Much of Barbie’s recent marketing has come without direct involvement from agencies; rather it came via collaboration with brand partners such as Crocs and Airbnb and its partnership with Warner Bros., the studio behind the film. The 160-plus brand collabs and meme moments in the months leading up to the July release of “Barbie” contributed to the film’s record-breaking blockbuster results. The film, which was directed by Greta Gerwig, raked in more than $1 billion in global box office results in its first three weeks, the highest ever for a female solo director.
The movie’s success has also contributed to Mattel’s recent earnings bump, reversing a former sales slump. For the quarter ended Sept. 30, inclusive of the release of “Barbie,” Mattel posted $1.92 billion in revenue, exceeding analyst expectations with a 9% gain over the year-earlier period. Net income for the quarter was $146.3 million.
On a call with analysts, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said the company plans to amp up its advertising during the holiday season.
“We have greater retailer support versus the prior year with more shelf space, larger representation across major holiday catalogs and plans for increased advertising,” he said.
Last month, Mattel introduced more “Barbie” movie merchandise to its online store, including a doll version of Ken in the popular “I am Kenough” sweatshirt the character wears in the film. The company had also released a Weird Barbie, another character in the movie, for sale as well.