Barbie brand commemorates milestone
anniversary ahead of International Women's Day by:
- Honouring Shania Twain, global superstar and celebrated
Canadian songwriter, with a one-of-a-kind role model doll in her
likeness
- Announcing anniversary collection of Barbie dolls
- Collaborating with over 40 brand partners
TORONTO, March 6,
2024 /CNW/ - Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT)
announced today its kickoff to celebrate the 65th
anniversary of Barbie and over six decades of breaking down
boundaries and inspiring girls through storytelling, encouraging
them to be confident, daring, brave and legendary.
Since the brand's inception, Barbie has helped girls explore
their limitless potential through different roles and narratives –
from encouraging self-expression through dress-up to playing out
any of her 250+ careers. With Barbie by their sides, countless
children have been able to imagine their own stories through play
that help shape their real-life futures. As Barbie celebrates her
65th anniversary on March
9, the brand is sharing countless stories of empowerment and
bringing her legendary legacy to life through the eyes and words of
fans everywhere, starting with some of the most renowned
storytellers out there.
"Barbie's story has never been just about her. It's about the
countless young kids she's inspired and the millions of stories she
helped them imagine along the way," said Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie
and Global Head of Dolls. "For the past 65 years, Barbie has
used her global platform to empower girls to dream big, explore
their limitless potential, and direct their own narrative to shape
their future. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we
recognize over six decades of stories Barbie has helped write and
the doll that continues to give everyone the opportunity to dream –
and dream big."
To honour global storytellers who are using their platform for
good, Barbie is recognizing eight women worldwide who embody the
brand's mission to inspire stories to shape the future. In Canada,
Barbie is honouring Shania Twain, global superstar and celebrated
songwriter, with a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll made in her likeness
for her impact as a storyteller shaping the future. Shania Twain is
a five-time GRAMMY winner, one of music and fashion's most renowned
trailblazers, and the first artist in history to release three
consecutive diamond-certified albums. With six albums released and
more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Twain remains the
top-selling female country pop artist of all time. In April 2023, Twain kicked off her sold-out global
Queen of Me tour, which ran through November
2023, and was one of the top 10 highest-grossing country
tours of the year. Shania will return to Las Vegas this May for her third residency
entitled "Come On Over!"
"As a young girl, I was inspired by the essence of Barbie to
create my own imaginative world and express myself through role
play and storytelling," commented Shania Twain. "I applaud
Barbie for encouraging girls to create their own narratives and I'm
honored to serve as a storyteller and role model during their 65th
anniversary year. I hope other young girls are inspired to play out
their dreams and recognize their limitless potential."
The Barbie brand is kicking off 65th-anniversary
celebrations this March by:
- HONOURING GLOBAL STORYTELLERS USING THEIR PLATFORM FOR
GOOD with one-of-a-kind role model dolls made in their likeness
in celebration of International Women's Day.
- To highlight impactful storytellers, Barbie is recognizing
eight women worldwide who embody the brand's mission to inspire
stories to shape the future. The global lineup includes:
- Shania Twain (Canada): Global Superstar, Celebrated
Songwriter, and Style Icon
- As one of music and fashion's most renowned trailblazers
breaking down barriers for women in country music, Shania Twain is
the top-selling female country pop artist of all time.
- Viola Davis (United States): Critically Revered Artist,
Activist, Producer, Philanthropist, and Best-Selling Author
- Viola Davis is an Oscar, Emmy,
Tony, and Grammy winning actor. Her production company, JuVee
Productions, focuses on giving a voice to the voiceless through
impactful narratives defined by inclusion. Davis has partnered with
multiple programs to eradicate childhood hunger in the United States.
- Dame Helen Mirren (United
Kingdom): Acclaimed Actress and Advocate for Women's
Stories
- Helen Mirren is one of the
world's best known and most respected actresses, along with being
an advocate for embracing and celebrating self-expression, aging
and fashion.
- Kylie Minogue (Australia): Artist
- As a superstar artist, Kylie
Minogue's glittering career has kept her firmly rooted in
the present whilst defining and celebrating much of our collective
past.
- Maira Gomez (Brazil): Content Creator
- Hailing from the indigenous community of the Tatuyo ethnic
group in Amazonas, Maira Gomez aims
to present the culture and traditions of her people to her nearly 7
million followers on social media.
- Lila Avilés (Mexico): Director, Producer, and
Screenwriter
- Lila Avilés is an award-winning film producer, having won more
than thirty international festivals and whose movies have a strong
reception from international critics.
- Nicole Fujita (Japan): Model
- Nicole Fujita is a model and TV
personality whose apparel brand will be opening its first retail
store in March.
- Enissa Amani (Germany):
Comedian
- Enissa Amani is a stand-up comedian and political activist
using her voice to create and produce viral shows addressing racism
issues in Germany.
- Barbie is dedicated to showcasing more impactful stories and
storytellers who can help inspire fans of all ages to craft their
own narrative and unlock their limitless potential.
- INTRODUCING AN ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION of products
revisiting some of the most popular career dolls from Barbie's
impressive resume and introducing new celebratory and Fashionista
dolls inspired by classic Barbie looks throughout her history. The
65th anniversary collection includes:
- The Barbie Career 65th Anniversary doll collection
highlights three of the most popular careers held by Barbie since
the doll's creation including Farm Vet, Pop Star, and
Astronaut.
- A new signature, collectible offering inspired by the original
1959 Barbie doll, dressed in a classic couture gown featuring white
and black stripes, celebrating the iconic black and white striped
bathing suit.
- 2024 Fashionistas dolls paying homage to Barbie fashion
through the years by re-imagining iconic looks in modern day
outfits. The new dolls are inspired by 65 years of style including
the 1959 First Barbie, 1977 Superstar Barbie, 1985 Peaches 'n'
Cream, and many more dolls.
- UNVEILING BARBIE-THEMED COLLABORATIONS with partnerships
spanning across diverse industries, Barbie fans can expect to see
monumental efforts throughout the entire calendar year, championing
Canadian women-owned and diverse businesses, rooted in collective
inspirational values.
"With every year, Barbie continues to champion
endless possibilities for women and girls, inspiring people all
over the globe," states Jennifer
Gileno, Head of Licencing, Mattel
Canada. "For Barbie's 65th, we wanted to shine a spotlight
on a diverse group of Canadian brands, who are individually and
collectively changing conversations in each of their respective
fields, highlighting and celebrating women empowerment."
Canadian and global collaborations include:
-
- On International Women's Day, March
8, Barbie is set to release a new limited edition
partnership collection with the iconic Canadian brand Roots. The
nine-piece collection pays homage to the Roots Canadian heritage,
while playfully embracing Barbie's bold and dynamic history through
a pink lens.
- A partnership with Canadian woman-founded visionary, better for
you candy brand SmartSweets, launching on March 12, 2024. Embracing Barbie's messaging of
limitless potential and a sweeter world, SmartSweets is releasing
an exclusive flavour and shape, inspired by the nostalgia of
carefree childhood days and dreamy summer memories. Will be
available at Walmart, Save On Foods, Hudson News, Amazon, Well.ca,
and SmartSweets.ca.
- Launching in Summer 2024 is a partnership with a carefully
curated group of Canadian fashion, beauty, accessory and jewelry
brands, reimagining Barbie through the decades from today's lens.
As a first for Barbie in Canada,
the partnership leans into Barbie's unwavering leadership and
messaging of fashion and female empowerment and aims to inspire
sisterhood as part of each individual's path to success. (Further
information to come in summer 2024).
- An Inclusive fashion partnership with a Canadian fashion brand
to embrace accessibility in fashion. (More information to come
summer 2024).
- Barbie: The World Tour, a new illustrated book available
March 19th, created by
Barbie the Movie star/producer Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal with photography by Craig McDean and creative direction by
Fabien Baron, in partnership with
Rizzoli to capture the glamour and high style of the most popular
doll in the world.
- Barbie by Assouline, a luxury, 340-page coffee table
book fabricated in silk Barbiecore pink, which explores the brand's
evolution, decade by decade, with fascinating facts, insights and
never-before-seen imagery that opened the imagination for what a
doll – and a woman – could be.
- CELEBRATING AT RETAIL across the globe with in-store and
online activation, including:
-
- An Amazon Barbie 65th Brand Shop featuring
Barbie-themed products including toys and apparel.
- Toys 'R' Us Canada, celebrating a Barbie 65th Anniversary
celebration in-store across the country on March 9th with a Barbie-themed cookie decorating
party and exclusive offer.
- Walmart, featuring Barbie displays at locations across the
country this spring under the theme "65 Years of Inspiration,
Dreams Made Here." This retailer will feature many new product
launches throughout the year including apparel, sporting goods and
grocery as well as some exciting and exclusive toy offers!
Barbie's 65th anniversary year follows a milestone
moment in the brand's history with the 2023 release of the
Barbie movie, created in partnership with Warner Bros.
Pictures. Since its theatrical debut last July, the critically
acclaimed, award-winning Barbie movie has shattered multiple
box office records by becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023,
the highest-grossing film ever for Warner Bros. Pictures, and the
highest-grossing film by a female director, Greta Gerwig.
Following Barbie's birthday on March
9, the brand will continue to celebrate throughout the year,
including addition partnerships across next 65 days, and further
activities through the Fall.
About Mattel
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the
strongest portfolios of children's and family entertainment
franchises in the world. We create innovative products and
experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through
play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands,
including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®,
Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas &
Friends™, UNO®, Masters of the Universe®,
Monster High® and MEGA®, as well as other
popular intellectual properties that we own or license in
partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings
include film and television content, gaming and digital
experiences, music, and live events. We operate in 35 locations and
our products are available in more than 150 countries in
collaboration with the world's leading retail and ecommerce
companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a
trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of
childhood and reach their full potential. Visit us online
at mattel.com.
SOURCE Mattel Canada, Inc.