Barbie

I'm having issues embedding the video. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHnp3JDG-yU

1. Who created this message?

This commercial was created for Mattel. Mattel is currently the 2nd largest toy company in the world, after LEGO. Barbie is one of Mattel’s most well-known and valuable toys.

2. What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?

I’m sure this advertisement appealed to me because the two young girls starring in the ad looked a lot like me at the time. And they were having so much fun, laughing and playing with Barbie.  Everything looked so pristine and beautiful.  There was even a catchy jingle about the duvet cover and lacy pillows.

3. How might different people interpret this message differently than me?

Barbie has a very specific look- white, long blonde hair, blue eyes, tiny waist. This leaves out a lot of people and it sends the message that this is what girls should aspire to look like. Most boys wouldn’t feel like they were being encouraged to play with Barbie. Watching the string of Barbie ads, I did not see any boys in the ads.

4. What viewpoints or world views are included or left out of this message?

All of the Barbie advertisements are starring little girls who are having so much fun playing with Barbie. The ads end with the girls saying, “We’re into Barbie.” And you should be too is how I always felt.

The Barbie ad that I was focused on was the Barbie Bedroom set because I remember this particular ad as a child. I don’t remember watching the Wedding Barbie ad as a child but I was surprised watching it as an adult.  In this ad, Barbie was putting on “frilly lingerie” before getting dressed for her big day. Seeing ads for sexualized, extremely thin dolls would make a lot of people feel uncomfortable.

5. Why is this message being sent?

Toys are an extremely lucrative business. This message was being sent directly to little girls during Saturday morning cartoons in hopes that they would ask their parents to purchase the dolls.