Suddenly pink. Cities and storefronts of all kinds - from clothes to ice cream - were packaged with lots of glitter and lots of pink. There was even a cheeseburger with pink sauce and crispy bacon. Even Google jumped on the bandwagon for the world's most loved and coveted doll (type in Barbie to see the magic).
The movie “Barbie”, directed by Greta Gerwig and which premiered on July 20 in theaters, was the biggest opening of the year in the United States and Canada, according to Warner Bros, and surpassed US$ 155 million (almost BRL 740 million). In Brazil, box office reached BRL 23 million, with sold-out sessions.
Launched in 1959 by southern California based Mattel, Barbie is short for Barbara Millicent Roberts, daughter of its creator, designer Ruth Handler. The doll won the hearts of children, adults and collectors around the world.
Barbie's iconic identity has earned the status of a cult brand due to its remarkable popularity and cultural influence, representing imagination, fashion, and diversity across generations.
Its fans have a strong emotional connection to the product or concept the brand represents, which goes beyond functional use.
Barbie’s cult status is due to several reasons:
- Cultural icon: recognized worldwide, with an imposing presence that has become a symbol instantly associated with popular culture, with touches of nostalgia and fashion. Sold in more than 150 countries
- Longevity and popularity: at 64, Barbie has gone through many changes and innovations, crossed several generations and remained relevant, which created an emotional connection with her consumers, who grew up playing with the doll and continued to appreciate it as they got older, in addition to still conveying this passion to daughters and granddaughters.
- Community: it draws thousands of loyal fans, people who are passionate and engaged around the brand and who form a community that shares a strong sense of identity with the doll. Its fans have a strong emotional connection with the product or concept that the brand represents, which goes beyond the functional use of the toy and involves values, identity and lifestyle.
- Appearance and style: With the striking classic style of elegant fashion and her stylized features - with long legs and a slim waist - Barbie made herself loved and desired. After all, "she can be anything she wants to be".
- Roles and professions: the variety of professions, roles and activities she represents spans 150 categories – from airline pilot to astronaut, from Olympic athlete to doctor, all to inspire children to explore different careers and dreams.
- Cultural impact: promoted an idea of female empowerment, despite criticism for the unrealistic and unattainable dimensions of her female body. No wonder Mattel made gradual changes and released doll lines with a wider variety of shapes, different skin tones, body sizes and hair types, to represent greater diversity and inclusion.
- Themed collections: already launched several special editions and themed collections in partnership with famous fashion brands such as Mochino, Chanel and Dior, as well as popular retailers and collections commemorated in movies and historical events.
- Engagement in the media and transmedia: is a multimedia brand present in movies, TV shows, electronic games and much more. It became a transmedia case, as in the animation of its utopian Barbie Land, the toy plunges into the real world, on a journey of discovery.
And you, did you see Barbie in theaters?
