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Pocket Rocket Agency
Barbie Marketing
Barbie is without exaggeration one of the most powerful brands in the world, which in July 2023 created a real historical event in the world of marketing and the film industry.
You don't have to be a consumer of the brand to recognize that a specific shade of pink represents Mattel's iconic doll. For example, the film's marketing team placed promotional boards in the form of pink rectangles with a small date in the corner. But everyone understood what was at stake.
Barbie's marketing campaign is a great example of how you can sell one product through another, because it was designed not only to promote the film, but also to boost sales of Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie dolls. It is not difficult to guess what will be the most desired gift for girls for the new year.
According to Stifel analysts, the release of Barbie in the cinema will increase Mattel's revenue by about $100 million. Of this amount, $75 million is sales of toys, $12.5 million is royalties for using the Barbie brand, $11 million is the actual motion picture.
You don't have to be a consumer of the brand to recognize that a specific shade of pink represents Mattel's iconic doll. For example, the film's marketing team placed promotional boards in the form of pink rectangles with a small date in the corner. But everyone understood what was at stake.
Barbie's marketing campaign is a great example of how you can sell one product through another, because it was designed not only to promote the film, but also to boost sales of Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie dolls. It is not difficult to guess what will be the most desired gift for girls for the new year.
According to Stifel analysts, the release of Barbie in the cinema will increase Mattel's revenue by about $100 million. Of this amount, $75 million is sales of toys, $12.5 million is royalties for using the Barbie brand, $11 million is the actual motion picture.
The uniqueness of the Barbie doll is that it is a character focused on a "wide range of consumers" who already has "cultural fame".
Some catching statistics:
Some catching statistics:
- $145 million to make the film
- $150 million for marketing
- participation of 100+ brands in advertising
- $1 billion worldwide box office over three weekends
- 16.2 million Instagram posts with #barbie hashtag
- 3.4 million followers for the brand and 1.7 million for the movie account
What was Barbie's marketing campaign made up of?
1. FOMO stimulation
Posting certain moments from the film created a feeling of lack of information.
It is worth to notice that Barbie's marketing campaign was launched more than a year before its release. It all started with a single image of Margot Robbie as Barbie laughing in a pink Corvette, released at CinemaCon.
Then fans began to buy pink paint, Google and various online platforms for the sale of used cars recorded a significant increase in requests related to the terms "Barbie car" or "pink Corvette" and a bunch of other integrations.
All this began to spread like a virus, this is the trick of situational content, people began to pick up and create their own #barbimania.
Two months later, the company published the first images of Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.
Photos from the set were soon leaked, which was inevitable, since the scenes of Robbie and Gosling roller skating on Venice Beach were in full view of everyone.
It is worth to notice that Barbie's marketing campaign was launched more than a year before its release. It all started with a single image of Margot Robbie as Barbie laughing in a pink Corvette, released at CinemaCon.
Then fans began to buy pink paint, Google and various online platforms for the sale of used cars recorded a significant increase in requests related to the terms "Barbie car" or "pink Corvette" and a bunch of other integrations.
All this began to spread like a virus, this is the trick of situational content, people began to pick up and create their own #barbimania.
Two months later, the company published the first images of Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.
Photos from the set were soon leaked, which was inevitable, since the scenes of Robbie and Gosling roller skating on Venice Beach were in full view of everyone.
When the second teaser trailer was released in April, the same thing happened with dozens of posters featuring the actors.
And a week and a half before the premiere, Ken's song appeared on YouTube.
And a week and a half before the premiere, Ken's song appeared on YouTube.
2. More than 100 brands took part in the film's promotional campaign
Posting certain moments from the film created a feeling of lack of information.
It is worth to notice that Barbie's marketing campaign was launched more than a year before its release. It all started with a single image of Margot Robbie as Barbie laughing in a pink Corvette, released at CinemaCon.
Then fans began to buy pink paint, Google and various online platforms for the sale of used cars recorded a significant increase in requests related to the terms "Barbie car" or "pink Corvette" and a bunch of other integrations.
All this began to spread like a virus, this is the trick of situational content, people began to pick up and create their own #barbimania.
Two months later, the company published the first images of Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.
Photos from the set were soon leaked, which was inevitable, since the scenes of Robbie and Gosling roller skating on Venice Beach were in full view of everyone.
When the second teaser trailer was released in April, the same thing happened with dozens of posters featuring the actors.
And a week and a half before the premiere, Ken's song appeared on YouTube.
It is worth to notice that Barbie's marketing campaign was launched more than a year before its release. It all started with a single image of Margot Robbie as Barbie laughing in a pink Corvette, released at CinemaCon.
Then fans began to buy pink paint, Google and various online platforms for the sale of used cars recorded a significant increase in requests related to the terms "Barbie car" or "pink Corvette" and a bunch of other integrations.
All this began to spread like a virus, this is the trick of situational content, people began to pick up and create their own #barbimania.
Two months later, the company published the first images of Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.
Photos from the set were soon leaked, which was inevitable, since the scenes of Robbie and Gosling roller skating on Venice Beach were in full view of everyone.
When the second teaser trailer was released in April, the same thing happened with dozens of posters featuring the actors.
And a week and a half before the premiere, Ken's song appeared on YouTube.
3. Soundtracks
The marketing team did not stop at collaboration with brands: the official soundtrack to the film was also thought out to the smallest detail. So, pop stars of our time - Dua Lipa, Ava Max, Nicki Minaj, Billy Ailish, etc. were attached to the musical accompaniment.
4. UGC content generation and trend support by companies
The Barbie theme has been popular in social networks before, but the filmmakers have developed additional tools to make it even easier to use the image and people were attracted more willingly.
With the advent of a stream of posters with Barbie characters in the spring of 2023 marketers created an AI Barbie Selfie Generator that allowed users to generate an infinite number of memes. In addition, users could make their own poster for the movie. The site allowed users to send selfies or images that artificial intelligence adapted to the Barbie universe. This is how individual Barbie characters appeared in the style of posters with the text: This Barbie / Ken is (insert various slogans).
With the advent of a stream of posters with Barbie characters in the spring of 2023 marketers created an AI Barbie Selfie Generator that allowed users to generate an infinite number of memes. In addition, users could make their own poster for the movie. The site allowed users to send selfies or images that artificial intelligence adapted to the Barbie universe. This is how individual Barbie characters appeared in the style of posters with the text: This Barbie / Ken is (insert various slogans).
It was an original way to involve people in the exchange of Barbie-related materials and immediately create an opportunity for people to establish a personal connection with the film. Similarly, by placing large boxes of Barbie in cinemas where the movie "Barbie" is shown, people got the opportunity to take pictures of themselves posing one by one or with friends and adding personal elements, for example, advertising the Warner Bros. blockbuster in this way.
Also they placed a huge AR-Barbie the size of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The installation video got over a million views in the first 24 hours alone.
Also they placed a huge AR-Barbie the size of Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The installation video got over a million views in the first 24 hours alone.
Integrating AI into the film's promotional campaign was a stroke of genius, as users created content, shared it on social media, and created even more buzz around the movie.
5. Event-marketing
The marketing team did not stop at collaboration with brands: the official soundtrack to the film was also thought out to the smallest detail. So, pop stars of our time - Dua Lipa, Ava Max, Nicki Minaj, Billy Ailish, etc. were attached to the musical accompaniment.
6. The neighborhood with another powerful blockbuster, Oppenheimer by Christopher Nolan
The phenomenon of "Barbenheimer" was born online as a confrontation between two of the most anticipated films of the summer of 2023 — a heartbreaking story about the creation of an atomic bomb and a fantastic story about a doll in a pink world. This became an occasion for jokes, memes and heated discussions. People started cross-breeding movie stills, posters, the most nimble even released T-shirts by the 21st. Flash mobs appeared on social networks: people, for example, filmed videos in which they laughed at how they would go to "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" on the same day. The merger of the two films led to the fact that in the first days of rental they collected more than $ 230 million in total, making last weekend the fourth highest-grossing weekend in the history of the United States.
7. The film's PR team tried to create a sense of living in a Barbie world by turning an entire floor of the hotel into a bright pink Barbie world for press conferences (rooms with pink carpets, pink doors, etc.)
8. Celebrity-marketing
Margo Robbie became the ideal example of celebrity-marketing, organically fitting into the image of a cheerful, charming and energetic Barbie. The attention takes looks, in which the actress appeared on the red carpets. Every one was made as a copy of historical Barbie doll dresses.
9. Mattel has released a limited collection of Barbie and Ken dolls dressed in costumes from the movie
These dolls were available for purchase on the official Mattel website and in some stores. In addition, Mattel also created an interactive smartphone application in which it was possible to play various mini-games related to the film, as well as communicate with characters from the film.
The advertising campaign of the movie "Barbie" is a lesson for marketers who want to make their product recognizable, attractive and in demand. It is important to note that they also take into account the interests and preferences of their target audience, who loves Barbie, and is ready to look at her from a different angle.
The marketing campaign dedicated to Barbie embodied a pronounced personality of the character and offered a refreshing confident approach that resonated with long-time fans and aroused the interest of newcomers. It was easy for people to get involved in this topic. You don't need complicated costumes or preparations, it's enough to come up with something pink. And now there are recipes for pink paste, makeup in pink and images in pink clothes. The easier it is, the more likely it is to involve the audience in this movement.
The Barbie promotional campaign is something of a phenomenon. It combines pleasant nostalgia for childhood, extreme attention to detail and the long-awaited film, which will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.
The marketing campaign dedicated to Barbie embodied a pronounced personality of the character and offered a refreshing confident approach that resonated with long-time fans and aroused the interest of newcomers. It was easy for people to get involved in this topic. You don't need complicated costumes or preparations, it's enough to come up with something pink. And now there are recipes for pink paste, makeup in pink and images in pink clothes. The easier it is, the more likely it is to involve the audience in this movement.
The Barbie promotional campaign is something of a phenomenon. It combines pleasant nostalgia for childhood, extreme attention to detail and the long-awaited film, which will definitely not leave anyone indifferent.