barbie marketing case study 2023

Inside ‘Barbie’s’ Pink Publicity Machine: How Warner Bros. Pulled Off the Marketing Campaign of the Year

By Rebecca Rubin

Rebecca Rubin

Senior Film and Media Reporter

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Unless you’ve been trapped in a plastic toy box, there’s no escaping the Barbie -core movement that’s sweeping the globe — and potentially  contributing a nationwide shortage  of the color pink.

The marketing department at Warner Bros. has been working in overdrive to entice the masses for Greta Gerwig ’s cotton candy-colored fantasy “Barbie,” which has been everywhere this summer. A key factor has been a dizzying array of partnerships with products that range from a bright fuchsia Xbox ( for STEM Barbie ) to this $1,350 Balmain cropped hoodie (for Disposable Income Barbie).

Popular on Variety

The efforts of the extensive and expensive marketing campaign — which rival studio executives estimate to cost $150 million, not including the $145 million production budget — are already paying off.

“Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as life-size versions of the popular Mattel dolls, crushed box office expectations with $165 million in North America and a stunning $337 million globally. With the help of “Oppenheimer,” which debuted to $80.5 million, this weekend boasted the biggest collective box office turnout of the pandemic era, as well as the fourth-biggest in history. It’s an especially big deal at a time when Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford have struggled to save the box office.

In wake of its record-breaking debut , Warner Bros. president of global marketing Josh Goldstine spoke to Variety about the buzzy memes, must-have costumes and “Barbenheimer” phenomenon that led to this summer’s very pink smash hit.

When did you start to notice the “Barbie” marketing was resonating in a big way?

We had a lot of internal discussions about “What’s the right first piece of material?” and “When is the timing of it? How much of the story should we give away?” Each time we released something, the movie was getting to a new level of engagement in the culture.

Pink was a big part of the campaign. How did you decide to lean into that color palette?

Barbie Pink has been such a part of the brand. This movie has a wonderful girl-power element, and pink became the color of the movie. We saw it start to resonate in the culture very early in the long process. The concept of Barbie-core coming to life in fashion kept going. It didn’t have its moment; it sustained and kept growing and growing with the movie.

How much of the marketing was manufactured and how much took off organically?

We saw it as a breadcrumb strategy, where we gave people little elements of the movie to stimulate curiosity and that created conversation. In every campaign, there are elements of earned media [like social media buzz] and paid media [such as a trailer spot]. We believed this brand had the opportunity to generate some exciting earned media. Some of the choices we made stimulated that. Then it did totally take on a life of its own.

A movie of this scope and scale usually costs $100 million to $150 million to market. Did you go over budget?

I won’t comment on the budget. The reason people think we spent so much is that it’s so ubiquitous. That’s a combination of paid media and how many partners came to play with us. Because it pierced the zeitgeist, it has the impression that we spend so much. In fact, we spent responsibly for an event movie.

Can you talk about how some of the less-obvious partnerships, like Crocs or Flo from Progressive Insurance , came together?

Some of those were licensing deals with Mattel and some are brands that made their own decisions to be part of the color schema of the movie. Fashion, frankly, jumped onto the bandwagon. Brands wanted to become part of this because they saw the film was finding its way into culture in such a dynamic way. It stopped becoming a marketing campaign and took on the quality of a movement.

How rare is it that so many brands wanted to partner with the studio on a non-franchise movie?

I’ve been doing this for 35 years. This is one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had.

Who came up with the Malibu Barbie Dreamhouse for rent on Airbnb?

That was a promotion our team did working with Airbnb. We had a partnership with a giant mansion in Malibu that was given a massive makeover and turned into a modern-day Malibu Dreamhouse. They had great aerial photography of it. It was a “Dreamhouse” in the Barbie sense of the word, but it was also just an incredible Malibu mansion that got this crazy makeover.

What was your favorite less-flashy aspect of the campaign?

Were you concerned that parodying “2001,” which is a film that was released in 1968, would go over the heads of people who actually play with Barbies?

Yes, that was absolutely a concern. We wanted to challenge people. We wanted to make something thought-provoking. People had preconceptions. We thought that, by shaking them, we could create a tremendous amount of curiosity.

How did you come up with the various taglines, like “If you love Barbie, if you hate Barbie, this movie is for you”?

That was a collaboration with our director. It was a thought that she had and we refined it with her. We wanted to recognize there were legions of Barbie fans, but that Barbie had quite a history and there are people who felt like Barbie wasn’t for them. This was a movie that understood that and was acknowledging it. Listen, the word “hate” is a tricky word for marketing and we don’t usually use it. But in this case, it allowed the tent of people to experience this movie and to realize that it understood the journey that Barbie has been on for the last 45 to 50 years.

How important is TikTok as a marketing resource?

We did promotional work with them, but a tremendous amount is organic. In a really exciting way, this whole “Barbenheimer” phenomenon created a series of conversations and engagements. It’s paid off in the sense that both movies are hitting the high side this weekend.

Have you seen the memes and joke s about the relentlessness of the “Barbie” marketing team?

Someone took a picture of a pink sunset and thanked the work of the Warner Bros. marketing department. I thought that was pretty amusing.

What has it been like to see people decked out in pink and dressed up in costumes to watch the movie in theaters?

Wearing pink became a way of acknowledging their connection to the movie. My wife just came back from taking my 86-year-old mother-in-law to the movie. She was sending me pictures of a sea of pink in the theater. It’s a way of being part of this really wonderful collective experience.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Barbie: A Marketing Case Study that Will Last For Years

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Whether you’ve just spent last weekend reading the Barbie reviews or managed to go watch the movie, one thing is for certain: there’s almost nobody who isn’t wildly impressed by the movie’s mega marketing campaigns.

And as we are amongst the humble few who get to take a page out of the Barbie textbook, we decided to dissect this world-famous marketing case study and how it has reshaped movie marketing for years to come.

Barbie Re-defines the Marketing Spectrum

If there was ever a rule that you can only market within a certain range of ideas, Barbie certainly defied said rule. With an estimated  $150 million marketing budget , Barbie became an experience everyone wanted to enjoy. From scented candles, and merchandise, to Xbox controllers, and an Airbnb dreamhouse, the movie acquired massive excitement for its release; even from non-Barbie fans.

So, let’s see all the stops the Barbie team pulled out for its movie launch.

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Retail collaborations.

In this particular marketing case, the Barbie marketing team proved that mere merchandise was passé; and opted for more creative marketing stunts. Collaborating with 100+  brands , pink was an ever-green trend this summer. ZARA, Forever21, Xbox, Crocs, GAP, Krispy Kreme, Burger King, Pinkberry, Balmain, and Coldstone Creamery are just among the herd of retail partnerships that Barbie sealed ahead of its movie premiere.

Health & Beauty Collaborations

Another admirable marketing tactic Mattel used was creating Barbie clones worldwide. And that meant giving them the right beauty tools. From an NYX Cosmetics makeup kit to an LÓreal  Barbie flat iron, Barbie fans had  12 collaborations to impersonate their favorite Barbie dolls.

Travel Collaborations

Had enough of Barbie merch? How about a tour of Barbie’s Dreamhouse by Margot Robbie ? Better yet, why not stay in the Malibu Dreamhouse yourself through Airbnb ?

Sparing no expense in submersing people in the Barbie experience, the marketing team managed to secure a Malibu mansion that underwent a great makeover and became Barbie’s Malibu dreamhouse that people can now rent for vacations through Airbnb.

Media Collaborations

If you think media collaboration is meant in the traditional sense here, think again. Barbie’s marketing team sought out certain platforms that would uniquely generate Barbie buzz. Amongst its  9 media collaborations , Barbie collaborated with the Washington Post in producing a newsletter called  Unboxed .

In addition to that, they also joined forces with Pinterest ; where an ad called “Not Just Ken” promotes Barbie collaborations on curated Barbie- and Ken-themed boards. Another fun partnership was one with  Google where the screen turns pink and sparkles appear when you search for “Barbie”, “Barbie movie”, or “Margot Robbie”.

Organic Media: Barbie’s Real Force Majeure

In a recent Variety interview , Warner Bros. president of global marketing Josh Goldstin asserted that the bigger portion of Barbie’s success was organically earned; once again proving that Barbie’s marketing team is a force to be reckoned with .

Utilizing the breadcrumb strategy , Barbie’s marketing team slowly reeled their customers in by evoking curiosity and excitement at several customer touchpoints ahead of the premiere.

This started with their teaser trailer where world-famous director  Grega Gerwig lured her audiences in with a rather unconventional opening scene. This is because it was a parody rendition of Stanley Kubrick’s acclaimed 2001: Space Odyssey ; where Margot Robbie replaced the famed monolith. Naturally, this stimulated a conversation amongst Barbie audiences that just kept on growing.

Four months later, Warner Bros. released the second teaser trailer which featured more shots from the film.

This, in turn, created a lot of organic circulation of Barbie’s content. Shortly after that, the Barbie team no longer had to worry about organic engagement. Their job was done.

Barbenheimer: A Coincidence that Worked in Barbie’s Favor

Aside from the Barbie team’s radical efforts to promote the movie, there is also another force to be reckoned with. And that is the dual premiere of Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s biographical thriller; Oppenheimer .

Once again creating organic buzz around this topic, fans started producing meme-like content about choosing which movie to watch since both shared the same opening night.

Everyone is A Barbie

If you browse through your Instagram feed at least once a day, you’ve surely come across the Barbie filter and selfie generator. Once again putting the concept of individuality to excellent use, this filter generator allowed fans and influencers to hop aboard the Barbie bandwagon and enjoy being a Barbie.

In fact, the filter became so popular that even Instagram businesses used it under the hashtag #ThisBarbie, as well as meme-related pages, Korean drama pages, fitness businesses, real estate brokers, and many more.

The Devil Works Hard but the Barbie Team Works Even Harder

Aside from their pink-infused collaborations, the Barbie marketing team has had a long-standing history of marketing triumphs of its own.

As we very well know,  nostalgic marketing works best with older generations who have had the time to build a sentiment toward a product. And what better nostalgia to leverage than that of a Barbie doll?

Since the first Barbie doll was released in 1959 , the toymaking giant, Mattel has since created several touchpoints for Barbie consumers and buyers to forge a relationship with the doll. Be it as a parent or older sibling who used to buy it for a child; or the child who has grown to like playing with the doll and has preserved it since.

Moreover, as social issues such as racism raised, Mattel cunningly released the first black Barbie doll in 1980 to promote social inclusion amongst Barbie users. In the  early 2000s , the enterprise delved into other marketing tactics such as the release of its first movie;  Barbie in The Nutcracker , followed by figurines and marketing campaigns that paid tribute to globally influential female figures.

And because of this rather impressive streak of decisions, the movie premiere drew in both avid Barbie fans and newly acquired admirers.

The True Power of A Multi-Racial Community

By now, you might have realized something: Barbie’s movie premiere curated a rather diverse pool of admirers.

But did you ponder its contribution to the movie’s blitzing success?

Barbie’s choice of protagonists and secondary performers served as a magnetic force of its own when it came to gathering a crowd. By choosing both highly popular actors -Robbie and Gosling- and a multi-racial cast , the movie attracted viewers from several nationalities as well as new Barbie fans that solely came to see their favorite actors in a brand new movie. Featuring British, French, American, and Canadian actors all in the same movie certainly served the movie premier well.

Another form of social inclusion that was realized through Barbie’s marketing is the monumental diversity of brand collaborations they managed to secure. By making such affiliations with those brands, Barbie immediately gained the emotional appeal of those brand’s customers; even if they hadn’t gone to see the movie.

A closing statement? 

Less may be more, but in Barbie’s case, more was definitely better.

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Barbie’s Marketing Genius: The Ultimate Case Study

It’s the biggest question of the summer: what are you doing on July 21? 

If you’re like me, the date is already carved out: you’re going to the movies. It’s the double-feature of the century: Barbie and Oppenheimer– Barbenheimer . 

The two films with the same opening day couldn’t be more different, but there’s a reason they can both stand on their own to compete at the box office—marketing. 

Since its initial tease in mid-2022, Barbie has taken the world by storm. Its bright aesthetic prompted the “Barbiecore” trend, which highlighted bright pastel colours in fashion and design. People have been promoting the movie as if they’re being paid to do it. Barbie is a marketing master-class, having generated major buzz for the better part of a year.

How did they do it? Here’s what everyone, even marketing pros, can learn from Barbie’s marketing skills. 

The Art of the Leak

Interactive marketing, collabs for days, the power of nostalgia.

In June 2022, a picture from the Barbie film shoot went viral: in neon 80s-style workout gear, stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling were captured rollerblading along Venice Beach.  

Similar leaks, like one of the stars in bedazzled Western getups, set the Internet on fire. People couldn’t get enough of the costumes, going so far as to share where to get the pieces or how to make them yourself.  

Although Internet trends seem to fade faster nowadays, it was impressive how sustained these efforts seemed to be, keeping the movie at the top of people’s minds even a year before its release. 

The best marketing strategies give your audience the ability to advertise for you. Barbie is the perfect example of this, utilizing meme-able content to spread like wildfire on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok.  

The first success was the laughable line “She’s everything, he’s just Ken”. Here, X users quickly hopped on to create memes about their own lives, their favorite fictional characters, or pop culture.

Another act of participatory marketing came with the movie’s casting announcements. Each character was announced on a bright poster with a quirky, memorable tagline. Using a movie-sponsored website, users could create their own versions of these posters and share them with their friends. Talk about low-cost marketing! 

Fans can try for recognition and virality with Barbie’s hashtag, which shows up on X with its own pastel icon. The movie is making sure it sticks out using its bubblegum palette, catching the eye and building a more cohesive image. Not to mention that its popularity attracts other brands, even unrelated ones like Wendy’s, to use it and draw an even bigger audience. 

It wouldn’t be a 21 st century promotion without excessive partnerships, and Barbie’s got that on lock . 

The movie has collaborated with over 30 brands to bring its iconic aesthetic to products like ice cream, lemonade, toothbrushes, cosmetics, apparel, luggage, video game consoles, and AirBnBs. 

With so many brands putting Barbie on their shelves, the movie was just about everywhere before its release. With this method, brands also benefit from Barbie ’s name recognition to sell product. It’s a win-win! 

Barbie hasn’t been limited to just brand collaborations, though. Its artist collaborations have been notable too: creating a fire soundtrack with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice, Dua Lipa, and more. The music helps to promote the release and is used in everything from advertisements to unaffiliated TikToks. 

Nostalgia marketing is nothing new—there’s a reason it’s used so much. Tapping into an audience’s fond memories of their childhood has long been a successful tactic as a consumer begins to associate the product with older, positive memories.  

Barbie does this well; after all, almost everyone can relate to having or being around Barbie dolls, Kate McKinnon’s portrayal of a well-loved toy that has seen better days, and the bright plastic perfection of childhood fun. To viewers, the movie offers an escape from reality and a return to the simplicity of youth. 

Market research has seen that nostalgia marketing works especially well with millennials, who are looking for a more human connection with the brands they use. Barbie’s ability to keep up with trends in order to market nostalgia to the Internet generation has generated more buzz for a movie than any other in recent history. 

We could all learn something from Barbie ; not just from the doll’s message that anyone can be anything, but from the franchise’s marketing skills.  

Marketers should never stop the hype when it comes to announcing something new – that is, go beyond a simple social, blog, and newsletter campaign and seek collaborations and unique media platforms to get your message across in unique ways.

Ensure the most people know about your message as much as possible by putting yourself out there, in other people’s circles, and communicating through unconventional means.     Collaborations with others are an amazing way to connect with similar audiences and expand your reach especially if you don’t have millions of followers already.  

To stay relevant and engage audiences, it requires a perfect balance of anticipation, share-ability, and emotion. 

Let us know how you can translate some of Barbie’s tactics into your own content strategies! And, most importantly, enjoy the movie! 

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Rachel Andrea Go

B2B eCommerce Content Marketing and Strategy

Rachel Go / August 28, 2023

7 Omnichannel marketing lessons from the Barbie movie

On July 21, 2023, Barbie premiered in theaters and generated $70.5 million that same day. The movie went on to bring in more than $155 million in ticket sales over opening weekend in the U.S. alone.

The Barbie movie’s massive success comes from their masterful omnichannel marketing. Months before the movie premiere, we started seeing the world turned pink so comprehensively that consumers around the world began to associate all of the color pink with the brand—both consciously and subconsciously.

In this article, we’ll cover some of the best omnichannel marketing lessons from the Barbie movie that had the whole world thinking pink.

7 Omnichannel marketing lessons from Barbie

Omnichannel is the future of marketing, especially as the lines blur between online and offline, and eCommerce and retail. The buyer’s journey no longer looks like a straight line from discovery to purchase, but more like a child’s scribble on a notepad.

Someone might discover your brand through an influencer they follow, look up your website, subscribe to your newsletter, price check on Amazon, and then finally make a purchase on your Instagram store.

The Barbie movie has internalized this well, and brought us some of the best lessons in omnichannel marketing we’ve seen in decades.

1) Leverage brand partnerships

We’ve been seeing Barbie merch everywhere lately, from Barbie-inspired makeup, roller skates, game consoles, burgers, accessories, froyo, and more.

Partnership marketing is an excellent way to put your brand in front of wider audiences that overlap with yours, but also bring in some new consumers into the discussion.

With Barbie’s strategic brand partnerships, they were able to reach the audiences of their partnered brands and further permeate the corners of the online and offline world with pink.

2) Connect with your audience

The Barbie movie marketers purposefully ran campaigns, released content, and partnered with brands that would resonate with their audience.

From vacation inspiration, to clothing collabs, and even down to your favorite food, consumers who love Barbie could find ways to show they were a fan while still purchasing from their regular brands and shops.

In addition to marketing tactics that would delight their audience, the movie (or “product”) itself unapologetically leans into the female aesthetic.

As TIME so aptly puts it , “The death of the big-screen rom-com hastened the death of movies marketed to women. Like all mid-budget films, they fell out of favor with studios eager to earn big bucks on comic book adaptations or awards gold with cheaper ventures.”

In a world where only 33% of top films feature solo female protagonists , quality movies made to excite and delight women is something that is sorely missing from a Hollywood that wants to play it safe and appeal to everyone.

3) Maintain cohesive branding

What is one thing that everyone associates with the Barbie movie and their marketing? Pink.

Be it clothing, food, or even houses, Barbie marketing has stayed true to their #e0218a shade of pink across all of their marketing campaigns.

When you deploy your own omnichannel marketing, things can quickly get jumbled and messy, both internally and for your audience. It’s easy to fall into fragmented marketing, where consumers moving from your Instagram posts to your website get confused about whether they found the right website.

To combat this, lean in to a central aspect of your branding and follow a brand guide. Not every brand will be so iconic as to claim an entire color, but you can leverage your unique combination of fonts, colors, and graphics for cohesive and recognizable communication across channels.

4) Inspire joy (and virality)

What do we do when we find something that brings us joy? We share it with our loved ones.

The Barbie movie used tactics like creating a selfie generator where anyone could turn themselves into their dream version—Barbie is, after all, everything. She has had virtually every job there is, from astronaut to president.

The Barbie team also created an entire website for the Barbie album , which featured widely-loved artists such as Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, and Billie Eilish. The songs themselves are well-composed and quite catchy, too!

Pink even bled into the world of gaming, where Xbox released a limited edition Barbie dreamhouse console and game controllers—which I admit I looked up how to get since you can’t buy them no matter how much you want to.

5) Don’t write off organic

While it’s true that big budgets make big waves, you don’t need to break the bank to leave an impression.

Barbie leveraged plenty of organic marketing tactics to help get their message out. Yes, they renovated an entire house into Barbie’s dreamhouse and put it on Airbnb, but they also inspired plenty of news and PR around their launch.

The buzz had everyone talking about Barbie, and it flowed from the news into social media. Blog posts (like this one), hashtags, and even a custom Barbie emoji flooded the Internet in preparation and response to the Barbie movie.

6) A rising tide raises all ships

The Barbie movie marketing started such a large wave, it did the marketing for an entirely different movie!

Have you heard of Barbenheimer ? The same day that Barbie was released in theaters, another film juxtaposed with the Barbie brand also went live; Oppenheimer.

The simultaneous release dates had critics and fans alike talking about how the two movies contrasted each other so greatly—which then inspired even more discussion.

Popular social posts started flooding feeds where a group of friends dressed in Barbie pink would show up for a movie, the ticket-seller would ask “which movie?” and the group would answer “Oppenheimer.”

7) Turn every successful campaign into a set up

There aren’t many campaigns as massive and successful as the Barbie movie marketing, but one of the reasons so much was invested into it was because it served as the starting line for an entire Mattel cinematic universe .

The wildly successful Barbie movie has now successfully set up upcoming movies featuring Barney, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, American Girl, UNO, and more.

Take this lesson into your own omnichannel marketing by ensuring that every landmark campaign you plan has a purpose that goes a step further.

If you are investing time, money, and effort into a complex omnichannel marketing campaign, one of the goals of that campaign should be to set up your next one for success as well.

Wrapping up — Learn from Barbie’s powerful omnichannel marketing lessons

The Barbie movie has taught us a lot about omnichannel marketing, and what a successful and well-executed campaign should look like.

Outside of the value in-movie lessons, Barbie’s omnichannel marketing lessons show us that collaboration, cohesive branding, and word-of-mouth can generate marketing success both online and offline.

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The Secret of the Barbie Movie’s Marketing Success

Barbie is a genuine phenomenon, reaching $1 billion in worldwide box office in only three weeks on the strength of legions of pink-clad moviegoers. We asked Yale SOM’s Zoe Chance, a former Mattel brand manager, about the movie’s marketing and message.

Fans in New York’s Times Square for the opening of Barbie movie on July 21, 2023.

• Zoe Chance Senior Lecturer in Management

Many current TV shows and movies are reboots of existing franchises. Why has this one been so culturally omnipresent?

The marketers at Warner Bros are being touted as geniuses, credited with the blockbuster success of the Barbie movie. The movie has already grossed $1 billion in box office sales, with a marketing spend estimated at $150 million and a similar cost for the movie. It’s a great ROI but there are other important factors contributing to the movie’s success.

The real genius was the writer who understood and validated our powerful mixed feelings about Barbie. We loved her, idolized her, chopped off her hair, made fun of her, and felt a little icky about the stereotypes and gender roles she represents.

Barbie is the number-one girls’ brand in the world, and has been for most of her 50-year lifespan. When I worked as a brand manager on Barbie, we were selling a Barbie doll every second, and girls received, on average, five Barbie dolls per year. Mattel reports that more than 90% of girls own a Barbie. Their long-term marketing investment had built up a $700 million brand valuation before the movie released, and this brand has an emotional engagement that translates really well to a film. Many girls play with Barbies every day, telling stories and imagining themselves as Barbie. I can think of no other brand that approaches this level of reach and depth of engagement.

The core movie audience is anyone who used to play with Barbie—90% of women and our teenage daughters. But the real genius was the writer who understood and validated our powerful mixed feelings about Barbie. We loved her, idolized her, chopped off her hair, made fun of her, and felt a little icky about the stereotypes and gender roles she represents. The trailer promises, “If you love Barbie, this movie is for you. If you hate Barbie, this movie is for you.” The secret is that we feel both ways.

Along with the brand value and emotional engagement, the crossover adult/teen targeting made possible the biggest co-branding and licensing coup in…the history of the world, maybe? Warner Brothers and Mattel fully capitalized their crossover licensing opportunities—toys, adult fashion, car insurance, you name it. The theater where I watched the movie was promoting a Barbie-branded pink gin cocktail. (It was pretty good.) Airbnb partnered on an actual Barbie Dream House in Malibu .

Part of the appeal of partnering with Warner Bros. to promote this film was that it wasn’t already a franchise. The release of the first live-action Barbie movie marked a historic moment that would be covered in news outlets, not just entertainment media. So unlike Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible , Barbie offered a significant publicity opportunity. And who doesn’t want to make history?

Did the movie and its marketing represent something new for how Barbie presents women?

Although the film is a lot of fun, I left with mixed feelings. Mattel has always wanted moms to think of Barbie as a strong and inclusive role model, and the film reinforces those brand characteristics. But at her core, Barbie has been and will always be about materialism. She’s a fashion doll and Mattel releases a new line of Barbie products every six months that they really want you to buy. You buy Barbie new clothes, do her hair, dress her up. You play that she’s shopping with her friends. If your parents are rich, maybe she gets to live in the $179 house she dreams of. If your parents are woke, maybe she has a non-White, differently abled sidekick to go shopping with. But blonde, skinny, White, stereotypical Barbie will always be the star. Her feet will always be pointy, her waist will always be tiny, and she will always be about looking beautiful and having things. Don’t get me wrong; girls enjoy playing with Barbies this way. It’s fun. But it’s definitely not feminism.

Are there lessons for how brands can refresh other cultural products with a strong but possibly outdated image?

The Barbie one-two punch that some legacy brands could copy is to poke fun at themselves, then deliver a message that feels timely and relevant.

In the first half of the film, the audience is laughing at everything about Barbie world. Her silly feet, her airhead boyfriend Ken, his feeling so unnecessary (because he is). The filmmakers embrace the cringe, and we love them for it. After laughing at and along with Barbie, we become open-minded. Then America Ferrera nails the landing with her un-brainwashing speech, “It is literally impossible to be a woman.” We relate to everything she says. We wouldn’t have associated those ideas with Barbie (not at all!) but now we’re actually listening. Humor does that. Ferrera’s words work like a magic spell on the Barbies, waking them from the fog of patriarchy. The real magic it works is on us though, making us think Barbie might be kind of cool after all.

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The Secret Behind Barbie's Movie Marketing Strategy: How to Create a Successful Marketing Campaign

Barbie has been an iconic doll for generations and now she’s taking over the big screen in the live action movie, Barbie, with mega stars, such as Margot Robbie in the title role and Ryan Gosling as Ken.

But what is the secret behind Barbie's movie marketing strategy? In this article, we'll take a closer look at the tactics that has the world buzzing about the 2023 Barbie movie.

From effective content marketing to strategic partnerships , we'll explore the key elements that helped Barbie become a beloved brand and a profitable film that has already racked in $155 million in its opening weekend .

Whether you're an indie filmmaker or marketer looking to learn from a successful case study or simply a fan of Barbie, you won't want to miss this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the world of marketing for movies.

So, sit back and get ready to discover the secret behind Barbie's movie magic.

Of course, Barbie’s film marketing strategy included the usual suspects, like a movie poster, an official trailer, teaser trailers, movie premieres, and talent interviews . But we’re not going to talk about those tactics today. If you want to learn more about the traditional marketing for movies, check out this article .

Now, what we’re going to discuss today is the Barbie takeover of what seems like everything.

Leveraging Nostalgia and Brand Recognition

One of the key factors in Barbie's success is the brand recognition that comes with the name. Many people grew up with the iconic toy, and as a result, have a strong emotional connection to the brand. This nostalgia has been leveraged in the marketing of the movies.

One way that Barbie has leveraged its brand recognition is by creating merchandise that ties in with the movie. For example, Mattel released a new collection of Barbie dolls and fashions from the 2023 Barbie Live Action movie that ties in with the movie's themes and characters. This allows fans to bring the movie home and continue their connection with the brand beyond the theater.

PS: Some of these are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I may get a commission for recommending the product to you.

Target Audience and Market Research

Another key aspect of Barbie's movie marketing strategy is its focus on target audience and market research. To create a successful global box office haul for the Barbie Movie 2023, the brand needed to know its audience and tailor its film advertising to their interests.

Barbie has always been marketed towards young girls, and the movies are no exception. However, the brand has also recognized the importance of appealing to parents, who often make the purchasing decisions for their children. As a result, the marketing for the movies often focuses on the positive messages and values that are present in the films, such as friendship, courage, and determination.

To ensure that its film marketing efforts were effective, Barbie conducted extensive market research. This included analyzing trends in the toy and movie industries, studying the preferences and behaviors of its target audience, and gathering feedback from fans. By using this data to inform its movie marketing strategy, Barbie was able to create film advertising that resonated with its audience and drove engagement with the brand.

To dive deeper into identifying your target audience, check out this article .

Incorporating Diversity and Inclusivity in Marketing

Another important aspect of Barbie's film marketing strategy is its focus on diversity and inclusivity. In recent years, the brand has made a concerted effort to create dolls and content that represent a wide range of races, body types, and abilities. This commitment to diversity has been reflected in the movie as well.

For example, actress Issa Rae stars as president Barbie and America Ferrera as Gloria, a Mattel employee who helps Barbie in the real world. By featuring a diverse cast of characters, Barbie is able to appeal to a wider audience that reflects the world that its audience lives in.

Utilizing Cross-Promotion and Partnerships

Barbie has also been successful in advertising for movies by utilizing cross-promotion and partnerships. This involves partnering with other brands or organizations to promote the movie and create additional opportunities for film advertising.

For example, as I was doing research for Barbie Movie 2023, Google literally turned pink and stars sparkled on the screen. Talking about an all-out take over.

Plus, there are many brands releasing their exclusive pink Barbie-themed collections ahead of the release. Some well-known brands include OPI (nail lacquer), NYI (cosmetics), Gap (clothing), Aldo (shoes), Forever 21 (clothing), Impala (rollerblades), and many more.

Apart from all the grooming products and gear they have also collaborated with HGTV for a four-part special the 'Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge' that chronicles the makeover of a modern home into the iconic Barbie Dreamhouse toy. This is an effective method of advertising for movies.

The marketing team also captured the gaming world by teaming up with Xbox to release pink consoles and controllers along with Forza Horizon 5 cars, which are Barbie and Ken-inspired.

And let’s not forget that an official Barbie soundtrack has also been uploaded on music platforms, and the list includes songs from various well-known singers, such as Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice. Soundtracks are another great method for marketing a movie.

Leveraging Social Media and Influencer Marketing

Social media has become an increasingly important tool for marketing a movie, and Barbie has been successful in leveraging this platform to promote its movie. The brand has a strong presence on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, where it shares behind-the-scenes content, sneak previews, and other exclusive content.

In addition to its own social media channels , Barbie has also leveraged the power of influencer marketing to promote the movie. The brand has partnered with popular social media personalities whose target audience aligns with Barbie's values.

This strategic collaboration has allowed Barbie to reach new audiences and connect with consumers on a more personal level. These influencers share content related to the movie, such as reviews, sneak previews, and these personalities are thrilled to collect and review limited edition merchandise. By tapping into the audiences of these influencers, Barbie can create buzz around the movie.

User-Generated Content to Build Hype

In addition to creating its own content, Barbie has also encouraged user-generated content, such as fan art and fan videos. This content not only helps to build hype around the movie but also creates a sense of community among Barbie fans.

Furthermore, the marketing team created a selfie generator to invite fans to make their own Barbie-like posters, with their own phrases and photos. The official brand handle also posted the photos of cast using the selfie generator, thus attracting viewers.

The brand has encouraged fans to share their content for the movie on social media, using hashtags and other social media prompts to drive engagement.

I mean… Just look at how Barbie is taking social media by storm. According to Snack Content, a data intelligence platform , Barbie has experienced a whopping 191% increase in mentions on TikTok in the past year. That's a significant rise! Not only that, but videos featuring the hashtag #Barbie have been viewed over 9 billion times on TikTok alone. It seems like everyone wants a piece of Barbie on their screens!

But it doesn't stop there. In the first half of this year, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels have used the #Barbie hashtag a staggering 145% more times compared to the entire previous year. That's a clear sign of how Barbie is dominating the social media landscape.

The impact of this social media craze goes beyond just online popularity. It has also created a buzz around the upcoming 2023 Barbie movie. UTA IQ's Quarterly Report , which delves into data, research, and digital strategy, reveals that two-thirds of Gen Zers and millennials who are excited about watching Barbie on the big screen mentioned that its memes played a role in their interest. That's right, those funny and relatable Barbie memes have captured the attention of young moviegoers.

Measuring Your Success - Marketing for Movies

No successful movie marketing strategy can exist without the ability to measure its success. Barbie has been successful in part because of its commitment to tracking metrics and analyzing data to inform its marketing decisions.

The brand uses a variety of tools to track engagement with its movies, including social media metrics, website analytics, and sales data. By analyzing this data, Barbie is able to determine what marketing tactics are most effective and adjust its strategy accordingly.

Applying these Strategies to Low-Budget Indie Films

Now, as an independent filmmaker, you may be thinking… well that’s all fine and dandy for Barbie that has huge brand recognition and resources that come with a large corporation like Mattel, but what that gotta do with me.

Well, I want you to put that aside. Many of the film marketing strategies that the brand has used can be applied to low-budget indie films as well.

Here's how: First, you can leverage social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels to reach and engage audiences. Also, create behind-the-scenes content, teasers, and interactive posts related to your film using popular hashtags.

Second, encourage user-generated content by inspiring fans to share their own artwork, videos, or challenges related to your movie. This advertising for movies build a sense of community and generates organic interest.

A good way to encourage user-generated content is to create a challenge and collaborate with influencers who align with your film's target audience. This expands your reach to a wider audience because obviously as a new filmmaker you may not have a huge audience yet. So, this is how you can grow your audience.

Fourth, focus on relatable and shareable content that sparks conversations and emotions among viewers. Finally, utilize creative storytelling techniques to capture attention, infusing humor, emotion, or a unique hook into your marketing content. By adapting these strategies, you can create engaging and buzz-worthy campaigns for your low-budget indie film.

Lessons from Barbie's Marketing Success

By studying the strategies that Barbie has used to create box office success, marketers and filmmakers can learn valuable lessons about how to create engaging content that resonates with their audience and drives engagement with their brand.

Whether you're a fan of Barbie or simply looking for inspiration for your next marketing campaign, the box office success of the Barbie movie is a testament to the power of effective marketing and advertising for movies.

Now, let's float on the waves of possibility to achieve film marketing success with your own independent films. With a twirl and a leap, dive into an exciting new chapter with our online course, "Leveling Up Your Film Business," and equip yourself with the essential tools and knowledge to supercharge your film marketing game.

Step into an enchanting journey of the ever-changing film industry marketing tactics! This course is designed to be your guiding star, providing you with the tools to craft a solid business plan, secure funding, and market your masterpiece with fearlessness.

With checklists, templates, and expert guidance at your fingertips, you'll be empowered to embrace your creative vision and steer towards your filmmaking goals with confidence.

So, now that you're armed with the knowledge of advertising for movies, it's time to embrace the power of marketing a film and connect with your viewers.

Remember, understanding marketing for movies is like having a road map that leads to success.

And hey, while you're at it, be sure to step into the power of social media marketing next. So you'll know how to promote to your target audience.

Final thoughts…

As independent filmmakers, Barbie's movie marketing success offers a wealth of valuable insights and inspiration. We've seen how effective marketing strategies, combined with the charm of a beloved icon, can propel a movie to extraordinary heights. So, what can we learn as we explore the marketing landscape of the film industry?

Embrace Your Unique Vision: Like Barbie, every independent filmmaker holds a distinctive creative vision. Embrace your film's uniqueness and let it shine. Be fearless in expressing your authentic voice to captivate audiences.

Key takeaways:

Leveraging Nostalgia and Brand Recognition: Barbie tapped into the emotional connection many people have with the brand, creating a sense of nostalgia that drew in audiences young and old.

Target Audience and Market Research: Understanding its target audience and conducting thorough market research allowed Barbie to tailor its film advertising and messages to resonate with viewers and their parents.

Incorporating Diversity and Inclusivity: By featuring a diverse cast of characters, Barbie's movie marketing strategy became more inclusive and relatable to a wider audience.

Utilizing Cross-Promotion and Partnerships : Strategic collaborations with other brands and organizations helped Barbie create additional engagement opportunities and expand its reach.

Leveraging Social Media and Influencer Marketing: A strong presence on social media, along with partnerships with influencers, allowed Barbie to connect with audiences on a personal level and generate buzz around the movie.

User-Generated Content to Build Hype: Encouraging user-generated content created a sense of community among fans and generated excitement for the movie.

As you navigate the ever-evolving film industry marketing, remember to stay true to your vision and seize opportunities to engage your audience through social media and user-generated content.

Let Barbie's magic inspire you to take bold steps and believe in your creative prowess.

Of course, Diversity in Cinema Academy has many other resources that I love to share with you, but I wanted to keep this blog strictly about marketing for movies.

If I had to pick two resources I couldn't live without for marketing a film, it would be these two tools:

Tool #1 - Canva

Tool #2 - The Marketing Edge for Filmmakers

Aside from the tools above, I also use many other resources to help me prep for a movie production. Some of them are FREE and some are paid.

You can check out some of the other resources that I love using on Diversity in Cinema Academy's resources page . You can view all of the resources for Filmmakers , Content Creators and Screenwriters from the links provided.

From filmmaking tools, to content creation tools, to screenwriting tools... they all can be found in the tools section of Diversity in Cinema Academy's website. I highly recommend that you check out our tools store ! :)

If you like it, please help me to share the resources link with a friend. I would really appreciate it!

Okay, that's all for now. I hope that you have found the information I provided helpful!

Enough information, now blaze your marketing path!

ABOUT DIVERSITY IN CINEMA ACADEMY:

Diversity in Cinema Academy is an online digital media company that primarily uses web-based applications, such as an interactive website and social media platforms, to offer aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters an entertaining and educational place to interact with each other and professional filmmakers.

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'Barbie' is pretty in pink — but will she also be profitable?

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Margot Robbie poses on the pink carpet at a Barbie event in Seoul on July 2. Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Margot Robbie poses on the pink carpet at a Barbie event in Seoul on July 2.

In the post-COVID economic doldrums, film studios have had a tough time trying to lure people back to movie theaters: Witness the summer box office struggles of the new Indiana Jone s and Joy Ride movies. So Warner Bros. studios and Mattel have set out to create a hot pink movie marketing machine to build excitement for the new Barbie movie opening July 21.

"This is a test case in how to perfectly market a movie," says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, a company with expertise in box office numbers. But even before those numbers are in, he says the film has succeeded in dominating the cultural conversation with product tie-ins, viral social media buzz and meme-worthy experiences — cost-effective marketing that goes beyond the traditional movie promos.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Airbnb (@airbnb)

In Malibu, Airbnb has listed "Barbie's Malibu Dream House," a real-life three-story mansion painted hot pink. There's a swimming pool with a tall curvy pink slide, a glittery outdoor dance floor, disco roller rink, and lots of closets.

Then there are the 100 or more brand collaborations: from Barbiecore fashions and frozen yogurt , to home insurance policies , to the Barbie Xbox .

Lead actor Margot Robbie has been crisscrossing the globe in classic Barbie garb for the film's promotional blitz. She and the film's director Greta Gerwig lead an online tour of the movie's set for Architectural Digest during which Robbie gushes, "Even though it's fake, it's beautiful, which is like everything in Barbieland."

Online, there's an AI-powered "Barbie selfie generator" to create viral memes. And at a real-life shopping mall in Santa Monica, fans have been experiencing the "World of Barbie," an Instagram-friendly pop up with a life-sized Barbie camper van, space station and music recording studio.

Like Disney's Star Wars and Hasbro's Transformers franchises, Mattel is poised to leverage its intellectual property into a cinematic universe. The company's CEO Ynon Kreiz told Time Magazine , "My thesis was that we needed to transition from being a toy-manufacturing company, making items, to an I.P. company, managing franchises."

NPR reached out to Warner Bros. and Mattel for comment about its Barbie marketing strategy, but didn't hear back.

The conventional wisdom is that if an escapist movie about the 64-year-old Barbie doll is a hit, Mattel's Hot Wheels , Rock'Em' Sock' Em Robots and Polly Pocket could be next.

With its trailers and soundtrack (with songs by Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and others), Barbie's marketing plan seems to be resonating with the culture .

"The zeitgeist is a post-COVID world that seems very scary, at war, dark. And Barbie is the opposite of that," says Kevin Sandler, an associate professor of film and media studies at Arizona State University. "Everywhere you look, you see this buy-in from Barbie , whether it's on social media or through all these brands. And it probably makes you really happy."

In fact, the Barbie boom seems to be benefiting another film premiering the same weekend; Oppenheimer , about the creation of the atomic bomb. Viral memes of the doubleheader feature a bright pink mushroom cloud.

Did the 'Barbie' movie really cause a run on pink paint? Let's get the full picture

"It's Mattel versus the Manhattan Project and BarbenHeimer; It's very fun," Dergarabedian says of the mashup. "That just means that this is going viral, and that's good news for both Barbie and Oppenheimer ."

But some cynics complain the surplus pink Barbie marketing "tsunami" is suffocating. "Is anyone else feeling bullied into being excited about the Barbie movie?" tweeted Succession actor J. Smith-Cameron .

After Vietnam, the Philippines could be next to ban 'Barbie.' Here's why

The film's slogan hints at the tightrope it's walking: "If you love Barbie, this movie is for you. If you hate Barbie, this movie is for you." It could be a nostalgic love letter or an ironic wink to those of us who grew up with nonconforming feminist moms who didn't appreciate blonde, blue-eyed Barbie's impossible figure. The feel-good trailers show a more inclusive Barbie world that doesn't take itself too seriously, with the fashionista literally stopping the dance floor by asking, "You guys ever think about dying?"

Barbie's reviews aren't out yet, but the movie is expected to be No. 1 at the box office next week. So we'll soon know if pink really is the color of money.

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Barbie – a marketing case study that can last years

The hit movie was able to forge partnerships with more than 100 brands and captivate a wide audience.

Several factors come to mind: nostalgia-driven marketing, audience empowerment, top-notch cast and content.

But for the sake of keeping this article shorter than Ken’s short-lived attempts at a new career, let’s dive into another big player: excellent brand collaborations.

While most companies collaborate with a handful of brands for a campaign, Barbie was able to forge partnerships with more than 100 brands.

What’s interesting is that these partnerships weren’t the run-of-the-mill kinds. The brands spanned an array of different industries. Together with them, Barbie was able to captivate a wider audience than ever before.

Retail royalty joining the pink revolution

Starting with retail collaborations, eminent brands like Zara, Aldo and Crocs all embraced the ‘pink wave’.

Starbucks and Pinkberry introduced scrumptious new pink drinks and frozen yogurts. Burger King even caught the fervour by introducing a new burger in Brazil with a vibrant pink sauce (the flavour, a mystery we shall leave unsolved) and a theme-based meal to celebrate the movie’s premiere.

Undoubtedly, in the world of marketing it’s a universal truth that brand collaborations can create a lot of hype when done right.

Clothing buyers from Zara, for example, who might never have contemplated indulging in anything pink were now swayed in order to fit into the social currency.

Yet another rule of persuasion/influence is authority and liking. We naturally trust who we know and like.

When Aldo drew inspiration from the wondrous world of Barbie to craft its dreamy collection, customers instantly engaged with the products.

Aldo was able to align with Barbie’s values (the signature style, creativity, fashion, imagination) while still remaining true to its own (quality, innovation, inspiration).

  Multimedia magic

Then there were the multimedia collaborations. A simple search for ‘Barbie’ on Google made our search page explode with pink fireworks.

Even related words like Greta Gerwig (director) or Margot Robbie (actress portraying Barbie) produced the same effect. Unconventional, daring, sumptuous. And splendidly bold.

  The pinnacle of everybody’s astonishment was reserved for the travel collaboration between Barbie and Airbnb.

The very dream house we had long admired on our screens was brought to life in Malibu, even being available for rent. With this collaboration, Barbie was even able to have a space in the travel and vacation affinity.

Wrapping up

  Leveraging the might of colossal companies like these helped create a social buzz. As a result, Barbie became an experience that tapped into culture in a dynamic way.

A cultural zeitgeist, I should say. (Other great examples are Disney, LEGO and L’Oréal).

So for now and for many years to come, after repositioning its brand in such an exceptional manner, Barbie will remain the quintessential ‘marketing done right’ case study.

The marketing strategies unveiled are like a secret sauce to brand success, and it’s so good, even Ken might want a taste.

By Saania Saxena , strategy intern at Grey

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Tracking the Barbie movie’s marketing success

On May 23, the world got a lot pinker: the Barbie trailer dropped, kickstarting a marketing success story. Over the next eight weeks, the Barbie movie marketing juggernaut produced a myriad of memorable moments, from the Barbie Dreamhouse to the pink carpet.

Its viral marketing campaign translated to box office success, with the film making $774m after its first week in theaters. Given this phenomenal performance, Relative Insight wanted to know what part of the Barbie movie hype resonated most with audiences.

To find out, we used a social listening tool to gather online conversations about the movie between its trailer launch and following its first week of release. This amounted to more than 2.5 million words — too many for a human to analyze efficiently and effectively. However, the Relative Insight platform can make sense of these conversations within minutes, making it easy to discern the most engaging elements of Barbie ‘s marketing.

Interpreting how conversations evolved over the nine-week period, based on the movie’s marketing strategy, began by analyzing what aspects of these discussions overindexed on a weekly basis using Relative Insight Explore . By comparing the topics, words, phrases, grammar and emotions tweeters used each week, Explore rapidly identified the aspects most prevalent in each of the nine weeks.

To visualize how the viral marketing campaign influenced conversations over this period, we used Relative Insight Heartbeat . We defined themes related to the movie’s marketing strategy using the elements uncovered in Explore. Then we plotted these themes into a Heartbeat chart to illustrate how they changed week by week.

Visualizing text data in this way shows that, while the Barbie movie marketing campaign did capture the imagination, the film’s success can be attributed to its soundtrack and sharing a release date with Oppenheimer .

Learn how Relative Insight’s tools unlock actionable insights

Barbie trailer unlocks nostalgia.

Warner Brothers dropped the film’s trailer on May 23rd to kickstart the Barbie marketing campaign. Beyond initial audience reactions to the trailer itself, the release evoked nostalgia among tweeters.

In the opening week, people were more likely to reference the Barbies they had when they ‘grew up’ ( 4.6x ), in their ‘childhood’ ( 2.4x ) and what their ‘parents’ ( 3.7x ) bought them.

“ Me and the generation of millennial women who grew up with Barbie, for better or worse, haven’t had a good rom com in a decade and want to see our childhood heroes fully realized on screen .”

While unplanned by movie makers, the movie remained in public discourse in the week following the trailer drop thanks to comments by comedian Avery Edison . Twitter users responded in force to her opinion that Barbie dolls were for rich kids — they were 28.9x more likely to talk about the doll’s ‘affordability’ in the week following the trailer. They also argued that the toy was ‘accessible’ ( 3.9x ) to all children, regardless or wealth.

“ I feel like she could just say she hates Barbie without making it into class discourse cause they were honestly one of the few truly affordable /accessible toys out there, not like American Girl or something! “

As the Heartbeat chart shows, these conversations were dominant before the movie executed its viral marketing campaign, before tailing off as the weeks went on. However, these two themes ensured Barbie remained in the public consciousness following the trailer launch, establishing a platform for marketing to come.

Soundtrack rather than activations power movie marketing strategy

On the surface, before analyzing online conversations, marketing activations such as the life-sized Barbie Dreamhouse, multiple pink carpet premieres and a menagerie of memes appeared to be driving the Barbie movie’s marketing success story. The Heartbeat chart shows that people began talking about different activations and the movie’s marketing strategy from the end of June, while its pink carpet premieres also drove discussions.

However, another aspect of the movie struck a wider a chord with audiences – and actually it seems that the hype around it should be credited to the soundtrack, rather then simply the clever marketing activations.

From the trailer onwards, discussions about music consistently exceeded those highlighting marketing activity, tie-ins and news related to the movie, such as pink paint shortages . These conversations peaked with the launch of Barbie World , Nicki Minaj’s remix of Aqua’s iconic song and, despite a consistent fall after this peak, it still dominated discourse around the movie.

“ Barbie World is gonna be the 1st rap song to hit #1 this year. “

The movie’s music also resonated with theater-goers, as shown by the increase in discussions after its release.

Barbenheimer sustains a viral marketing campaign

Warner Brothers’ choice to release Barbie on the same day as Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has proven to be a masterstroke. While not a direct part of the movie’s marketing strategy, audiences have taken the contrast between the two and run with it — using the portmanteau ‘Barbenheimer’ to group them together.

Tweeters used the words ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Barbenheimer’ 1.6x more in the week leading up both films opening. However, as the Heartbeat chart illustrates, the relationship between both films has dominated conversations following the Barbie trailer release. Indeed, the week after the theme song release, Barbenheimer was the most prevalent element in conversations about the movie.

“ What’s the consensus on a Barbenheimer double feature? Is it Barbie first then Oppenheimer? Or vice versa? “

“ I really am putting a lot of thought into Barbenheimer this weekend. Right now I’m thinking Oppenheimer first. Barbie might be needed to bring up the mood after watching a film about mass murder 😌 🤞🏾 . What order are y’all watching in? “

Whether the matching release day was a deliberate ploy from the Barbie movie marketing team or a happy accident, it drove interest in both up until they opened on July 21st.

Barbie movie hype doesn’t translate into product interest

One of the hallmarks of the Barbie movie’s marketing strategy is the tie-in with products. While box office receipts is Warner Brothers’ primary measure of success, manufacturer Mattel will expect the movie to translate into toy sales .

Promotions linking the movie with products ranged from more traditional items, such as the Dreamhouse and Barbie-motifed clothing, through to less obvious items specifically launched to coincide with the movie’s release – including an Xbox, hoodies, Crocs and even insurance.

However, our analysis of online conversations showed that discussions about products fell as the Barbie movie hype accelerated. Online conversations referencing Barbie products peaked in late May, with tweeters discussing this aspect than any other theme. As the Heartbeat chart shows, this peak was followed by a substantial drop in people talking about Barbie products, before levelling off across the rest of the promotional cycle.

The second chart illustrates how product-related conversations compared to other themes. It shows that people were talking about the soundtrack and Barbenheimer far more, despite the movie’s marketing strategy incorporating Barbie products wherever possible.

Mattel will hope that audiences’ attention pivot from the movie to Barbie products as time passes, however, the chart again shows that this didn’t occur within the first week that it was released in theaters.

What text analytics reveals about Barbie movie marketing

Barbie movie marketing has been ubiquitous, however, analyzing social conversations shows what elements contributed most to this marketing success story.

Nostalgia and an organic social discussion about affordability kept the movie front of mind after the trailer release, before talk about Barbie products dominated. Despite a range of tie-ins and stunts forming the backbone of the viral marketing campaign, the movie’s soundtrack and relationship with Oppenheimer were the key drivers of audience conversations in the six weeks prior to its release.

While other movies won’t have the marketing budget Barbie enjoyed, these two elements are something they can replicate. Having a strong soundtrack – that features in the trailer and released in full prior to the movie’s release – has as much impact as any viral marketing activation. Filmmakers also shouldn’t be afraid of launching at the same time as other films, if it creates a memeworthy contrast .

Life in plastic is fantastic, and uncovering insight is a delight with text analytics. Find out how Relative Insight’s text analysis tools can make the insights process as fun as a week in the Barbie Dreamhouse.

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Barbie’s success shows that the branded blockbuster is the future of marketing

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By David Incorvaia, Founder and CEO

August 9, 2023 | 11 min read

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David Incorvaia, founder and creative director of Lure, believes brands have to think Barbie-big to cut through in 2023. He passionately believes that marketers should be creating culture rather than reacting to it.

Regardless of where one landed in the midst of this summer’s cinematic clash of Barbenheimer, the real triumph belonged to Mattel, the owner of Barbie, whose film amassed a cool $400m in its debut week.

Meanwhile, when I engage in conversations with chief marketing offers from some of Europe’s largest brands, they frequently brush off the notion that their brand could captivate audiences beyond a 30-second advert, much less a full-length film or series. Why are marketing teams sabotaging their success by ignoring the blockbuster potential of branded storytelling, or is there a deeper misunderstanding about what audiences genuinely want and engage with?

Let’s transport ourselves back to the early 1950s.

It was a time when the broadcasting landscape was beginning to take shape. Early radio and television programs were wholly directed by their sponsors, with offerings like The Colgate Comedy Hour, Hallmark Hall of Fame and Westinghouse Studio One. These sponsors commandeered the entirety of the program production, with broadcasters providing only the studios and airtime. Beloved TV series like I Love Lucy or The Honeymooners, which reached millions each week, began as branded sketches by corporations such as Lucky Strike. Procter and Gamble, for example, produced the daily soap As the World Turns, marking a phenomenal 54-year run and giving birth to the soap-opera genre.

Leapfrogging to modern times, Hallmark successfully ran a TV channel from 1988-1992. Automaker BMW launched The Hire in 2001, a series of short films helmed by esteemed directors like Guy Ritchie and Ang Lee, amassing over 100m views.

Energy drink giant Red Bull had wielded branded content extensively in its marketing tactics, transforming into a bona fide entertainment studio that launched individuals into space – before that became the tiresome pastime of billionaires.

Since 2003, Lego has been churning films and series based on its toys. Its 2014 film, The Lego Movie, raked in $468.1m and secured an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Few foresaw the box office boom that Barbie would experience, nearly matching this in its opening weekend alone. Barbie the film unabashedly flaunted Mattel’s involvement, prominently featuring Mattel’s board of trustees, led by Will Ferrell, as the essential antagonist.

HBO’s The Last of Us, a tremendous hit series adapted from a video game, and Apple’s Ted Lasso, designed to drive awareness for its English football league, were massive triumphs for branded entertainment. Today, streaming platforms from Disney, Nation Geographic, Hulu, Amazon Prime to Apple Plus are co-producing and releasing films and series produced with brands on their channels, reaching millions.

There persists a stigma around branded entertainment among our marketing brethren.

The crux of the issue doesn’t lie with audiences. Instead, it seems rooted in the mindset of marketers. Many of these professionals, often in their 30s and 40s, have been trained in concepts such as ‘digital first,‘ ‘viral‘ and ‘influencer marketing.‘

These ideas have shaped a belief that audiences will only engage with a video for up to 30 seconds. Despite evidence to the contrary, these guidelines persist in many agency and brand discussions. It’s a curious phenomenon that reveals something about human nature: We sometimes find it difficult to let go of familiar practices, even when evidence suggests embracing change could offer substantial rewards for the brands we love and serve.

I hear a common counterargument: “Sure, Red Bull or Nike can craft a story people will watch, but not my brand.”

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Please allow me to address all the CMOs reading this momentarily: You ALL think other brands are cooler. During my 22-year career, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and even Audi say: “People would watch something from (insert cool competitor name), but not from us.”

My point. It’s time to overcome your brand envy.

While I consider Airbnb a trendy brand, it isn’t typically associated with brands like Nike or Red Bull. Nonetheless, it independently produced a documentary, ‘Gay Chorus Deep South ,’ in 2019. The film, which chronicled a 2017 tour of the Southeastern United States by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and garnered several awards.

Did you know that Dove, the humble soap manufacturer, produced an Oscar-winning animated short film?

Don’t worry; your audiences did.

Let me take a moment to clarify: I’m not devaluing TV commercials or print ads. Every day, I craft campaigns for clients that span TV and print. These channels remain vitally relevant in today’s marketing ecosystem when they’re the optimal choice for reaching particular audiences, especially when a story resonates within a 30-second spot or on a printed page.

The emphasis should be on the ‘ecosystem‘ rather than the channel. I’m urging brands and media companies to unreservedly integrate long-form storytelling into their strategies, treating it with the same importance as stories conveyed through TV, print or social media.

I can vouch from personal experience that advocating for long-form series is no cakewalk. When I suggested a video series for Coca-Cola featuring chefs crafting original dishes, there was resistance. Many pointed to the 30-second Coke TV influencer selfie videos as the benchmark for original content, arguing anything longer would fall flat. It also posited that if the films did gain traction and weren’t overtly branded, no one would connect them with Coke.

Thankfully, visionaries like Michael Willeke, Lars Senhen, and Natassja dos Anjos recognized the potential, and the German series reached 25 million individuals in a nation of 85 million. It became the first branded series to air organically on Amazon Prime in Germany. Furthermore, it bolstered the brand with a 6% market share increase and earned us an Effie. [ See it here ].

Many at the energy company E.On (also a client) initially balked at the idea of a series, with several voices in the marketing department adamantly asserting, “I’ve been in this business for 20 years, and honestly, no one cares about energy.” Luckily, smart folks like Stefanie Eller, Axel Löber and Patrick Lammers held a broader vision. Our 12-part series, each episode lasting 10 minutes and focusing on E.On’s sustainable energy projects, accumulated over 100m views on YouTube, marking the company’s most successful communication campaign.

So that means...

The problem isn’t audiences; it’s marketers.

Brands fall into two categories: Those clinging to outdated methodologies and those acknowledging the potential windfall in weaving their brand’s narrative into entertainment. Today, a growing number of the world’s most prominent brands are appointing individuals to positions such as ‘head of content‘ or ‘vice-president of global storytelling.‘ This suggests that these organizations have evolved beyond a ‘let‘s give it a shot‘ mentality, recognizing the importance of such tactics for their brand’s future, making them an intrinsic part of their communication and PR fabric.

What sparked this shift?

The internet.

It fundamentally revolutionized how we consume entertainment. Often, marketers credit this to the on-demand nature of internet content, allowing audiences to choose when and what to watch. But even in my 80s childhood in Cleveland, my parents recorded shows like SNL on our VCR when I protested against bedtime. That was already in demand. The real game-changer was the elimination of mandatory TV ad breaks every five to ten minutes, replaced by ad-free, subscription-based services. We owe this sea change to you, Tony Soprano.

But even amid change, human behavior is sluggish to adapt.

A 2019 New York Times headline, “The Advertising Industry has a Problem: People Hate Ads,” rattled cages. It spotlighted how particularly affluent young consumers were paying to bypass ads. In the article, Marc Pritchard, Procter & Gamble’s chief brand officer, noted, “We tried to change the advertising ecosystem by doing more ads, and all that did was create more noise. Ads are often irrelevant and sometimes just silly, ridiculous, or stupid.”

Numerous bodies of research indicate that people prefer to be entertained than interrupted. But how to be entertaining?

To quote Robin Williams in Aladdin, “Be yourself.”

Your story is the bridge that naturally forms between your brand DNA and the audience you want to entertain. With that purpose as a guiding light, today’s brands must aspire to be entertaining storytellers. The weight lies in the narrative, not in how many seconds the brand logo is visible.

Branded entertainment must step out of the commercials’ shadows and take its rightful place alongside Hollywood blockbusters. By latching on to this truth, CMOs can leap into a world of opportunity - a realm where their brands don’t just fill 30-second commercial breaks but captivate audiences for hours, creating loyalists and advocates out of casual viewers. After all, if a doll can amass 400 million in a week, imagine what your brand could do.

David Beebe, the former vice-president of Marriott’s global creative and content marketing, has often been quoted saying, “Stop interrupting what people are interested in, and become what they’re interested in.”

David Incorvaia studied filmmaking at Rhode Island School of Design and Saint Martin’s College. He’s an award-winning creative director and led campaigns for BMW, Audi, Coca-Cola, Johnson and Johnson, Becks and Asics. He is American and lives in Berlin.

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Industry insights.

The ‘Barbie’ Marketing Strategy: Let’s Go Party

Mattel is flooding the summer season with brand collaborations from Xboxes to an Airbnb

Ahead of the July 21 film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the Barbie parent company has been on a marketing blitz, ensuring that whether or not shoppers actually go see the movie, they will still stumble on the 100-plus Barbie collaborations.

Warner Bros./Everett Collection

At the mall, there are Barbie and Ken T-shirts from the Gap and pink gingham Barbie cardigans at Hot Topic. Neiman Marcus will sell pink Barbie handbags from Balmain, and at Bloomingdale’s there will be life-size Barbie DreamHouse installations. Ulta Beauty has hot-pink Barbie electric toothbrushes. Target and Amazon have Barbie pool floats. Microsoft made a Barbie Xbox.

Mattel wants to get “everyone playing with Barbie,” said president and COO Richard Dickson, “and that doesn’t necessarily mean playing with a doll.”

Airbnb/Reuters

The movie and its accompanying avalanche of product is part of Mattel’s strategy to expand the Barbie world beyond toys. The company, which also owns Hot Wheels, American Girl Doll and Fisher-Price, banked $5.43 billion in revenue in 2022, but sees the growth opportunity in these franchise deals as “exponential.”

Jon Kopaloff/Getty

“The bigger opportunity for us is going to be outside of the toy aisle,” said Dickson. “That is the drive for where we see the monetization for the brand moving forward.”

Christopher Dilts/Bloomberg News

The movie is meant to drive brand awareness while moving Barbie, if not ironically, into the center of a conversation about feminism and beauty standards. Dickson declined to discuss the movie’s profit breakdown with Warner Bros., but Jefferies estimates Warner Bros paid Mattel $25 to $50 million for making the film (Warner Bros. and Mattel declined to comment on the deal terms.)

Mattel has been approaching partners over the last 18 months, eager to fill the market with Barbie products. In some agreements, a brand pays Mattel a flat licensing fee, while others give Mattel a 5% to 15% cut of sales.

Dickson said Mattel’s merchandising strategy targets all ages , but said many collaborations tend to skew toward teens and adults since the movie is rated PG-13.

“We go from our core customer, little girls, all the way through grandmas, or what we call ‘glam-mas,’” he said.

A new Airbnb listing for a Barbie Malibu DreamHouse went viral in June. Amenities of the hot-pink ocean-view mansion include a closet full of Ken’s clothing and an outdoor disco dance floor. Not included: a kitchen or TV. Staying there will cost nothing, but it is to be available for just two one-time stays.

Mike Blake/Reuters

“You want to create products that are catchy and grab attention because you have to remember who Barbie is and what that style is about,” said Lorenzo Boglione, chief executive of Superga, an Italian footwear brand that debuted sky-high pink platform sneakers in early June.

“It is 50 shades of pink here,” said Forever 21 chief executive officer Winnie Park, who estimated pink products make up 15% of the company’s sales. “Pink appeals to men, women and them. It’s a major driver of our business.”

The Barbie Xbox Series S—a console nestled inside a three-story DreamHouse, available as a promotional contest prize—expands the franchise to gamers. Xbox sees the collab as a way to “motivate young girls in following their passions and highlight careers in STEM and gaming,” Kirsten Ward, Xbox’s vice president of integrated marketing, said in an email.

Microsoft/Xbox

Mattel has long been an aggressive marketer of products, said Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, a history lecturer at Case Western Reserve University. The company defied industry standards in the 1960s when its TV ads spoke directly to children, she said.

Advertising Archive/Everett Collection

Mattel has reinvented the doll several times to keep up with pop culture. In 2016, Barbie’s proportions were changed, in response to criticism that the doll’s shape wasn’t realistic. The company also issued dolls with more skin tones in response to diversity critiques. Rabinovitch-Fox said the company is now using the film to rebrand Barbie for adults.

Alisha Jucevic/Bloomberg News

Brands are hoping that if the bright colors and splashy patterns aren’t enough to lure adult customers, nostalgia will win them over.

Paradegoers promoting the "Barbie" movie skate in the NYC Pride March in New York. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

Produced by: Matthew Riva

Additional photos: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures; Mark Von Holden/AP Images for Forever 21; Gap; Matthew Riva/WSJ

moscow community Created with Sketch. A member of the public created this dataset. CDP Open Data Portal has not reviewed or endorsed any changes, including filters or updates to the title and description. COMMUNITY CREATED

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In 2015, 120 global cities publicly disclosed their annual city-wide emissions. Includes information about how cities measured emissions (primary protocol), as well as why emissions rose/fell since prior reporting period.

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Rainstorms impacts on water, sediment, and trace elements loads in an urbanized catchment within Moscow city: case study of summer 2020 and 2021

• Published: 07 December 2022
• Volume 151 , pages 871–889, ( 2023 )

Cite this article

• Sergey Chalov   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6937-7020 1 , 2 ,
• Vladimir Platonov 1 ,
• Oxana Erina 1 ,
• Vsevolod Moreido 1 , 3 ,
• Mikhail Samokhin 1 ,
• Dmitriy Sokolov 1 ,
• Maria Tereshina 1 ,
• Yulia Yarinich 1 &
• Nikolay Kasimov 1  

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In 2020 and 2021, the city of Moscow, Russia, has experienced two historical rainfall events that had caused major flooding of small rivers. Based on long-term observation datasets from the surrounding weather stations, regional mesoscale COSMO-CLM climate model results, and a detailed hydrological and water quality monitoring data, we performed a pioneer assessment of climate change and urbanization impact on flooding hazard and water quality of the urban Setun River as a case study. Statistically significant rise of some moderate ETCCDI climate change indices (R20mm and R95pTOT) was revealed for the 1966–2020 period, while no significant trends were observed for more extreme indices. The combined impact of climate change and increased urbanization is highly non-linear and results in as much as a fourfold increase in frequency of extreme floods and shift of water regime features which lead to formation of specific seasonal flow patterns. The rainstorm flood wave response time, involving infiltrated and hillslope-routed fraction of rainfall, is accounted as 6 to 11 h, which is more than twice as rapid as compared to the non-urbanized nearby catchments. Based on temporal trends before and after rainfall flood peak, four groups of dissolved chemicals were identified: soluble elements whose concentrations decrease with an increase in water discharge; mostly insoluble and well-sorted elements whose concentrations increase with discharge (Mn, Cs, Cd, Al); elements negatively related to water discharge during flood events (Li, B, Cr, As, Br and Sr); and a wide range of dissolved elements (Cu, Zn, Mo, Sn, Pb, Ba, La, Cs, U) which concentrations remain stable during rainfall floods. Our study identifies that lack of research focused on the combined impacts of climate change and urbanization on flooding and water quality in the Moscow urban area is a key problem in water management advances.

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Field studies were supported by Russian Science Foundation project 19–77-30004. The analytical experiments were done under Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russian Federation project 075–15-2021–574. COSMO-CLM model setup is a part of RFBR project 21–55-53039. The methodology of this study is developed under the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Educational School of Lomonosov Moscow State University «Future Planet and Global Environmental Change» and Kazan Federal University Strategic Academic Leadership Program (“PRIORITY-2030”). The research is carried out using the equipment of the shared research facilities of HPC computing resources at Lomonosov Moscow State University. Streamflow patterns analysis was carried out under Governmental Order to Water Problems Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, subject no. FMWZ-2022–0003, project 3.7.

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Sergey Chalov, Vladimir Platonov, Oxana Erina, Vsevolod Moreido, Mikhail Samokhin, Dmitriy Sokolov, Maria Tereshina, Yulia Yarinich & Nikolay Kasimov

Kazan Federal University, Kremlevskaya St., 18, 420008, Kazan, Russia

Sergey Chalov

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Vsevolod Moreido

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Conceptualization, original draft preparation—Sergey Chalov; numerical experiments conducting and evaluation, precipitation data analysis, writing—Vladimir Platonov; the rainfall-runoff patterns analysis—Vsevolod Moreido; methodology, validation, writing—Oxana Erina, Dmitriy Sokolov, Maria Tereshina, Mikhail Samokhin; precipitation data preparation and visualization—Yulia Yarinich; review, editing—Nikolay Kasimov. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Chalov, S., Platonov, V., Erina, O. et al. Rainstorms impacts on water, sediment, and trace elements loads in an urbanized catchment within Moscow city: case study of summer 2020 and 2021. Theor Appl Climatol 151 , 871–889 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-022-04298-9

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Received : 31 August 2022

Accepted : 23 November 2022

Published : 07 December 2022

Issue Date : January 2023

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-022-04298-9

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