Can We Replicate Barbie's Marketing Magic?

The movie39s creation was a lavish affair with a whopping 150 million poured into its production and an estimated additional 100 million invested in marketing Even with that kind of money Barbie also had the benefit of history on its side Barbie is more than a movie based on a toy She39s a cultural icon thatamp8217s been in the market for decades Her name alone sparks a myriad of emotions and memories regardless of one39s age The campaign leverages decades of intellectual property and brand resonanceIn fact one specific placement spoke to how universal Barbie and all her assets are an enigmatic pink billboard in London with nothing more than the movieamp8217s release date There was some debate in the ad world as to whether this was creative confidence or presumption Color alone canamp8217t always convene meaning but in this case amp8211 especially in conjunction with all the other Barbie marketing in rotation amp8211 it was likely obvious what the billboard was forThat was the other key to the campaign It was supported by numerous partnerships across various industries Auto fashion makeup food design home improvement and moreBeing involved with such a marketing juggernaut can be exciting but there are a few things to considerDistinctive brand assets like logos and colors are the heartbeat of brand growth Most people donamp8217t care about your advertising so youamp8217d better make it distinctive enough to make an impact and wellbranded enough so people remember who itamp8217s from EhrenbergBass Institute study quoted in amp8216How Brands Growamp8217 by Byron Sharp While Barbie partnerships brilliantly spotlight the Barbie brand smaller brands can be overshadowed in this pink sea When partnering with a larger brand ensure your voice isn39t drowned outMarketing wisdom states that fame fuels longterm growth While partnerships can offer momentary limelight this fame is fleeting and fades with the news cycle Smaller brands might benefit more from investing in lasting brand fameCollaborations akin to intricate dances demand effort and commitment Larger brands often charge hefty fees and set strict rules Successful partnerships hinge on mutual accountability shared goals clear expectations and fair rewardsBut if youamp8217re looking to replicate this magic there are also some basic tenets to Barbieamp8217s successful campaignKnow your audience like the back of your hand Understand their desires their necessities and their passionsWeave a captivating narrative that echoes your mission not merely the products you offerAlign your brand with cultural currents that reverberate with your audience and narrate this story with unwavering consistency across all your endeavorsMattel itself will attempt to replicate its own Barbie magic With a children39s entertainment catalogue surpassed only by Disney Mattel is poised to follow in Marvel39s footsteps transforming from a traditional toy manufacturer into a Hollywood titan leveraging its vast IP The brands and audiences39 familiarity with them are a unique form of currencyAs Robbie Brenner Executive Producer at Mattel Films told The New Yorker quotIn the world we39re living in IP is king Preawareness is so importantquotMargot Robbie has recently said amp8220There are people who adore Barbie people who hate Barbieamp8212but the bottom line is everyoneamp8239knowsamp8239Barbieamp8221 The filmamp8217s slogan is amp8220If you love Barbie this movie is for you If you hate Barbie this movie is for youamp8221In addition to Barbie Mattel has now publicly announced thirteen more films 45 are in the pipelineWith its boxoffice take now surpassing 1 billion the Barbie movie has crowned itself as one the year39s biggest cinematic sensations And itamp8217s doubtful any forthcoming film will manage to match Barbie39s prerelease marketing triumph in the near termBut preawareness alone isnamp8217t enough to make a cultural phenomenon For every Barbie or Lego thereamp8217s a dud like Battleship Huge wins still require smart marketing proper budgeting and the right partners And a little bit of luck and over 60 years of brand recognition also might helpDiego Cerrone is Managing Partner Global Strategy Lead at GroupMamp8217s EssenceMediacomPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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Can We Replicate Barbie's Marketing Magic?

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Diego Cerrone

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