Who Is The Audience For The Barbie Movie?
At Fearless Foundry, we couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement surrounding the upcoming Barbie movie. As creative consultants, we appreciate the innovative marketing strategies deployed by the Barbie brand. It’s everywhere isn’t it? The only way you haven’t heard of the Barbie movie is if you’ve literally not had access to the outside world in any way, shape or form.
An article in Marketing Week states, “The brand has thoroughly got ‘out of [its] comfort zone’ to create this film” says Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s global head of Barbie and dolls portfolio.
We tend to agree. They really have reached the masses with their messaging. And while we’re excited by the innovation and mass marketing, we find ourselves pondering a crucial question: Who is the Barbie movie really for?
Identifying the ideal audience for the Barbie movie has proven to be a delicate balancing act.
Traditionally, the Barbie brand has catered to children with its iconic dolls and toys. Yet, the marketing tactics employed for the movie seem to be reaching out to an older demographic, causing some confusion among critics and observers.
To give credit where it’s due, the inclusion of renowned actors like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, and Dua Lipa in the Barbie movie's cast aims to bridge the gap between different age groups. This will help bring in more viewers, allowing the movie to reach a wider audience and increase its box office success.
Yet even still, parents are left wondering if they should bring their children to the film or not.
According to an article on Scary Mommy, "Parents may be surprised to learn the film tends to skew slightly toward adults more than children... at least in certain aspects. While the joke could very well go right over your kiddo's head without them batting an eye, it's mature dialogue like this that most likely earned the movie a higher rating than you may have originally suspected."
To fix this disconnect, the marketing message needs to resonate with both children and adults.
While some of the collaboration decisions may have contributed to mixed messaging, overall Mattel is trying to reach both generations. They just need to be more clear about it.
For example, Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice remixed Aqua's "Barbie Girl.” Perhaps instead of going for the remix, they stick with the old version of the song and have Minaj and Ice Spice create a brand new Barbie anthem for the new generation.
And Zara’s Barbie collection- an excellent way to reach out to a generation of Barbie lovers that didn’t grow up cruising the neighborhood streets in the early 2000s singing “come on Barbie, let’s go party.”
To further bridge the gap, the company needs to stay focused on creating content that appeals to both children and adults.
The TikTok era has shown us the incredible impact partnering with other companies can have.
Mattel/Barbie took this concept and ran with it.
A great example is the Airbnb pink Barbie DreamHouse. It's a unique collaboration that allows fans to see Barbie's iconic pink DreamHouse up close and personal. Besides generating excitement, this partnership taps into the nostalgia associated with Barbie, appealing to both kids and adults.
The collaboration also promotes Airbnb's commitment to diversity and inclusion, as Barbie has been a champion for girls and women for decades. It also allows Airbnb to connect with a wider audience, leading to increased brand recognition and loyalty.
Various other companies are collaborating with Barbie, including Xbox, OPI, Ruggable, and Cold Stone Creamery. Through these partnerships, consumers (young and old) can get access to a wide variety of Barbie-themed products and experiences.
People can dress up their Xbox avatars with Barbie-themed outfits, customize their home with Barbie-themed rugs, order Barbie-themed ice cream cakes, and paint their nails with Barbie-themed nail polish. Yet again a marketing move like this allows Barbie to reach all kinds of audiences and expand its reach beyond the traditional doll market. It gives Barbie an opportunity to stay relevant and current with the latest trends.
At the end of the day, knowing and connecting with your ideal audience is what sells.
By leveraging collaborations and partnerships, and embracing continuous market research, Barbie will successfully capture the hearts of its fans, no matter their age. In order to ensure long-term success, Barbie needs to stay true to its core values: inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity. Additionally, Barbie needs to continually strive to create content and experiences relevant to its audience. With this approach, Barbie can remain a top-tier movie franchise for generations to come.
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