Abstract
Mattel, Inc. is an American multinational toy manufacturer with numerous well known brands and products including the Barbie doll franchise. In 2018, in advance of International Women’s Day, Mattel introduced two new lines of Barbie: one, “Inspiring Women”, features historical figures, including Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, and Maya Angelou; the other “Shero” line focuses on contemporary women, including poet Julia Alvarez and athlete Naomi Osaka. The Barbie brand’s recent turn towards increased diversity is at once compelling and thought-provoking. What are the aims of these new toy lines and what does Mattel hope to gain from its most recent evolution in this iconic line of toys? As communication experts and women with younger females in our lives, we pose questions regarding particular “Inspiring” and “Shero” dolls - especially those that are based on real-life, groundbreaking women of color. Is Mattel clout chasing on social media? By introducing these toy lines- with special editions that are often not available in brick and mortar stores- is the corporation more focused on positive press over sales? The authors draw on textual analysis of Mattel’s website over time, existing marketing scholarship, and industry statistics. Professional knowledge and experience with store-level/point-of-purchase marketing is also incorporated into our analysis. We conclude with suggestions on how corporations might authentically engage with their customer base with increased awareness and sensitivity of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Presenters
Karin HaberlinStudent, PhD Candidate, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States Diana Rios
Faculty Communication and EL Instituto: Latino-Latin American Caribbean Studies, University of Connecticut, Connecticut, United States Mary Helen Millham
Contributing Faculty, School of Communication, University of Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Authenticity, Barbie, Representations of Women, Role Models, Marketing, Toys
