1) Barbie x Xbox
Where the new age meets the old age. Barbie’s collab with Microsoft pays homage to the dreamhouse toys we’d play with as kids, while ushering in a new era of fun with gaming. This Xbox is 1 of 1, but don’t worry we both still have a shot at getting our hands on it, Microsoft is giving this console away to one lucky person who enters their sweepstakes. (Before you ask, ofc I entered – LOL.)
2) Barbie x Crocs
When I saw this, I fell in love. I am a huge Crocs supporter, if you see me walking the streets of Austin I am most definitely wearing my camo Crocs (in sport mode). With a reasonable price tag of $60, you might catch me wearing these at Marketingland LOL.
3) Pasta di Martino x Barbie
Marketing Bestie let me tell you one thing, J’aime les pâtes (translation: I love pasta). And when I saw this collab, do you know what I did? Well, I won’t tell you, but you can absolutely guess what we’re having for dinner for the next 2 weeks.
4) Barbie x Burger King
One look at this burger and I decided I will never eat Burger King again. Nonetheless this pink gooey sauce generated tons of buzz for both Barbie and BK in Brazil, so I guess it was worth the collab. And well I’m writing about it now, so they did something right.
5) Barbie x Airbnb
I heard about the Barbie Dreamhouse on Twitter and instantly thought I was being lied to. But when I discovered I wasn’t, I was in awe. You couldn’t have written a better collab, Airbnb and Barbie struck while the iron was hot to make this dream(house) collab.
6) Barbie x Bumble
For all my single Marketing Besties out there, this Barbie and Bumble collab might be just what you needed to find that special someone. Playing into the characters from the movie, this collab was the perfect subtle fit for both brands.
7) Barbie x Coldplay
At his concert in Amsterdam on July 16th, Coldplay’s Chris Martin performed a cover of the song that encapsulates all of our childhoods, Barbie Girl. Nobody knows if this was an accident or if Mattel really sought out Coldplay to perform Barbie Girl in front of 50,000 people, but it worked. It has everyone in the press talking about it and has that good ‘ol song stuck back in our heads.
So why are these collabs CRUSHING?
Since the dawn of ad targeting on Facebook, Marketing campaigns have become hyper-focused on our intended target audiences. This has been a huge lever for brands in increasing efficiency and making sure we reach the people we want. But is this hyper-targeting the only way to run your Marketing campaigns? No, and Mattel’s Barbie campaign is living proof of that. 

With their toes dipped in all sorts of industries, like gaming, Italian food, or live events, Mattel’s Barbie campaign is a multicultural masterclass. Hell they even have my Uncles, who have never even held a Barbie doll, talking about how they are going to go see the new movie.  And it’s because of three main factors. 

The first, using color psychology to their advantage. When you think of Barbie, you think pink. When you see the color pink in the wild, you think Barbie (or The Marketing Millennials). Whether it’s on a burger or on your favorite pair of shoes (Crocs) if Barbie is involved, so is the color pink. Mattel has pretty much trademarked the color pink, if they want to run an OOH ad, they don’t even need copy, they can simply use the color for people to understand who the ad is for. Believe it or not, this is possible for your brand too, it takes years of staying top of mind and relying on your color palette to tell a story.  

The second factor is their use of an old fashioned jingle. In the case of Barbie it’s the famed Barbie Girl theme song that was the soundtrack to all of our childhoods. Thanks to their collab with Coldplay, Barbie Girl was brought back to life LIVE in front of thousands of fans and generated millions of views on social media. A good jingle will keep your brand top of mind (because you can’t get the song stuck out of your head) and increase brand retention. All I have to say is, I’m a Barbie gir– nvmd lol. 

And lastly, Barbie is crushing their Marketing campaign because of their willingness to take risks. If you truly want to make a splash in this world, you can’t take the safe route. What other brands are collaborating with dating apps? None. What other brands are making a pink sauce to put on burgers? None. 

If you’re doing what everyone else is doing, then you’ll end up like everyone else. Mattel has pitched a perfect game so far with their $100M Marketing budget. 
Daniel Murray
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Daniel Murray
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