Barbie Australia embraces global brand revamp telling kids they can be what they want to
Barbie Australia has embraced the revamped global brand philosophy for the doll in a new campaign, offering kids the chance to win $10,000 to help them become whatever they want to be.
The new ‘You Can Be Anything’ campaign from the Taboo Group moves away from the product-centred ads of old and aligns with the move by global giant Mattell to revamp the marketing for the much-maligned toy, taking it back to its roots of inspiring girls to live their dreams.
Mattell has recently brought in a more diverse range of Barbie toys after intense criticism of the old style dolls for promoting body dysmorphia and unrealistic expectations amongst children.
The campaign also features some minute long content films with three kids featured in the ad: Quincy Symonds is an eight-year- old surfing prodigy and champion; Humanitarian Cael Faye single-handedly raised over $10,000 for charity by the time he was eight; And 10-year- old YouTube filmmaker Grace Mulgrew has over 400,000 subscribers. One of her Barbie videos has over 54 million views.
Reece Hobbins, The Taboo Group creative director, said: “Our challenge was to develop a piece of communications that inspired young kids, but also signaled to parents that Barbie was continuing to evolve what it represents.
“So instead of creating a story, we searched Australia for children who were living their own – and asked them to tell us about it in their words”.
Marketing director at Mattel, Chedney Rogers, added: “When Ruth Handler created the Barbie doll in 1945 she said ‘My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be. Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices’. That ideology is more relevant now than ever, and we want Barbie to continue to be a vehicle for creativity, imagination, and greatness, for all kids.”
The campaign will also see Barbie award one lucky kid with a personalised $10,000 experience to give them a serious leg up in achieving what they want to be.
