What Marketers Can Learn from the Barbie Movie’s Marketing Triumph
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What Marketers Can Learn from the Barbie Movie’s Marketing Triumph

/ Brief

Last summer’s Barbie movie delighted audiences worldwide, helping it become 2023’s highest-grossing film. Marketing and communications strategies accompanying the movie were remarkably successful, creating a buzz before it was released, including through merchandising partnerships and extensive media coverage.

At the 2024 Corporate Communications Conference: Getting the Next Job Done, Catherine Frymark, Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications for Mattel, gave The Conference Board a behind-the-scenes look at the movie.  

Last summer’s Barbie movie delighted audiences worldwide, helping it become 2023’s highest-grossing film. Marketing and communications strategies accompanying the movie were remarkably successful, creating a buzz before it was released, including through merchandising partnerships and extensive media coverage.

At the 2024 Corporate Communications Conference: Getting the Next Job Done, Catherine Frymark, Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications for Mattel, gave The Conference Board a behind-the-scenes look at the movie.  
  1. Mattel envisioned the Barbie movie as a vehicle for corporate transformation rather than a Barbie commercial. Before the film’s release, some might have expected the movie to be a well-executed advertorial for the doll. But the primary objective was to make a quality movie that people wanted to see. It is part of Mattel’s wider plan to evolve from toy manufacturing to film, digital gaming, and live experiences.  

         
  2. Mattel gave the movie team creative freedom; that trust produced a transformational quality. Mattel entered new territory by working with screen writers, movie directors, film producers, and distributors. Since the objective was to produce a great movie, Mattel gave the creative team artistic freedom. Picking the right partners
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Author

Denise Dahlhoff, PhD

Denise Dahlhoff, PhD Denise Dahlhoff, PhD

Director, Marketing & Communications Research
The Conference Board

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