What is Barbie’s secret really? That is, what made “The Barbie Movie” so successful that it surpassed the $1 billion in sales, faster than nearly any other movie in the history of cinema? (Note: Only one of the “Harry Potter” franchises achieved it faster.)

Part of the explanation is simply that the movie is a good one, with broad appeal, compelling actors, a witty script, and clever Easter eggs and nostalgia-inducing bits. But much of the credit goes to the expansive, sophisticated marketing campaign undertaken in collaboration by marketers employed by different firms, all determined to bring Barbieworld to the entire real world.

The marketing budget was impressive, at an estimated $150 million. But that spending also was devoted to creative, attention-grabbing campaigns. Warner Bros., which produced the movie, sought and entered into collaborations with a multitude of partners, both expected and unexpected. Working with Mattel, the toy company that owns the rights to Barbie, seemed like an obvious move. They created life-sized Barbie toy boxes to place outside theaters, allowing moviegoers to imagine themselves as Barbies, as well as digital imagery of such personas. Mattel allowed the moviemakers to include decades of its intellectual property in the film itself. As much as the historic toys inspired the filmmakers, Mattel also introduced new toys that mimic the design, sets, and costume choices from the film.

But less obvious collaborations also sparked conversation and attention. A life-sized Barbie Dream House appeared on Airbnb. A limited edition Xbox console came up for sale, housed in in a Barbie-pink case. Multiple fashion brands introduced Barbie-licensed apparel for adults and children, to fulfill their strong desires to attend screenings in all pink to match the aesthetic. In Progressive Insurance commercials set in Barbieworld, the spokescharacters Flo and Jaime referred to a obvious “secret client” who bundled insurance for her Dream House and Dream Car.

Calling the overall marketing design a “breadcrumb strategy,” Warner Bros. executives consciously sought to place advertising in unexpected places, such that the surprise would lead consumers to investigate further. The first time that the movie’s trailer—which featured part of the opening sequence of “The Barbie Movie” and its homage to “2001: A Space Odyssey”—appeared in theaters, it was before “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Science fiction fans might not be the most obvious target market for “The Barbie Movie,” but by leveraging this unexpected placement, Warner Bros. sought to alert audiences that the film would challenge their expectations.

It also allowed public access to filming on the Santa Monica boardwalk, where Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, dressed in Dayglow leotards in their roles as Barbie and Ken, roller skated and shot scenes near Ken’s professional setting, “beach.” Knowing that the action would prompt amateur photographers and fans to take pictures and post them, the filmmakers kept the set open, which provided extensive, free advertising that sparked people’s curiosity, months before the movie was ready.

These creative efforts also had a strong foundation on which to build. Mattel has been actively promoting Barbie for generations, and it estimates that more than 90 percent of girls have owned at least one Barbie in their lifetimes. These efforts over the years mean that the Barbie brand is already familiar to nearly every moviegoer in Western cultures, as well as many Eastern ones. Thus, when Robbie appeared at press screenings and openings, dressed in outfits that clearly had been inspired by historical Barbie dolls, it helped evoke familiar recollections of consumers’ own doll collections as children.

But the long history of the doll also has featured some conflicting and troubling perspectives; by leaning into such controversy, the marketers embraced those very issues as inspiration for more of the movie’s marketing. Critics have long noted the unreasonable beauty standards that Barbie dolls create, and for many adult women, their childhood affection for Barbie may feel outdated or antifeminist. Acknowledging these internal conflicts is central to the plot of the movie, and they also became central to its marketing. Thus for example, a widely used tagline prior to its release (reportedly written by Greta Gerwig, the movie’s director) promised, “If you love Barbie, if you hate Barbie, this movie is for you.”

That purposefully broadly defined target market also helps account for the movie’s success. It is accessible to young children (even if some of the jokes might go over their heads), teenagers, and adults. It allows viewers who cringe at the notion of Barbie to feel validated, especially in the first half of the film. It also allows those who regard Barbie as an inspiration to feel validated and confirmed in their choices. It embraces a feminist message, using gentle humor to ensure the message can be understood, followed, and accepted by people with various viewpoints (with some notable and predictable exceptions, of course). It is empowering without being strident, it is funny without being overly silly (even with the presence of Will Farrell), and it shares a message without being preachy.

So the marketers had a great product to promote. But the methods they used to market it represent novel, creative, and groundbreaking approaches that ensure and increase the value of the offering for consumers, just as all great marketing should aspire to do.

Discussion Questions:

1. In your view, what was the most effective element of the marketing campaign for “The Barbie Movie”? Why do you pick that element?
2. How precisely does this novel marketing campaign create value for viewers?

Sources: Zoe Chance, “The Secret of the Barbie Movie’s Marketing Success,” Yale Insights, August 8, 2023; Eva Rothenberg, “‘Barbie’ Makes History with $1 Billion at the Box Office,” CNN, August 6, 2023; Rebecca Rubin, “Inside ‘Barbie’s’ Pink Publicity Machine: How Warner Bros. Pulled Off the Marketing Campaign of the Year,” Variety, July 23, 2023; Lisa Laman, “Here’s What Makes ‘Barbie’s’ Marketing Campaign So Genius,” Collider, August 5, 2023