Publications
Publications
- August 2024 (Revised January 2025)
- HBS Case Collection
Barbie: Reviving a Cultural Icon at Mattel
By: Elie Ofek, Ryann Noe and Sarah Mehta
Abstract
The 2023 release of the live-action film Barbie, and its accompanying marketing blitz, incited a worldwide Barbie craze. Suddenly Barbie was everywhere, a celebrated icon reinstated at the forefront of cultural conversation. This goodwill stood in contrast to decades of criticism of the Barbie brand. Although proponents celebrated Barbie for her promise to “inspire the limitless potential in every girl,” detractors felt that the doll promoted a narrow beauty standard and perpetuated gender stereotypes. Past efforts to diversify the Barbie doll had met mixed reactions. Did the movie’s superlative success mean that Barbie’s dark days of controversy were behind her? In a fast-changing, turbulent industry, Mattel executives need to decide how to sustain Barbie’s positive momentum, and whether the strategy can be replicated across other brands in Mattel’s portfolio.
Keywords
Brands and Branding; Media; Intellectual Property; Business Strategy; Entertainment; Gender; Public Opinion; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Motion Pictures and Video Industry; Retail Industry; United States
Citation
Ofek, Elie, Ryann Noe, and Sarah Mehta. "Barbie: Reviving a Cultural Icon at Mattel." Harvard Business School Case 525-006, August 2024. (Revised January 2025.)