“The devil works hard but the Barbie marketing team works harder”.
It’s a Barbie world – and in the words of award-winning director Greta Gerwig, this means “a pink, glittery, existential dance party”.
The Barbie movie is just days away from its grand official launch on July 21st, and its promotional campaign continues to be a fabulous example of marketing done right. It includes all the ingredients needed to generate success – the use of AI and interactivity, fantastic product partnerships and collaborations, and the boldest utilization of one of the most recognizable brand colors worldwide.
Mattel is clearly going all the way, but how have they succeeded? Let’s take a deep dive into their glittering marketing journey to find out!
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK: PHOTOS AND POSTERS
Barbie Movie’s’s marketing arguably began with a few photos way back in June 2022. While this in itself wasn’t particularly different from other brands, what was different were the pictures themselves – Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling decked out in fluoro pink and rollerblading down the Venice Beach boardwalk. Robbie would later describe this as “the most humiliating moment of my life”, but it worked wonders – anticipation has been off the charts.
Three months ago, this eagerness paid off with the release of fabulous new character posters.
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Enthusiasm was so high that the marketing team created an artificial intelligence tool that allowed people to generate a movie poster with their iconic tagline: “This Barbie is a __”
Soon enough, the Internet was flooded with people sharing photos of themselves on the glittering movie poster.
BRAND PARTNERSHIPS AND MERCHANDISE:
According to reports, the Barbie movie makers have collaborated with more than 100 brands worldwide in order to expand their audience base. Check out:
Microsoft and Xbox’s Barbie Dreamhouse-like gaming console:
Airbnb’s lifesize Malibu Dreamhouse mansion, available for rent on July 21st and 22nd for a glittering pink sleepover:
And Australian burger joint Grill’d’s launch of their very own “Barbie Dreamburger”:
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These aren’t the only brands to partner with Mattel. Forever 21 not only launched a clothing line in physical stores but also replicated it within the virtual realm of Roblox. ALDO, Glassware and Pinkberry were also some of the many other names who collaborated with Mattel to make the upcoming movie gain worldwide recognition.
What’s more, the Barbie movie reverted back to the most timeless aspect of the Barbie identity: merchandise. However, there was a twist: their new products were not targeted towards children but adults, signifying a shift in the film’s intended audience. The list of products are endless, ranging from a Barbie-themed toothbrush to Barbie makeup products to a Barbie Cruise experience.
23) This is an official Barbie toothbrush partnership with @MoonOralBeauty. I’m not making this up pic.twitter.com/MH77fszIEg
— Moshe Isaacian (@MosheIsaacian) June 26, 2023
22) Official Barbie themed boat cruise by @warnerbros happening in Chicago. What I wouldn’t give to go on this pic.twitter.com/PITof3tMrF
— Moshe Isaacian (@MosheIsaacian) June 26, 2023
Last but certainly not least, we come to the most iconic part of the Barbie Movie marketing journey:
AN OVERLOAD OF PINK:
This one needs no introduction. Pink has always been synonymous with Barbie, but the Barbie Movie marketing team took it to a whole new level. The “Barbiecore” aesthetic flooded on TikTok and is still astoundingly popular.
In fact, The Barbie Movie required so much pink paint during its construction that it contributed to worldwide shortage. In the words of Sarah Gristwood, the film’s production designer: “The world ran out of pink.”
Since the release of the Barbie Movie trailer, pink has overwhelmed the world, and the world is loving it. To emphasize this hype, the Barbie cast and crew gave an exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak-peek into Barbie’s movie’s set, which is called – you guessed it – the Pink Dreamhouse.
It’s safe to say that it stole hearts from across the world.
The hype for Barbie reached new heights during their grand global tour, where the cast would have a chance to interact with fans. This included a fabulous soundtrack with international singing stars, exciting their own music fandoms.
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What’s more, during the tour, Barbie fans were delighted to see Margot Robbie decked in some iconic Barbie outfits from the past, causing an explosive stir across the fashion world. As you may have guessed, most of those outfits were pink!
Marketing is one thing, success is another. Only time will tell if Barbie’s hype will translate to profit, and if viewers will actually enjoy the movie. So, make your bets and gear your seatbelts for a great pink adventure when the Barbie Movie officially drops on 21st July!
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