Barbie the Movie: MBA in Marketing

On July 20, the Barbie movie will finally hit theaters around the world and it’s already racked up the biggest pre-sales in history. Exploring the various aspects of marketing, the Barbie movie is practically an MBA and I suggest you watch it carefully, as it contains many insights that the world’s most famous doll can provide to your business.

nostalgia marketing

If you’ve been to the cinema in recent months, you may have seen the trailer, which is a lesson in nostalgia marketing: with a nod to the classic scene from Planet of the Apes, the Barbie movie shows the girls breaking their dolls Gone is the appearance of the new doll. As Strauss plays, Zarathustra thus speaks. It’s a mix of neophilia and nostalgia that generates an aha moment: “I’ve seen this before, but this is new.” This is the same resource used by products inspired by vintage originals. Let’s face it: We’ve all bought something that reminds us of our childhood.

and talking about childhood

Barbie can already be considered aging, the generation of women you can’t tell the age of anymore. Over 60 years of age and 20’s of face, Barbie was part of the childhoods of three generations of girls, breaking down the children’s film barrier and making a large number of adults yearn for the film.

talk good or talk bad, but talk about barbie

The Planet of the Apes-inspired scene was “canceled” by Konar. According to Ang, it is a scene of “non-urbanity, lack of good manners or violent/unsafe acts”, which violates the recommendations of Article 37 of the Brazilian Advertising Self-Regulation Code. Also, many girls will be disappointed that they can’t watch Barbie movies that are rated 12 and up.

branding

Mattel, the maker of Barbie, achieved the feat of making the doll a true pop culture icon. Now you don’t even need to see the toy or the name Barbie written on it: just look at the pink and white color palette and you already know who it belongs to. Few brands in the world have such integrated branding. A pink billboard with only the date is enough to announce the premiere of a Barbie movie. If you google barbie, you’ll be greeted with pink fireworks.

Darwin would be proud of Barbie

Darwin, the scientist and author of the phrase “It is not the strongest that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that best adapts to change”, would be proud of Barbie. Over the decades, the doll has evolved to adapt to changing consumers, mothers and daughters, representing a complete journey of girls from the late 1950s to the present day.

thoughts live forever

Just as Stan Lee appears in Marvel movies, Barbara Handler, now 82, interacts with Margot Robbie in a Barbie film. Barbara is the daughter of Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie, who made the doll for her own daughter. In the trailer, Barbara delivers another marketing lesson: “There’s only one ending to a human being. (…) Ideas always live”.

user generated content

From Barbie selfie generators and interactive experiences to this article here, everyone is creating content that contributes to the buzz around the movie. Between you and me, even my husband has already asked when the Barbie movie will come out. These consumers are marketing the Barbie film, generating anticipation and a lot of content about Barbie on the Internet.

pink world

Burger King, Fossil, Crocs, Superga, Zara, Riachuello, Starbucks (on the secret menu)… Countless official Barbie allies are on hand around the world for the official premiere of the film. And there are even more smaller brands surfing the pink wave with products in the brand’s palette. Wherever you look, you’ll find pink products inspired by the movie.

Hollywood’s Hand With Marketing

The Barbie film directed by Greta Gerwig is becoming an unprecedented cinematic event, and the cast and soundtrack were chosen for it. Margot Robbie, one of the highest paid actresses in the world, plays Barbie, while Ryan Gosling plays Ken. The cast also includes other big names in Hollywood, such as Anne Hathaway, Will Ferrell, and Michael Cera. The list features Grammy Award winner Dua Lipa performing and singing one of the original songs from the film Barbie. And for those who think that’s all, Warner’s marketing team also handpicked South Korean group Fifty Fifty for the soundtrack. The group responsible for one of the biggest hits of the year teamed up with rapper Kalie, which brought with it a huge viral following on TikTok, and even more expectations for the Barbie film.

Your company may not have access to big brands or collaborations with Hollywood celebrities, but the Barbie movie brings an array of marketing insights that can be applied to all types of businesses.