Small Companies Desire a Piece of Barbie’s World

By Kailyn Rhone and Arriana McLymore

NEW YORK (Reuters) – It’s Barbie’s world, and U.S. small companies hope their social-media advertising and marketing may help them money in on it.

From Malibu makeovers to striped canine bandanas to scorching pink cocktails, many small enterprise homeowners have latched on to Barbie-inspired merchandise to get extra eyes on their web sites and social media accounts forward of Friday’s U.S. launch of “Barbie,” the film set to develop into a cultural sensation.

Mattel’s iconic doll model partnered with large corporations together with Inditex’s Zara, Airbnb and Google to launch licensed merchandise and merchandise.

However as Mattel-licensed Barbie advertising and marketing and merchandise flood large corporations’ shops, resort suites and social media posts, small corporations additionally search to capitalize on the hype.

“Small companies could take a look at the Barbie promotions and dream of that form of finances and mass model consciousness,” stated Brianne Fleming, an adjunct advertising and marketing teacher at College of Florida. “However there’s nonetheless a chance … whereas everyone seems to be speaking about Barbie.”

As of Thursday, the hashtag Barbie had been used 14.1 million occasions on Instagram and had 50.5 billion views on TikTok, making it a main goal for small manufacturers trying to find extra visibility on-line.

Anima Iris, a web based retailer primarily based in New York Metropolis that sells handmade purses, on Monday launched a 30% off sale for all its pink purses with Instagram captions together with “We’re all about that Barbie Life” and “Hello #barbie. What are you sporting to the #barbiemovie premiere?”

As soon as the agency noticed the joy across the Barbie film, it wished to leap on the chance, proprietor Wilglory Tanjong stated. The agency’s publish, which options Tanjong utilizing a voiceover from the Barbie film, is among the model’s most-viewed and most preferred movies on TikTok.

Stoutridge, a New York-based winery and distillery with a weekly electronic mail publication, blasted out a “spur of the second” Barbie-inspired scorching pink cocktail recipe on Wednesday after solely taking an hour to create the drink, stated proprietor Kimberly Wagner. The cocktail, referred to as “The Barbie,” is a mix of Blue Curacao, grenadine syrup and membership soda.

MoonFire, an arts boutique primarily based in Dallas, Texas, hosted a Barbie-themed collaboration in particular person with ten small companies promoting hot-pink, Barbie-inspired merchandise. The outlets provided free cocktails, flash tattoos and a life-sized Barbie field. Its TikTok video for the occasion drew greater than 100,000 views.

Swag Pup Co, a pet retailer, promoted its Barbie and Ken-themed bandanas for canines on social media. Proprietor Mica Garbarino stated a “classic” black-and-white pup outfit bought out throughout the first few days–faster than her typical pup attire.

To make sure, even greater manufacturers with out official Barbie licenses are making the most of the pink-themed pattern. Swarovski’s Soho location in New York Metropolis is now adorned with bubble gum pink partitions behind its neon pink swan brand. A seek for “Barbie” on the corporate’s web site returns rose-gold jewellery and pink gemmed rings.

J. Walker Smith, a marketing consultant at analysis agency Kantar, stated that regardless of the scale of firm, you will need to be on-trend and getting behind the Barbie momentum “is an excellent concept.”

“Small companies are by no means ready to create large mega-trends – very massive companies can do this. So, for small companies, the technique is to be a fast follower,” he stated.

Smith stated small manufacturers making the most of the Barbie advertising and marketing momentum will scoop up extra “than simply younger individuals” and can seize the “prime advertising and marketing goal” of girls who’re of their 30s and 40s.

These ladies “straight management a disproportionate quantity of spending” they usually not directly function influencers and gatekeepers to kids and teenagers, in response to Smith.

(Reporting by Kailyn Rhone and Arriana McLymore in New York Metropolis; Modifying by Josie Kao and Nick Zieminski)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.