Warner Bros and Mattel: Barbie Movie Campaign (2023)
Warner Bros Entertainment partnered with Mattel, the creator of Barbie, to release the highly anticipated Barbie movie in 2023. Warner Bros is known for its massive film production and distribution power, while Mattel has been a global leader in the toy industry, with Barbie as its iconic product since 1959.
Challenge
Barbie has long been a cultural icon, celebrated and criticized for the character’s influence on beauty standards and gender roles. Warner Bros and Mattel faced the challenge of refreshing Barbie’s image for modern audiences, presenting her as a complex and empowered character. The campaign needed to balance nostalgia with fresh appeal for younger generations while driving significant box office sales and brand engagement.
Audience
The campaign targeted multiple audience segments, including
Millennials and Gen Xers who grew up with Barbie and have nostalgic ties to the character
Gen Z audiences interested in pop culture, fashion, and trends
Children and families looking for engaging summer movies
Fashion and lifestyle enthusiasts interested in the “Barbiecore” aesthetic, a vibrant, retro-pink style inspired by Barbie’s world
Objective
The primary objective was to build anticipation and drive ticket sales for the Barbie movie by sparking widespread cultural interest and engagement.
Strategy
Warner Bros and Mattel sought to position Barbie as a dynamic, multi-dimensional character who resonates with modern sensibilities, shedding the traditional stereotype of a doll defined by beauty alone. The strategy revolved around a comprehensive, multi-channel approach that played on nostalgia, excitement, and curiosity.
The campaign used a wide variety of tactics:
Owned Media:
Official Website: Warner Bros launched a dedicated Barbie movie website. The company controlled key messaging and provided updates, teasers, and exclusive content to keep fans engaged in the months leading up to the release.
Interactive Online Tools: Warner Bros launched a Barbie-themed meme generator that allowed fans to create personalized Barbie movie posters. This tool capitalized on user creativity and gave fans a reason to share their creations, driving organic engagement on social media. Fans could easily spread their excitement, increasing brand visibility through personal, shareable content.
Social Media:
#Barbie and #Barbiecore Hashtags: The campaign leveraged the #Barbie and #Barbiecore hashtags to encourage a social media movement around Barbie-inspired fashion and lifestyle trends. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok saw a surge of Barbiecore content, as users posted outfits, makeup, and aesthetics inspired by Barbie’s pink, playful look.
User-Generated Content (UGC): The Barbiecore trend encouraged fans to create their own content, from outfit-of-the-day posts to Barbie-inspired home decor. Influencers and fans alike contributed to a wave of UGC that celebrated Barbie’s iconic aesthetic. This user-driven engagement made the campaign feel participatory, bringing Barbie’s world to life for diverse audiences.
Paid Media:
Digital Advertising and Trailers: Warner Bros released a series of trailers and digital ads on YouTube, Instagram, and other social media platforms. The trailers highlighted Barbie’s unique world and teased fans with visually rich, colorful scenes that set a playful yet modern tone.
Cinema and Streaming Previews: To capture traditional moviegoers, Warner Bros paid for premium advertising slots in cinemas and on popular streaming platforms. These previews targeted audiences already interested in film, building excitement among both casual viewers and movie enthusiasts who might attend the film’s premiere.
Influencer Partnerships: Warner Bros collaborated with influencers across social media platforms, from fashion and beauty bloggers to lifestyle personalities. These influencers posted Barbie-inspired content, amplifying the campaign’s reach and helping Warner Bros engage younger audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Earned Media:
Influencer and Celebrity Support: Social media influencers, fashion icons, and celebrities organically shared the #Barbiecore trend, building publicity. Margot Robbie, who starred as Barbie, became a centerpiece of the campaign, with her red carpet appearances emulating various iconic Barbie looks. This sparked extensive media coverage, contributing to earned media and social buzz.
Fashion and Lifestyle Coverage: Major fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar covered the Barbie movie campaign, often tying it to the rising Barbiecore aesthetic. These outlets framed the campaign as a cultural movement, highlighting how the movie was inspiring fashion and lifestyle trends across the globe.
News and Media Features: The campaign gained extensive media coverage as a phenomenon, with entertainment and news outlets discussing Barbie’s cultural resurgence and Warner Bros’ bold marketing strategy. This coverage spanned major platforms like The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, and Buzzfeed, broadening reach beyond traditional movie marketing channels.
Events:
Barbie Dreamhouse Airbnb: In one of the campaign’s most memorable experiential tactics, Warner Bros partnered with Airbnb to create a Barbie Dreamhouse that fans could rent. Located in Malibu, the Dreamhouse was available for a limited time, drawing interest from fans eager to immerse themselves in Barbie’s world. This unique event generated extensive media coverage and allowed fans to engage with Barbie in a real-world setting.
Pink Carpet Premieres: Warner Bros hosted “pink carpet” premieres, a playful twist on traditional red carpet events, where celebrities arrived dressed in Barbie-inspired outfits. These events attracted media attention and amplified the cultural buzz surrounding the film, with countless photos and interviews circulating online to promote the movie.
Collaborations:
Co-Branded Partnerships: The Barbie movie campaign featured partnerships with iconic brands, including Xbox and fashion retailers, for limited-edition Barbie-themed products. These collaborations expanded Barbie’s appeal to new audiences, from gamers to fashion lovers, and created unique touchpoints for fans to engage with the brand.
Retail Displays and Merchandising: Retailers like Target and Hot Topic created Barbie-themed displays and offered exclusive merchandise, including clothing, accessories, and toys. This allowed fans to purchase Barbie-related items and extended the campaign’s impact beyond theaters and social media, creating opportunities for brand interaction in physical retail spaces.
Limited-Edition Products: A range of Barbie-themed merchandise, from Barbie makeup kits to branded clothing, was released in partnership with well-known retailers. This extensive merchandise line helped fans feel connected to the brand while driving revenue through sales.
Results
Record-Breaking Box Office Success: The Barbie movie became one of the highest-grossing films of the year, earning over $1 billion worldwide. This success underscored the campaign’s effectiveness in generating excitement and drawing diverse audiences to theaters .
Widespread Cultural Impact: The #Barbiecore trend became a phenomenon, impacting fashion, interior design, and beauty trends. Social media influencers and fashion icons embraced the aesthetic, sparking widespread adoption and visibility. The trend’s longevity underscored the campaign’s ability to resonate culturally and extend beyond the movie itself.
Significant Social Media Engagement: With millions of posts using #Barbiecore and #Barbie, the campaign became a massive social media event. The Barbie meme generator and user-generated content significantly boosted engagement, allowing fans to actively participate and share their excitement online.
Extensive Earned Media Coverage: The Barbie campaign received extensive coverage from major news outlets, fashion magazines, and entertainment sites. Publications analyzed the campaign’s cultural significance and discussed its influence on beauty standards and fashion, highlighting the campaign as a case study in effective, omnichannel marketing.
Strengthened Brand Image for Barbie: The campaign successfully reshaped Barbie’s image, presenting her as a multi-faceted and empowered character relevant to contemporary audiences. This positive perception strengthened Mattel’s brand, making Barbie culturally relevant for younger generations and re-establishing her as an empowering figure.
