Barbie claims dolls boost empathy in year-long global campaign  /

The doll evolves / At the end of 2015, Barbie had experienced 10 quarters of sales decline. The doll was a symbol of the damaging body expectations that girls face in society and the brand was widely criticised for its heteronormativity and lack of diversity. To change perceptions, Mattel launched a series of campaigns that focused on empowerment and inclusivity, including changing Barbie’s body shape. In late 2015, the brand’s Imagine the Possibilities campaign was pivotal in repositioning Barbie as a doll that helps girls realise their potential. The result? Mattel successfully transformed Barbie into a suitable role model for the 21st century and, following the communications shift, experienced tremendous growth by early 2016.

While some more conservative countries were less emphatic about Barbie’s modernisation, there is no doubt that the toy industry was heading in a more progressive direction. In 2019, Hasbro in South America released a simple yet sweet ad that shows boys playing with dolls and the emotional benefits of doing so. Barbie’s more recent products feature a range of differently abled dolls, varied body sizes and gender neutral models. And now, representation in toys has gone from a nice-to-have to the expected norm, and we can thank Mattel for helping pave the way.

Scary sequels / Finding engaging ways to communicate product benefits is a problem commonly faced by brands. We’ve seen brands in the past go to unusual places to deliver the same message in fresh, interesting ways. Here, Mattel has repackaged the idea that playing with Barbies has a positive impact on children’s wellbeing and delivered it at a perfect time – when parents are especially nervous about the emotional impact lockdown has had on kids.

A Doll Can Help Change the World is the brand’s biggest ad campaign in five years. Mattel hasn’t released exact figures but, according to Kantar, it has doubled Barbie’s year-on-year ad spend in 2021 and Mattel spent $53m on advertising (excluding social) on its brands in 2020. Barbie’s sales rose 87% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to last year and this campaign is a clear effort to keep that momentum going.

To find out more, listen to Mattel’s senior vice president Lisa McKnight tell the transformative story of how the brand reclaimed its relevance at Most Contagious.