5 min read
Barbie's Cohesive Brand Experience

Share
We survived “Barbenheimer” weekend; now let’s talk about all the marketing because, as Moshe Isaacian put it, “The devil works hard, but Barbie’s marketing team is INSANE.”
Barbie marketing is off the charts and way out of our budget. But with over 100+ brand collaborations, Barbie is absolutely unavoidable. So unavoidable that the Oppenheimer movie is also benefiting from their crazy marketing with something no one could have predicted with the trending hashtag #Barbenheimer, promoting a double feature of polar opposite movies.
Let’s break down the vastness that is Barbie marketing and how it can relate to your marketing:
Creating Excitement
Hollywood starts marketing movies very early to build anticipation and excitement. Businesses should do the same. The Barbie Team strategically teased different elements of the movie very early. People are drawn to the unknown, and slowly releasing details creates intrigue. This process takes lots of planning, time, and patience. The Barbie team created a massive buzz.

User-Generated Content
The Barbie team knew they need a massive amount of user-generated content. So they created a free AI-powered Barbie Selfie Generator, which users then post to their social media—literally marketing to 100’s of thousands of people for free. Barbie’s team didn’t know for sure that it would go viral, but the important lesson is they put it out there as an option for users to embrace. User-generated content has the highest engagement and is free marketing for businesses. Give people the opportunity to create content for your brand.

Brand Collaborations
This is nothing new for the Barbie brand, but they did take it to a whole new level. It appears as if they did not turn down a single-brand collaboration. With over 100+ brand collaborations, this magnifies Barbie’s reach to so many audiences, from kids to adults. It truly shows the power of brand partnerships and collaboration. They provide so many upsides for all involved; seeking and creating these partnerships is an amazing way to find new audiences and showcase your brand.

Defined Brand
Barbie has been cultivating since the 60s cohesive brand experience, but Mattel needed to bring Barbie to 2023. They were able to build on the past throughout all of their marketing and brand collaborations, utilizing their signature Pink but creating new key messaging like “She’s everything, he’s just Ken.” They strategically kept Barbie's iconic image and propelled it into a new generation who will make Barbie their own. When you look at any of the marketing from the new movie you instantly see the connections. Providing a customer with a consistent experience across all touchpoints and interactions with your brand is so important because it builds trust and fosters a sense of familiarity.

Uncluttered Design
Speaking of Barbie Pink, the team leaned into the iconic color and brand recognition by creating an iconic billboard with only a date. This minimalist advertising approach is something that any brand can experiment with. But it also speaks to truly understanding where your advertising is being placed. People viewing this billboard we driving by on a busy highway at 65 mph. They only have seconds to focus on it and remember what the advertisement told them.

The Barbie movie marketing brought a 60-year-old brand into 2023. The movie’s marketing team has shown us how branding strategies matter. It teaches us that brands can capture attention, build loyalty, and generate buzz for their services. Like Barbie, brands can boost awareness and engagement by infusing innovation, consistency, and strategic vision into their marketing.
Now we can’t all be Barbie, but we can all have cohesive brands. To learn more about creating your consistent brand, check out our article on "Why Madak Creates Brand Guides".
This week's Madak Monday was written by:

Elli Haddick
Senior Marketing Manager
Related Blogs
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostru.

The Differences Between Brand, Brand Identity, and Branding
There are many terms in the field of marketing that may seem synonymous at first glance. Understanding the differences between similar terms is essential for the effective growth of your business and your brand. For example, many people may think of a company logo when they think of the word “brand”, but a logo is not synonymous with brand, branding, nor brand identity — it’s just a small piece of all of them.

5 Benefits of Competition in the Marketplace
Whether you’re an athlete trying to break a record, a growing entrepreneur trying to squeeze into a saturated market, or a well-established business trying to innovate, competition pushes us to perform better. It’s natural to want to avoid conflict, but facing challenges head on and embracing the good that comes from competition can lead to groundbreaking ideas and give you better insight into the strengths and weaknesses of your business. This article will cover five ways in which competition in the marketplace can raise the bar for your business, strengthen your brand, and give you a competitive advantage.

Grow Your Bottom Line with Automated Marketing
Automating certain tasks in business can turn hours of work into minutes, and sometimes eliminate manual processes altogether. While completely hands-off automations are the perfect solution for the daily busywork that exists just to take up valuable company time, marketing often requires more human interaction and authenticity. So what does automating your marketing look like when you want to stay in direct contact with potential leads and create valuable content? Keep reading to get some insight into what marketing automation is, how it helps your business, and some tips on how to implement it.
Reimagine Your Digital Impact
Transform your website, pitch decks, sales collateral and more, all with transparent, upfront, pricing.