From Dollhouse to Hollywood: Find out how this 2023 film turned the whole world PINK!

So today, I’ll feature a guerrilla marketing tactic that I’m sure most of us have encountered in 2023.

Ready?

Keep reading below to learn about this “pink phenomenon.”

From Dollhouse to Hollywood: Find out how this 2023 film turned the whole world PINK!

Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing

“I’m a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world 
Life in plastic, it’s fantastic 
You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere 
Imagination, life is your creation” 

Barbie, the iconic emblem of toy company  Mattel Inc., was introduced in early 1959. Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel alongside her husband, pioneered the doll’s introduction, naming Barbie after their own daughter.

The dolls soared in popularity over the years, and consumer demand generated epochal Barbie introductions, most notably that of her boyfriend, Ken. 

Succeeding this male doll’s 1961 debut, Barbie’s best friend, Midge, and little sister, Skipper, followed suit. Additionally, Barbie assumed numerous professions like flight attendant, nurse, and astronaut to acquaint young girls with diverse career paths and encourage them to follow their dreams. 

Then, with Mattel’s globalization, Barbie dolls also eventually assumed a variety of ethnicities, nationalities, body types, and ensembles. It also had an eponymous media franchise known as the  “Barbie Cinematic Universe”  that includes: 

• Barbie in the Nutcracker 
• Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper 
• Barbie as Rapunzel 
• Barbie: Mermaidia 

… and more. 

Surely, many of you or your then-little-girls have seen these animated films! 

So today, we’ll look at how marketing helps in Barbie’s worldwide renown, particularly in the promotion of director Greta Gerwig’s 2023 hit movie about the doll brand. 

“Come on, Barbie, let’s go party” : Unveiling the Guerrilla Marketing Tactics Behind the 2023 Film’s Success

Mattel’s Barbie demographic may be young girls between ages 3 to 12, but the target audience of Gerwig’s 2023 film far exceeds this population. 

In fact, female viewers of  every era  largely compose Barbie’s projected public—from the “Silent Generation,” who purchased the first Barbies for their children, to the “Gen Alpha,” the newest Barbie consumers.

The film tackled the patriarchy’s adverse effects on womanhood and the consequential disadvantages and explicit sexualization many women face in their lives. 

… but wait, there’s more!

The film also touched on ways in which men are harmed by toxic masculinity. This explains why the movie was also able to captivate male audiences of varying ages.

Simply said,  “Barbie’s”  target audience was EVERYONE. 

… and with such a wide-ranging demographic, it’s clear that the production team needed innovative tactics to entice diverse audiences.

BIGGER and PINKER: The Guerrilla Marketing Tactics that Made Everyone Want to Live in Barbie’s World

The  “Barbie”  marketing campaign made use of some of the promotional basics you would expect from a movie release—billboards, character posts, social media campaigns, and movie trailers. 

However, unlike the others, the film’s campaign team took on these elements and made them sooooo much more impactful and interactive!

• Character Posters
  
  The  “Barbie”  character posters were one of the most buzzworthy topics online following its spring debut. These promotional images, revealing the film’s star-studded cast, displayed vibrant headshots and brief role descriptions of each character.
  
  
  
  The Internet catapulted this photo layout into overnight virality by inserting personal images and captions into the Barbie posters through the film’s official Selfie Generator. 
  
  By integrating memes and user-generated content into  “Barbie’s”  advertisement, Gerwig’s marketing team had a taste of success from the outset.
  
  
• AirBnB Dreamhouse
  
  As part of the film’s grandiose promotional venture, the classic real-life Barbie DreamHouse, “hosted” by Ken, was made bookable on popular home rental platform,  Airbnb. 
  
  
  
  The pink-slathered Malibu mansion allowed guests to indulge in the ultimate immersive Barbie experience. Renovated with careful attention to the details of Gerwig’s film, the not-so-humble abode got the entire Internet talking and comprised one of  “Barbie’s”  most successful marketing campaigns.
  
  
• Brand Collaborations
  
  “Barbiecore” permeated even restaurant chains, leading  Burger King  to launch a limited meal in honor of the 2023 movie. Among its Brazil locations, the fast food franchise’s Barbie specialty included a cheeseburger topped with bright pink sauce, a strawberry milkshake, donut, and “Ken’s potatoes.”
  
  
  
  That’s just one out of 165 collaborations Mattel had with other brands to promote the film! Other partnerships included Barbie-themed apparel, luggage, homeware, and furniture. 
  
  
• Soundtrack
  
  “Baby, you can find me under the lights
  Diamonds under my eyes” 
  
  Consequently,  “Barbie’s”  marketing team amplified anticipation surrounding the film by curating its soundtrack, ensuring it included millennials and Gen Zs’ most revered musical icons. 
  
  

  

  
  
  “Barbie: The Album”  incorporated singles by the hottest names in pop and hip hop, like Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Ice Spice, and Nicki Minaj. Following the tracklist’s announcement, fans eagerly anticipated the album’s release, generating promotional buzz and intriguing these artists’ listeners.
  
  
• Xbox Content
  
  In preparation for the  Warner Bros. Pictures  release,  Xbox  teamed up with Mattel to produce exclusive Barbie-inspired  “Forza Horizon 5”  in-game content. 
  
  
  
  Highlighting Barbie’s signature optimism and flair for self-discovery, Xbox users were granted the opportunity to follow the doll throughout a virtual Barbie Land, “following in her high-heeled footsteps.” 
  
  This partnership proved an excellent method for expanding  “Barbie’s”  publicity toward the console’s male-skewed demographic.
  
  

Who wouldn’t want to engage with a brand or movie with such marketing tactics as these? 

Clearly,  “Barbie’s”  campaign team hit the jackpot with these brilliant and clever guerrilla marketing executions! 

RESULTS

• Global Barbie doll sales reached USD 50 million with the release of the movie’s doll collection. 
• The social media frenzy led to  “Barbie’s”  media value of USD 7 million and 23 million social engagements. 
• Through influencer partnerships, Barbie gained 438 million impressions and USD 750,000 in earned media. 
• The Barbie channel on  YouTube  recorded over 1.6 billion views in 2023, a 21% viewership increase year-on-year. 
• Key collaborations ignited sales, with multiple Barbie collections selling out within minutes of launch. 
• Public relations efforts culminated in 3.3 billion impressions worldwide and resulted in a sales surge across major U.S. retailers like  Amazon,  Target, and  Walmart.

Clearly,  “Barbie’s”  marketing campaigns’ immense success set a new global benchmark for integrated marketing.

Kudos to the campaign team! 

— 

So, what marketing lessons can we learn from  “Barbie’s”  box office success? 

First, it’s important to have a brand identifier. Barbie Pink is a color/identifier inseparable from the 2023 film, with its promotion encompassing pink billboards, pink outfits, and pink carpets. 

Through this single color,  “Barbie”  was able to conjure thoughts of its message to its target audience. 

Second, utilize brand partnerships. Through various collaborations, consumer demographics became aware of the  “Barbie”  movie and its release date. 

Third, always consider creating immersive promotional experiences. From vacations to themed restaurants,  “Barbie”  was able to indulge audiences in the film’s culture. 

Now the pink ball is in your hands… what emblem will you develop to make your target market remember your brand? 

As you think about it, be inspired by this 2023 film’s “pink phenomenon!”

You’ll see, as you utilize these strategies to your brand’s advantage, you’ll also be able to captivate your customers with BIGGER,  bolder, and “pinker” campaigns.

Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.

Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!

Do you want to know how this famous candy company enticed its fans to embark on a digital treasure hunt in 2010?

Find out in next week’s article!