ON MARKETING || How Barbie's All-Encompassing Product Collaborations Took the World by Storm
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.
The Barbie marketing machine has transformed the entire world into Barbie’s world. We’re just living in it.
You could literally enjoy every moment of summer with an abundance of ken-ergy with the following production collaborations sweeping through every product category imaginable. The beauty of these collaborations is that they aren’t focusing on just the kids who play with Barbie; the products also appeal to those who grew up with Barbie and the Kens of the world who are always there for their Barbie. Going to the movies has become a full-on celebration and excuse to play dress up with friends and family, and with lagging movie sales in the box office for the past few years, it’s about time we inject some fun into a day at the movies!
BARBIE SKATES - DOn’t go anywhere without them
Ken wouldn’t go anywhere without his skates, and neither should you. These yellow and pink skates will certainly turn heads when you rollerskate on the beach or in the park.
Photo: IMPALA Skate
GET BARBIE’S WARDROBE - NYX COSMETICS, ALDO SHOES, ZARA COLLECTION
If you haven’t seen all the Instagram Reels and TikToks of movie-goers decked out head to foot in Barbie pink, you must have been under a rock for the entire weekend. Opening box office sales have already set new records, including the biggest North American debut for a female director.
Barbie’s makeup and fashion collaborations inspired movie-goers to dress up as Barbies and Kens—making watching the movie with friends a memorable occasion. Just look at all the TikToks that captured the hot pink outfits and Kens and Barbies greeting each other on the street; the cultural phenomenon that is the Barbie movie has brought a sense of community to everyone and anyone active on social media. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, here’s what you can get your hands on for the perfect fit check.
NYX Cosmetics welcomes shoppers to Barbie Land with a makeup collection for every Barbie and Ken. We went through the collection and think the items you’ll carry every day will be the mini palette in It’s a Barbie Party and the Perfect Day Pink for some Barbie vibes to get you through the work week.
ZARA’s Barbie collection goes from a sunny beach look to a glam party look, depending on your mood. We picked out this matching set because it’s super cute for a day on the beach or a patio sipping margaritas. You could wear this through the rest of summer!
Finally, if you can manage a Barbie strut in sky-high heels, the Aldo shoes, handbag and accessories collection ensures an extra, EXTRA pop of pink to complete the look.
Barbie’s Malibu dream house in real life. Photo: Mattel
SNACKS? PINKBERRY HAS GOT YOU COVERED
If you've got Pinkberry froyo in your city, how could you enter the theatre without a cup of the Barbie Land Berry Pink in hand?
ADD SOME BARBIE TO YOUR HOME
One of the reasons why the Barbie campaign has been so successful is because they tailored marketing efforts on different platforms for a variety of audiences, not just the girly girls who grew up with Barbie. Guys wanted to transform themselves into Kens for the premiere, and the product collaborations even made their way into the gaming world with the Xbox collaboration. If you’re feeling lucky, watch for the giveaway featuring the Barbie x XBOX console and gaming controllers. We’d love to get our hands on one of these, even if we don’t play games! If you are an Xbox gamer, you now have the option of cruising around in Barbie’s convertible in Forza Horizon 5.
Regardless of whether you or not you play games, you’d want to get your hands on this hot pink console and controller. Am I right? Photo: Xbox, Mattel, WBEI
If driving around in a game isn’t enough for you, how about a stay at Barbie’s Malibu dream house? Airbnb featured a listing available to anyone to book on July 21st and 22nd during the opening weekend. Margot Robbie even took Architectural Digest on a tour of the Barbie house for the complete experience. For those of us who grew up with Barbie, you likely had a Barbie mansion, convertible, skates, and all the other accessories that these creative collaborations have realized in real life. The nostalgia element was crucial in captivating the Millennial and Gen Z audience.
Didn’t get to book a stay at the Malibu dream home? Not to worry, Ruggable’s Barbie collection of doormats and rugs for the home lets you add some Barbie to your home. Welcome your guests with a pop of pink with a Barbie doormat, or settle into the living room decorated with the Barbie™ Pink Ombre Premium Rug.
Before you think that a pink rug couldn’t work with the other colours you have at home, look at how the ombre rug pairs so well with an earthy palette. Photo: Ruggable.com
Before you say goodnight and turn out the lights, you can even brush your teeth with a MOON x Barbie toothbrush in none other than Barbie pink. If you have any doubts about the popularity of these products and who would possibly want to fill their homes with hot pink products—think again. NYX x Barbie cosmetics have flown off the shelves (every store we visited was out of stock), and IMPALA Skates has just restocked their Barbie skates.
MOON x Barbie for a pretty in pink start and end to your day. Photo: MOON Oral Beauty
Even though the marketing campaign will likely wrap up over the next few weeks, all the pink products will likely stick around long after we’ve all watched the movie. In fact, we’re going to guess that characters from the Barbie movie will be some of the most popular Halloween costumes come October.
