed tool to deliver Barbie or Ken-themed compliments to other users. By turning all the Barbies and Kens featured in the movie into IRL dating coaches, users can get message recommendations as part of Bumble’s “Compliments” feature, allowing users to send a note to someone before matching with them.

The campaign comes after a Bumble survey found that 3 in 4 respondents said receiving praise from a potential romantic partner makes them more interested in that person.

Barbie goes to lunch

Burger King?Brazil’s Barbie-themed meal comes with a cheeseburger topped with a smoky pink sauce, a pink vanilla milkshake, “Ken’s potatoes” (fries) and a pink frosted doughnut. The colorful packaging in itself is enough to prompt many people to spend their hard earned money.?

But I can’t help think that the pink themed contents probably will mind-fuck you and feel wrong on multiple levels.?However, if there’s anything?I’ve learned over the years, it’s that gross food is made for TikTok virality and beautiful, aesthetic packaging is Instagram gold. So even those who don’t have an appetite for a pink-sauced burger may find it hard to ignore it in their social media feeds.??

To sum up..

While the $100 million budget initially raised eyebrows, it is commonplace for a Hollywood studio to spend just as much, if not more, to market an event pic as it does to actually make the movie. The price tag of a global marketing campaign for a big event title is usually $100 million or more.?

So when someone tells me 'anyone with a $100 million budget can do that' - I’d happily dare that person to name a movie that pulled off the same buzz, hype and frenzie as Barbie.?

We can all agree that how they spend the money demonstrated what an audacious investment in a well-thought-out marketing strategy could pay off and how it can go beyond your wildest dreams.?

But did they do anything different that we haven't seen before? I guess my answer would be no. We have seen partnerships, hashtags, selfies, ads, teasers, trailers etc. before.

Nothing new was technically brought to the table, but - and it's a big but! What they did do different was how they created the hype and momentum as they did. It became almost a lifestyle - a complete gear-shift in the world. Caused by the timing and totality of this meticulously, creative and beautifully planned marketing strategy build by innovative partnerships, digital engagement, and a message of inclusivity, which demonstrated a willingness to evolve and create social impact, brands in order to continue to captivate hearts and minds for generations to come.

It extended beyond the immediate financial success, but propelled Barbie back into the forefront of pop culture conversations worldwide.

The rebranding

I feel it’s important to remind you that this was not just a campaign for a movie release. This was a case about Mattel, Inc. working to rebrand the Barbie brand – a process that has been years in the making, and they used the film release to build momentum and steadfast the new and improved Barbie univers.

In 1945, Mattel was founded by Ruth Handler, her husband Elliot, and Matt Matson, resulting in the birth of the iconic Barbie doll. Ruth, a visionary businesswoman, saw the potential to create a doll that would empower young girls to dream big and be anything they wanted to be. The mission behind Barbie was to provide girls with a teeny-tiny mannequin that they could easily dress up and imagine themselves in various roles, challenging societal norms of the time.

But Barbie's traditional beauty standard, a thin, white, blonde doll, no longer resonated with consumers.?In fact, it faced criticism for perpetuating unrealistic ideals.?As societal perspectives on beauty and inclusivity evolved, Barbie needed to adapt to remain relevant. So?The rebranding campaign aimed to address these concerns and reshape Barbie's image into a symbol of empowerment, inclusivity, and diversity. By doing so, Mattel sought to capture the hearts of a new generation while rekindling the nostalgia of adults who grew up with Barbie

Mattel's CEO, Richard Dickson’s decision to invest $100 million in the rebranding campaign raised eyebrows, but it proved to be a game-changing decision. That and the timing of it all. In a world where we are smothered with bad news daily and suffering from extreme news and ad fatigue, this became a much needed sweet escape, and so we caved in completely.

The strategy behind the rebranding involved a comprehensive approach that addressed various aspects of the brand. Mattel introduced a more diverse range of dolls, with various skin tones and body types, reflecting the growing importance of inclusivity and representation in the toy industry. Barbie's physical appearance was reimagined to embrace different body sizes, leading to the introduction of tall, petite, and curvy versions of the doll.

And?the rebranding campaign?also?included the creation of?the?much-anticipated Barbie movie, showcasing the doll as a strong, female protagonist in control of her own story. It sparked discussions on societal norms and expectations, and through comedy and drama tapping into conversations about feminism, body image, sexuality and?encouraged?young minds?to embrace their uniqueness and?seek out different?career paths, and more.?

This?strategic move?about releasing the film?is only one of many in?Mattel's long-term business strategy to expand its portfolio with a series of film and television projects,?building?a?successful franchise?similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The?Barbie?rebranding phenomenon?also?showcased the power of nostalgia marketing, reconnecting with adults who grew up with Barbie and reigniting their love for the brand. This emotional connection translated into increased sales and collector's item purchases.?Here digital marketing played an important?role in the campaign's success.?With engaging social media content, hashtag challenges, and user-generated?contentthey?fostered a sense of community enhancing brand loyalty and emotional connections with consumers.

Furthermore, Barbie's journey from a traditional doll to a multifaceted franchise has set a precedent for other toy companies seeking to expand their brands into other forms of media and entertainment. By leveraging the success of the Barbie movie and exploring partnerships with renowned actors and filmmakers, Mattel has demonstrated how strategic collaborations can elevate a toy brand into a multi-dimensional storytelling experience that captivates audiences worldwide.

Additionally it is paving the way for?responsible marketing practices that cater to diverse audiences and promote inclusivity. Barbie's evolution into a symbol of empowerment serves as a beacon of hope for a more inclusive and progressive future, where toys can play a significant role in shaping the way children perceive themselves and the world around them.

As Barbie approaches her 65th anniversary, her heart continues to beat with the same spirit and resilience that Ruth Handler instilled in her six decades ago. The $100 million rebranding campaign has cemented Barbie's place in history as not just a doll but a cultural phenomenon, embodying the idea that girls can be anything they want to be.

But I stand by it when I say that if we isolate their tactics and look at them, they didn't do anything that we haven't seen before. However it has been THE masterclass in how to build momentum, hype, community feeling, emotional connections, and utilize nostalgia to capture cross-generational audiences.

It is now?Barbie's world, and we're just living in it.