Barbie is not a doll, she is a full-fledged cultural movement.

On September 27th we held a new edition of the Alumni ISEM meeting, where we had the opportunity to listen to Beatriz Bravo, former brand manager of Barbie-Mattel for Southern Europe. Beatriz shared with a large room of attendees the keys to the so-called Barbiecore phenomenon, an unexpected trend that has managed to dye the windows of the world with the color pink. The presentation focused on eight ideas that, from the birth of the brand until today, have managed to increase Barbie's notoriety in the market.

1. A consistent brand strategy. In the late 1950s, Ruth Handler came up with the doll she wanted for her daughter: a pretty toy and, at the same time, an educational tool. Ever since Mattel launched its doll on the market, Barbie has been adapting to trends, surfing the downturns in the times when it was moving away from that initial objective. The brand's message is aimed at girls, encouraging them to project themselves into what they want to be in the future, without forgetting their mothers, the biggest influencers of the purchase, who have the final decision. 
2. The emotional connection. Barbie has been able to establish an emotional connection with her audience through narratives that inspire and help little girls identify with the character, knowing that every girl dreams of being a grown-up one day. Through her numerous professions, roles and styles, Barbie has been able to send a message of empowerment and endless possibilities to her audience. 
3. In addition, the brand has led an impeccable omnichannel strategy. Mattel has taken advantage of different media to develop creative campaigns and provide consumer attention, thus generating a community of loyal and enthusiastic followers.
4. "Think global, act local".. It is estimated that Mattel has sold more than one billion Barbies in more than 150 countries around the world, a figure that reflects how well they have been able to adapt to different cultures. But it was not always like this... Between the 1970s and early 2000s, Mattel abandoned its storytelling around the doll to focus exclusively on product sales, which ended up generating a major reputational crisis and a drop in sales. Until 2015, when Mattel changed course, betting on a return to the origins of what was once considered an educational tool. It was then when Barbie put on a few pounds, abandoned makeup, got off her heels and began to have different skin tones, sizes, heights... even some disability. The aim of the "you can be anything" campaign was to encourage all the girls in the world to see themselves reflected in that doll and, in this way, to accept, love and project themselves into the future. In 1968, at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Midge was Barbie's pioneering African-American friend, and Mattel's strategy of returning to that open-minded origin has been rewarded by a boom in Barbie's sales and reputation, which has reached its peak with the release of the movie Greta Gerwig. Therefore, it is safe to say that Barbie is not a doll but a full-fledged cultural movement.
   
    
5. Visual identity. The iconic B in the Barbie logo is, for Beatriz Bravo, another of the brand's essential factors. The pink color is the essence of the doll and makes it recognizable wherever it goes.
6. This year Barbie has gone a step further with the release of a new movie, this time not aimed at girls but at those who played with the doll in their childhood. Greta Gerwig has made her film the highest grossing film in Warner's history, surpassing Harry Potter. Focusing on the film, the sixth idea Beatriz mentioned is Buzz and anticipation. A year before its release, promotion began, the release of the first trailer and interviews with the actors, generating great anticipation and attracting a wide audience. The role of social networks was key to create a publicity boom . 
7. Barbie is a brand with 98% awareness worldwide. A figure that may seem insurmountable, however, Barbie's engagement the movie has promoted has surpassed all limits. The audience had a level of commitment and loyalty to the brand that had never been reached before. One example is the virality of the famous "trends" on the TikTok platform: the fans themselves were the ones who posted videos on their personal accounts, preparing their pink looks to go to the cinema to see the film, thus providing extra publicity that undoubtedly benefited the brand.
8. The great partnerships. Barbiecore didn't come about by chance, even if its effects have been far greater than expected. According to Time magazine, "the toy company partnered with a dizzying number of clothing brands, hair care companies and even pool float companies to print Barbie's favorite color on their products". Barbie started with 100 partnerships but, after her progressive fame, many more have joined Mattel's proposal, taking advantage of it; just as these are the ones who have helped boost the franchise, increasing the level of brand awareness and helping to triple its sales.

In short, there are many reasons why the barbiecore has burst into our lives with great force and has innovated the fashion industry. and, above all, they are the result of a brand strategy that Mattel has been implementing for 15 years. As Harper's Bazaar magazine puts it, "the best orchestrated marketing campaign in the history of cinema".