Can Barbie become the new Iron Man?

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Ynon Kreiz, CEO of toymaker Mattel, talks to the BBC about the future of the brand that makes the most famous doll on the planet. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling co-star in WB’s ‘Barbie’ via BBC At first glance, it might seem like a far-fetched comparison, but the CEO of toy company Mattel would like Barbie to be the next Iron Man. That’s because Ynon Kreiz aspires to create a “Mattel universe”, he told the BBC – echoing the success of the Marvel universe, which spawned dozens of blockbuster films for Disney from a cast of comic book characters like Thor, Captain America and Guardians of the Galaxy. This is the strategy behind the movie ‘Barbie’, which arrives in Brazil this July. When he became CEO of Mattel in 2018, Kreiz began work on the feature film, which he is an executive producer. Barbie and Ken are played by Margot Robbie (‘The Wolf of Wall Street’) and Ryan Gosling (‘Blade Runner 2049’ and ‘La La Land’), directed by Greta Gerwig (‘Little Women’). Kreiz acknowledges there is some risk in giving Barbie the Hollywood treatment, working with directors and writers who have their own creative ideas. There’s “humor and self-deprecation” in the film, he says (at least on his part, as he’s played by Will Ferrell (‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Zoolander’), a controlling and somewhat stuffy CEO). Understand why new Barbie movie was banned in Vietnam Ynon Kreiz became CEO of Mattel in 2018 – he is played by Will Ferrell in ‘Barbie Mattel via BBC It is clear even in the trailer that Barbie is the butt of jokes. To the kinder ones, she is naive and innocent. For the most critical, superficial and frivolous, obsessed with appearance and unable to understand the meaning of sex, death – or life without high heels. Barbie’s “dreamland” is a pink utopia divorced from reality. “This movie took 64 years to make (Barbie was released in 1959),” says Kreiz, “but it represents how the culture views Barbie today.” Barbie remains Mattel’s top-selling brand, earning the company more than $1.5 billion annually. Its other brands include Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, Polly Pocket, Matchbox, etc. Kreiz argues that Mattel’s other brands also have the potential to be turned into successful “spin-offs” such as video games. Marketing expert and author Mike Buonaiuto says he admires the inventive advertising the team behind the film has done, including listing a “Barbie Dream House” on Airbnb. “But let’s be honest,” says Buonaiuto, “the opportunity for the Mattel universe is very different from Marvel, and while Barbie is being fueled by age-old nostalgic collaborations, try to do the same for Hot Wheels, and you probably won’t get the same result”. “I don’t think Mattel can compete with Marvel in that regard.” However, the recent bankruptcy of Toys R Us, a famous toy store based in the United States, shows why toymakers like Mattel need to diversify their businesses beyond selling physical products, adds Buonaiuto. Even before the release of the film, Barbie becomes a craze, spreads pink on social networks and gains exposure; see details Image from Barbie’s first TV ad in 1959 — the original model was inspired by a German doll designed for adults, to be given as a cheeky gift at stag parties Mattel via BBC Barbie appeared in the United States in 1959, developed by Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel. Before her, dolls usually took the form of babies, so that children could play at being loving parents. But Barbies began to encourage little ones to play at being teenagers, imagining their future through the dolls. As the original TV ads that ran during The Mickey Mouse Club said, “Someday I’ll be just like you.” This turned out to be attractive and a good deal. More than 1 billion Barbie dolls were sold in the early 1990s. But there have also been questions about what exactly Barbie dolls teach children, especially about body image. The original design portrayed Barbie as an extremely thin woman, and the messages reinforced unhealthy ideas. An infamous sleepover set created in the mid-1960s featured bathroom scales set at 50 kg and a diet book that advised, “Don’t Eat.” Another talking Barbie created in the early 1990s said the following sentence: “Math class is hard”. Mattel later apologized. These questions have continued to affect people’s perceptions of the brand, and arguably are behind its decline in popularity a decade or so ago. Mattel has learned its lessons and is now keeping up with the times, says Kreiz. “Barbie is a banner for diversity and inclusion,” he says, “with over 170 different Barbie types in terms of body shape and skin color, and Barbie has over 200 careers, so girls can explore their potential. in different ways.” Real life Barbies: Action in Ferraz de Vasconcelos helps women demystify beauty standards Barbie recently launched dolls with disabilities, prosthetic limbs and one with Down Syndrome Mattew via BBC Barbie recently launched dolls with disabilities, prosthetic limbs and one with Down Syndrome Down. To give you an idea, the “classic and traditional Barbie” represents less than half of the business now, says Kreiz. This new commitment to diversity is reflected in the film’s cast, while the classic Barbie, who is the central character, is gently ridiculed. Kreiz also points out that Mattel is restructuring the company to suit the current times. Now, their products are divided into categories, instead of having teams dedicated to separating products for boys and girls. This is despite the fact that many stores still divide toys by gender, with pink aisles for girls who want to be princesses and blue aisles for boys who like dinosaurs and cars. The Barbie movie is part of Kreiz’s strategy to position Mattel as a “talent magnet,” working with people like movie directors to test new endeavors with its popular creations. “The people who buy our products are not just consumers,” says Kreiz. “They are fans, who have an emotional relationship with the products. Children touch, hug and go to bed with our toys”. “We believe in the long-term opportunity for Barbie. But we need to evolve her, keep her relevant and at the center of the cultural conversation.” Swimming pool, trailer and pink coffee: g1 visits Casa da Barbie in São Paulo

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