Barbie"s Dream Conglomerate

 

Would you like to live in Barbie's Dream House?  You can.  Both the Dream House that was built for the new movie and the one seen below, as well as several others, are on Airbnb.  

Barbie and Ken's new movie is opening this month.  Writer, director and actor Greta Gerwig is in charge.  Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling have  the staring rolls.  

The film is not for little girls and boys who love to play with their Barbies and Kens.  It's directed toward teens and adults.  

I've just finished a long article in the current The New Yorker magazine about the Barbie/Mattel empire.  Barbie first appeared in 1959.  A Mattel employee said that Barbie had been to space before most earthly women had a credit card.  

1961 is remembered for the Bay of Pigs invasion and the creation of Ken, Barbie's boyfriend.  A Mattel executive, in speaking about the Barbie brand, said that it is aspirational, inspirational and not something you want to turn into a parody.  So we get it, this is serious business. 

In the beginning Barbie was not universally loved.  Some moms found her anatomically impossible figure inappropriately sexual.  "I am not a Barbie doll" was a popular slogan for women's rights protesters.  But Barbie was, and has continued to be, enormously popular, along with her many accessories such as homes, cars, and her amazing array of outfits for her amazing number of occupations.  In 2022 Barbie was the best selling fashion doll in the world. 

Mattel's Robbie Brenner said "If it's something that could be totemic, obviously that's a great bonus." The term "totemic," describes movies and TV shows that generate merchandising opportunities.

A fifty-dollar doll resembling Margot Robbie, who plays Barbie in the movie has already sold out; so has a seventy-five dollar model of Stereotypical Barbie's pink Corvette.  But you can still purchase Barbie candles, luggage and frozen yogurt. 

This morning I read a review that said, "If you love Barbie you'll love this movie and if you hate Barbie you'll love this movie. 

So I guess I'm good to go.

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