After a year in which her namesake movie resulted in more than a hundred brand partnerships and significant earned media, Barbie is still getting work.
The Mattel-owned doll headlines a new spot from Verizon that promotes its internet service.
Marketing News & Strategy
Verizon enlists Barbie to promote its internet service
New spot taps into doll’s status as a cultural icon
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Barbie and her StreamHouse star prominently in Verizon's new campaign.
Credit:
Barbie
The spot parodies the Barbie DreamHouse by introducing the StreamHouse, an enviable home powered by Verizon’s WiFi internet service. Even Ken can’t mess it up. The 60-second spot, which was created with Ogilvy, will begin airing Wednesday. An instrumental version of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please, Please, Please” provides the soundtrack.
Ads will run on primetime TV and during NFL games, as well as streaming video on Peacock, Hulu, Max, Disney+, YouTube and Twitch. In addition, the spot will air in theaters and the campaign includes out-of-home placement at the Sphere in Las Vegas and digital billboards in New York City.
The marketing push further reinforces Barbie’s appeal as more than a doll. The brand was used in a similar fashion in a 2022 Super Bowl spot for Rocket Mortgage to market the financial company’s Rocket Homes product.
Verizon will also host a pop-up StreamHouse activation in New York City from Dec. 12 to 15. The site will offer interactive tours and co-branded collectible products from Verizon and Barbie.
Barbie’s new appearance comes amid a challenging week for parent company Mattel. The toy maker issued an apology on Monday after mistakenly printing a porn website address on the box of a new line of “Wicked” dolls.
