What Barbie can teach us about Marketing

Whether you love or loathe her, Barbie can teach us all a little about marketing. In today's blog I want to explore the strategies behind the success of the Barbie movie. Barbie has consistently captured the hearts of millions with her iconic fashion sense and empowering storylines. This years film is no different.

Let's look into how the marketing team behind the Barbie movies has engaged audiences worldwide. After all, let's face it Barbie is on everyone's lips! What can the Barbie movie teach SME's about marketing?

1. Clear and recognisable branding is vital
Pink is everywhere this July. Every girl and woman between 12 and 45 has asked herself what do I own which is Barbie pink? Barbie has a very strong and recognisable brand image- from the bright colours to the cursive font. This shows the importance of having a strong brand which allows customers to immediately identify your business.

2. Paid promotions can spark organic promotions
One of the most interesting aspects of the Barbie marketing strategy is although paid promotional methods have been used, most of the marketing is organic. In all of the campaigns, there has been some paid promotions which has then led onto organic promotions. Every campaign began with a taster of the movie and as a consequence created a buzz online and offline. Can you use paid promotions to start conversations or a buzz?

3. Multi-channel is best. 
Most film marketing strategies use a mixture of promotional methods and Barbie is no different. The Barbie movie has used magazine and newspaper ads, social media, cinema adverts, billboards, affiliate marketing (Barbie crocs anyone?!) and many more methods. The methods chosen are based on the ideal customer profiles, for example cinema visitors see adverts for other films at the cinema. Barbie highlights importance of using a variety of promotional methods for the greatest result. How can you get in front of new customers in their daily lives?

4. Start early
Did you know the first advert for Barbie was released in 2022? A whole year before the film came out. In fact before filming was complete. This led to a buzz and anticipation before the release of the film. Every company can create a buzz before release dates to encourage sales.

5. The customer experience
When I took my son the cinema today, he said
'I feel really excited just to go the cinema, isn't that funny'.
Visiting a cinema is an experience, the seats, the lights, the sounds.
Warner Bros has understood this. They recognise the event is an experience for the customer which is why foyers of cinema's everywhere are set up with Barbie boxes and photo props.  It is why girls and women are sharing their pink outfits on social media. Barbie has ensured customers have an incredible experience which they tell others about (word of mouth marketing). How can you update your experience to make sure it is exciting?

It is incredible how Barbie can teach us so much about marketing our own business, and how we can take inspiration from Barbie promotions to inspire our own marketing strategies and plans. I can help guide your own marketing journey, providing expert insights and tailored strategies to make your project shine. Contact me today for a consultation, and let's promote your business like Barbie!

Sources:

• Barbie Media. (n.d). Retrieved from https://barbiemedia.com/
• Mattel Films. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.mattelfilms.com/