How Warner Bros. Turned Barbie Into a Cultural Phenomenon
A masterclass in marketing and brand awareness
Today, we take a look at the marketing strategy of the latest Barbie movie. So be ready for a very pretty in pink post. It has been generating a lot of buzz, even before its release. This is due in large part to its innovative and unconventional marketing strategy. Topping over 1.2 billion dollars, Barbie has surpassed Chropsher Nolan’s Dark Knight at the Box Office.
Neflix has analyzed show attributes that are most likely to create virality and conversation. Eric Palotta, (former VP Brand) @Neftlix says Barbie is hitting all top attributes:
Nostalgia;
Younger viewers;
Visual iconography ( Squid Game/ Stranger Things…);
Topical socio-political issues;
Talent with social following appeal.
From a marketing strategy standpoint, it is a real masterclass. First, let’s take a look at the brand partnership between Mattel and Warner Bros.
The Barbie Movie: A Dream Team Partnership
Mattel and Warner Bros. entered into a partnership in 2019 to produce the live-action film based on the Barbie doll. The film is directed by Greta Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
The financial terms of the partnership have not been disclosed, but it is estimated that Mattel will receive a significant portion of the film's box office revenue. Mattel is also expected to benefit from the film's merchandise sales.
The partnership between Mattel and Warner Bros. is a significant development for both companies. For Mattel, it is an opportunity to expand the Barbie brand into new markets and reach a new audience. For Warner Bros., it is an opportunity to tap into the popularity of the Barbie doll in order to reach box office success.
Some of the benefits of the partnership for Mattel and Warner Bros.:
For Mattel:
The opportunity to expand the Barbie brand into new markets and reach a new audience.
The opportunity to generate revenue from the film's box office and merchandise sales.
The opportunity to build brand awareness for the Barbie doll.
For Warner Bros.:
The opportunity to tap into the popularity of the Barbie doll and create a film that is expected to be a box office success.
The opportunity to attract a family audience to the film.
The opportunity to generate revenue from the film's box office and merchandise sales.
The Barbie movie is just one of the many projects that Mattel and Warner Bros. are working on together. The two companies have also partnered on a number of other projects, including a Hot Wheels movie and a Masters of the Universe movie. In fact, Mattel just renewed its licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, continuing as the studio’s toy licensee in the toy categories. This includes brands like DC Universe, Harry Potter, Ted Lasso, and more. These partnerships are a sign of the growing trend of toy companies and film studios working together to create content that appeals to children and families
“Breadcrumb” strategy — cryptic teasers/posters
The marketing campaign for the Barbie movie began long before the first trailer was released. In 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures began releasing a series of cryptic posters and social media posts.
Teasing the movie with a series of cryptic posters and social media posts. These posts were designed to generate curiosity and speculation about the film's plot and tone.
In 2023, the marketing campaign kicked into high gear. The first trailer for the movie was released in June, and it quickly went viral. The trailer was praised for its subversion of traditional Barbie stereotypes and its positive portrayal of female empowerment.
In addition to the trailer, Warner Bros. has also released a series of promotional images, featurettes, and interviews. These materials have further helped to build excitement for the movie and to challenge people's expectations about what a Barbie movie can be.
Partnerships galore with other brands
The Barbie movie has also partnered with a number of other brands, including Mattel, Xbox, Balmain, Birkenstock, AirBnB... These partnerships have helped to promote the film to a wider audience and generate even more buzz. Let’s take a look…
Microsoft Xbox
Xbox has created a special Barbie-themed console.
Popup experience with Barbie-themed Malibu AirBnB and NYC café
Barbie partnered with Airbnb to let you rent Ken’s dream house in Malibu. Boasting only one bedroom, you can live your life in technicolor. The host is Ken himself, he even wrote the property description. Check it out, it’s worth the tour.
In NYC on Fulton st, Malibu Barbie Cafe New York opened.
Mattel
Obviously, this movie could not have happened without a partnership with Mattel in place. For the occasion, Mattel released a new product collection based on the movie. Not only this collection promotes the movie, but it also boosts sales of the brand.
Bumble
Barbie and Ken become your dating coach. Users can get message suggestions from all the Barbies and Kens featured in the movie. This is linked to Bumble’s recent survey claiming that members who send a Compliment have an increased likelihood of matching.
Burger King
Not that I would eat it, but who said Pink Burger?
These are just a few of them. There are actually many more brand partnerships, so many that Time magazine covered them all here. It is interesting to note that these partnerships are covering all types of products and industries (consumer/tech/real estate/hospitality/fashion etc…) making the target audience extremely wide.
It is also hard to ignore this giant Barbie's Giant 3D render in Front Of Burj Khalifa that turned viral.
Social amplifiers
What do Mattel, Margot Robbie, Warner Bros, Burger King, and Crocs? have in common (aside from the Barbie thing)? They all have great social accounts with sometimes millions of followers.
With every partnership — brands and talent — come great social accounts. It is easy to see how for each partnership, organic posting can turn into a social amplifier, reaching new audiences, and expanding the reach of the campaign.
Special episode of the podcast on how to build an online brand campaign here:
In addition to the marketing strategy mentioned above, the Barbie movie has also benefited from a number of other factors, such as the star power of Margot Robbie and the positive reviews that the movie has received from critics. These factors have all contributed to the movie's high level of anticipation and excitement.
The Barbie movie is a prime example of how a well-executed marketing strategy can help to create a successful film. The movie's marketing campaign has been innovative, inclusive, and positive, and it has helped to make the Barbie brand more relevant and appealing to a wider audience.
The marketing strategy for the Barbie movie has been a success for several reasons. First, it has been creative and unexpected. The teaser campaign was particularly effective in generating buzz and getting people talking about the movie. Second, the marketing campaign has been inclusive and diverse. The cast of the movie is also diverse, and the marketing materials have reflected this diversity. This has helped to make the movie more appealing to a wider audience. Third, the marketing campaign has been positive and uplifting. The movie is being marketed as a celebration of female empowerment, and this message has resonated with audiences.
The marketing strategy for the Barbie movie is a masterclass in brand awareness. By creating a buzz around the movie and challenging people's expectations, Warner Bros. has made the Barbie brand more relevant and appealing to a wider audience.
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