Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, it has been hard to miss the (very pink!) hype surrounding the release of the Barbie film, which will be out in cinemas this Friday, 21st July. But how did a toy with a problematic past, turn into this year’s most anticipated, and lucrative, film?

Controversial origins

From Barbie’s inception, Mattel, the creators of the doll and brand, have been widely criticised by feminists and concerned parents alike, for a number of issues surrounding the toy. These concerns included promoting impossible body standards, encouraging a toxic diet culture through accessories such as the How To Lose Weight book and the ultra-sexulisation and bimbofication of the product, which was seen to be encouraging a detrimental portrayal of women in society.

Studies were then released linking the important role games and toys play in children’s lives, as it can contribute to the development of essential cognitive skills, as well as playing a huge part in creating self-confident, happy children. With all these factors at play, it is no wonder that in 2014 when sales dipped below $1 billion, Mattel had to consider a shift in the brand.

A reinvention to boost business

Since Barbie first burst onto the scene in 1959, it’s fair to say that a lot has changed in the world. Most notably, in the past decade there has been a huge shift towards inclusivity, and the identical-looking dolls simply did not have the same appeal they once did. Brands like Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty, with their focus on catering to all, provided the blueprint for how brands can get it right and brands who failed to keep up, such as Victoria’s Secret, provided a cautionary tale for how not being able to change could be damaging to business.

In recent years, Barbie has undergone a huge reinvention, proving that they are a brand who can respond to the desires of its new customers. The first changes came about when in 2015 Mattel introduced curvy Barbie and tall Barbie. In the next few years we also started to see Barbies with different skin tones, hairstyles and occupations hitting the shelves. Just last year, the first Barbie with a hearing aid was released and a Barbie with Down’s syndrome was released this year. These changes have been well received across the board and in return Barbie received a new generation of adoring fans. Not to mention Mattel now makes over $1 billion (£786.4 million) in sales every year.

Back in 2021 AllBright hosted a conversation with Creative Director of Barbie Fashion Dolls, Kim Culmone, who spoke about being at the forefront of redesigning Barbie in a diverse and inclusive way for a whole new generation, having joined Mattel as a designer in 1999. Kim also shared her poignant story behind the Black Barbie line, and gave details into the work that has made her such a game-changing force for the future of young girls everywhere. Her story of challenging the status quo to reflect modern day culture while creating a profitable business is an incredible feat.

Embracing the feminine

Many of the changes Mattel decided to make came from going back to the origins of why Barbie was created. Despite falling out of favour with Mums and daughters in the years since its inception, Barbie was actually created by a Mother hoping to inspire her daughter to imagine a life where she could be anything, especially roles and careers that didn’t exist in 1959 for girls or women. 

Much of the criticism Barbie faced in her fall from grace was the embodiment of a hyper-feminine aesthetic, that for many decades women have felt they had to eschew to progress and succeed in a corporate role and in the world at large, if they were to be taken seriously. Yet, with the most recent changes to the brand, Barbie is once again making a statement; Women don’t need to lock their femininity away in order to succeed. A young girl can walk into a toy store today and pick up the Barbie eco-leadership team playset and see four dolls of different ethnicities and styles proudly sporting fashionable outfits, whilst donning tools to get their job done! The message is, you don’t need to be decked out in pink in the boardroom, but you also don’t have to hide if that’s the way you express your femininity.   

Barbie for the big screen

To say the marketing campaign behind the new Barbie film is genius would be an understatement. From the ‘This Barbie is…’ trend which saw people labelling themselves as different types of Barbie, mirroring the marketing collateral for the movie, to the viral Barbie dream house that was created, no expense or effort has been spared in its promotion. Partnerships with brands such as AirBnB, Burger King, NYX Cosmetics, Crocs and even Love Island have ensured that Barbie has stayed front of mind throughout the past few weeks and months.

Milestones for women

It has been well reported that Barbie is being released on the same day as Christopher Nolan’s thriller Oppenheimer, telling the story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. The two films have been pitted against one another, yet it seems The Barbie Movie is set to make $100 million in the United States and Canada in its opening weekend with Oppenheimer sitting at $50 million in ticket sales over the same period.

Not only is Greta Gerwig, the film's director set to make history with this achievement, but it also marks a huge milestone for female stories. Historically, female-led stories have been deemed ‘not as successful’ or integral to the cultural zeitgeist as ones made for and by men. In the 1990’s both The Sopranos and Sex and the City were huge successes in terms of viewership on HBO and both had enormous cultural impact. Yet, it was The Sopranos that was lauded with praise and cemented in TV history. Sex and the City was seen as a frivolous show, despite breaking many taboos and pushing the boundaries on important issues around femininity, while The Sopranos did the exact same to explore masculinity.

So, whatever Barbie means to you, feminist icon or cultural anachronism, the Barbie movie is a story made by women, for women. And beneath the pink glittery veneer and its fun, light-hearted tone it’s clear that Barbie is thrust into and forced to navigate the patriarchal world we live in today. This movie promises to examine the themes of Barbie’s legacy, the good, the bad and the controversial, all whilst smashing box-office records and creating space for women in film!

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