The Daily Scoop: Barbie’s marketing juggernaut paints the world pink

Barbie. It’s a name that speaks for itself. It’s also an iconic, longtime brand that is not afraid to reinvent its image to appeal to longtime fans and new ones. That’s apparent in the intense marketing efforts leading up to the highly anticipated summer movie,  Fortune reported.

Among other efforts, Barbie’s Dream House in Malibu, California will soon be available for a stay for two lucky winners. “Ken” made an Airbnb post about the home after Barbie left it for the summer. This all is a clever, viral marketing ploy to generate buzz around the July 21 movie release. The pink Dream House features a rooftop terrace with a beach, Ken’s room, an outdoor gym and more.

This is just one in a number of experiential marketing efforts, including a Barbie Boat Cruise.

Why it matters: She’s an icon, she’s a legend and she is the moment. Barbie is a name that evokes a memory, emotion, or something altogether else for everyone, no matter how young or old you are. The immersive, Barbie-themed experiences want to surround you with Barbie’s lifestyle and serve as a reminder that she’s always there. Other times, they want to draw you in with minimalistic marketing, like in this simple yet iconic poster.

11) Simple pink OOH billboard does the job (s/o @Whatleydude) pic.twitter.com/dyBQes9viK

— Moshe Isaacian (@MosheIsaacian) June 26, 2023

They’re bringing you into Barbie’s world with her extravagant, pink lifestyle in a colorful and tangible way. Mattel shows that you sometimes need to go all out to get people sucked in the pinktastic journey.

Not all of us work with brands that are instantly recognizable just by their Pantone shade of pink. But this campaign shows how to build an inviting world that audiences long to experience for themselves, and how to pull out all the stops to show that life in plastic is simply fantastic.

Editor’s Daily Reads:

• Brands are rethinking advertising in video games and coming up with ways to create their own games. Companies like PepsiCo and L’Oréal are making games to stand out from other competitors and appeal to some of the roughly 3.2 billion gamers around the world. “We don’t want to be a logo-slapped brand and have overt advertising,” PepsiCo.’s Head of videogaming and esports Paul Mascali said.
• The Morning Consult released The State of Media & Entertainment Report: H2 2023, delving into this industry’s trends and challenges, including the economy’s impact on media titans trying to up profits while cutting costs. Other topics include different ways people watch shows. The report states that two in five adults wouldn’t mind paying extra for video streaming services that had content “based on big franchises.” Also, about a quarter of adults say that AI in show productions and movies “makes dialogue and plots worse.”
• CNN is rebuilding after giving the news network’s chief Christ Licht the boot. CNN is opting for a bolder look that undoes some of the decisions Licht put in place. “It appears more muscular, confident, and unafraid to speak up,” according to an analysis from CNN media reporter Oliver Darcy. “With Licht gone and a new leadership team in place providing the necessary editorial support, that fear is dissipating, resulting in a noticeable change in tone.”

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.