21st Century Barbie's Brand Story: A closer look at the way Mattel is using the Web and social media to tell the Barbie story

One of my oldest and dearest friends recently posted a link on her Facebook page to Computer Programming Barbie - the link featured a picture of the blonde icon sporting black thick frame glasses and a t-shirt designed with binary code.   My friend captioned the post: “Nice try Mattel, but I’m still not buying Barbie for my girls.”   Well, I thought that was great and immediately “shared” the link on my Facebook page.   I had no idea at the time how much response this would elicit.   Some of my friends rushed to defend Barbie claiming that they loved her as a child.  Others agreed with me that they wouldn't be buying Computer Barbie for their daughters in the near future.  

On the side of defending Barbie, one woman wrote that she believed Barbie was a good toy for girls and encouraged imaginative play because she didn't have a story behind her like some of the famed Disney icons such as Snow White.   In response to that I pointed out that Barbie's creators have most definitely created a story for her.  I think it’s very clear that even though Barbie doesn’t have a major motion picture to her name like the Disney Princess set – she is definitely a brand with a distinct narrative of her own.   

Even automobile manufacturers create narratives around different models of cars.  One might be hip hop like the Kia Soul or quirky and youthful like the new Volkswagen Beetle.  Regardless, branding teams endeavor to tell a story about the kind of person that drives their car.  The brand managers over at Mattel are no slouches either - they have a story, an image and a name to sell and it isn’t exactly a non-profit.  Witness how they tell the Barbie story at www.barbie.com and www.twitter.com/barbiestyle.

I’m also not terribly impressed with Barbie’s wardrobe changes – so she wears a t-shirt with binary code and sports glasses.  To me this “change” is still relatively superficial – kind of like McDonald’s marketing the Big Mac with a whole wheat bun.  Ok, it’s slightly more healthy, but by and large it’s still the same old junk food.  Not exactly the kind of nourishment that I want my daughter to grow up consuming or thinking is healthy.  Then there’s the Barbie “ideal” body image – but that’s an easy slam  - her tiny waist is totally unrealistic – enough said. 

However, while the image (Barbie’s physical appearance) is definitely part of the story,  there are also her words – yes, thanks to social networking, 21st century Barbie speaks.  Great move by the brand managers at Mattel - Barbie is on Twitter @BarbieStyle

Ever wonder what this new “modern” Barbie is thinking?  Check out her tweets @BarbieStyle - it’s a brilliant example of Barbie’s most socially relevant thoughts on the world today. “Downside of chilly weather in Malibu? Less beach time. The upside? More cashmere!  Swoon.”  

Barbie’s rabid consumerism, obsession with pink, her hair and addiction to shopping are dominant themes as evidenced by this tweet: “Online shopping…a great thing or the greatest thing?” 

Or "Ken might be my soul mate, but Christian Louboutin is my sole mate!"  Good. grief.

Don’t even get me started on @OfficialKen.  

To put it mildly, today’s Barbie exhibits the gravitas of a gnat.   She might be an outstanding candidate for America’s Next Top Model or a stylist on the Rachel Zoe Project, but I don’t think she’s winning any awards for a groundbreaking PhD thesis.

Finally, while we can sit here as educated adults and deconstruct Barbie, a young child does not have the same analytical skills when viewing a TV commercial or reading a highly commercialized Twitter feed.  This is one of the reasons why advertising to children is controversial.   


I’m choosing not to put my daughters on a diet of Big Macs and Barbies – not because one or two servings is going to clog her arteries or stifle all creative thought, but because it’s fundamentally junk and there are much healthier alternatives.