Research Symposium

BIO

Nicole Cohen, who goes by Nikki, is Senior at Florida State and will be graduating this Spring. She is double majoring in Media/ Communication Studies and Editing, Writing, and Media. Currently, she is in the process of finding a creative and engaging in-person job in a city environment post-graduation. Her interests include film, theatre, fashion, writing, social media, music, and politics.

What Made the Barbie Movie So Successful?

Abstract

The marketing campaign for Mattel and Warner’s 2023 hit blockbuster Barbie has been a smashing success. There have never been this many new and unconventional partnerships, digital, and social promotions going on at the same time, and being as successful as the ones ran for the Barbie movie. However, the reason behind all the “buzz” has yet to be discussed. Was it because they launched over 100 partnerships? Or because the Barbie doll is an iconic toy that evokes nostalgia in audiences of all ages? This study will examine all the different marketing strategies used in the Barbie movie marketing campaign, from partnerships to digital to social media, as well as compare Barbie’s campaigns to other successful movie marketing campaigns. Additionally, I will be taking a look at modern-day marketing strategies, such as B2B and “buzz” marketing. Mattel’s marketing campaign caused the film to break box office records within the first weekend, and holds a current gross revenue of almost $1.5 billion, making marketing and movie history.

Keywords: marketing campaign, Barbie movie, movie marketing mix, brand partnerships, social media