Mattel’s Barbie Playbook: Replicating Success Across the Company’s Portfolio

The 2023 movie Barbie and its accompanying marketing blitz reinstated a celebrated icon at the forefront of cultural conversation. This sudden goodwill stood in contrast to decades of criticism of the Barbie brand. Although proponents had celebrated Barbie for her promise to “inspire the limitless potential in every girl,” detractors felt that the doll promoted a narrow beauty standard and perpetuated gender stereotypes. In this episode of Cold Call, HBS Professor Elie Ofek and coauthor Ryann Noe join host Brian Kenny to discuss the case “Barbie: Reviving a Cultural Icon at Mattel.” They explore how Mattel planned to sustain the Barbie brand’s positive momentum and replicate its success across other toy brands.