Mattel’s Barbie is putting fresh energy behind its long-running “You Can Be Anything” tagline with the debut of a new campaign. “Give Limitless Possibilities” showcases what it means to give a Barbie to someone by bringing to life the benefits of doll play across all of its joyful, loud, imaginative — and sometimes messy — variations.
“Give Limitless Possibilities” launched Aug. 30 with a spot that centers on empathy, self-expression and confidence, traits that the 65-year-old Barbie brand aims to instill in children. The effort, which kicked off at a Chicago Sky WNBA game, is also meant to reclaim “what it means to give a Barbie,” according to press details.
“Barbie’s at her best when she connects to culture. She’s timeless and timely, she holds up a mirror and she’s also at the forefront of highlighting new trends and breaking new boundaries,” said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls at Mattel. “We continue to evolve Barbie to be more relevant — a modern reflection of what today’s kids and families see in the world around them.”
A new ad begins with the sound of children’s laughter and voiceover of various adults as they describe what they wish they could give to their kids. Children are then seen in playful scenarios with Barbie dolls as the voiceover continues, describing a number of qualities, from a wild imagination to the confidence to be “unapologetically you,” that the speakers wish they could pass on to their kids. The spot ends with the words, “but most of all, I’d give you the belief in your own potential, and, well, that’s kind of Barbie’s whole thing.”
The emotional creative, made with agency 72andSunny Los Angeles, concludes with a callback to the “Give Limitless Possibilities” campaign and “You Can Be Anything” tagline. The spot is meant to embody the sentiment of the parents who wish to give their children the world, Berger explained, while also reminding them of the good that can come from Barbie doll play.
“We keep joking that the film reads or views like found footage,” Berger said. “These are really organic moments that happen in houses every day around the globe, and knowing that Barbie is sort of at the heart of these moments, and reminding people of that, I think is so powerful.”
‘The work’s not done yet’
“Give Limitless Possibilities” premiered exclusively on Aug. 30 at the Chicago Sky versus Indiana Fever WNBA game as part of a Barbie theme night inclusive of activities including a pre-game panel discussion; giveaways of custom Barbie x Chicago Sky sherpa belt bags and Barbie Hawaiian shirts; hair braiding stations featuring Barbie colors; and a photo booth. Debuting alongside the women’s basketball event, which doubled as Barbie’s first themed WNBA game, helps further the brand’s message of empowerment and highlighting role models to emphasize the “if you see it, you can be it” mantra, according to Berger.
The launch also represents a continuation of Barbie’s 65th anniversary celebration, which has included a number of product rollouts around International Women’s Day, including dolls that replicate a handful of iconic women, and new career dolls that include a farm vet, pop star and astronaut. Over its lifespan, Barbie has highlighted over 250 careers through its dolls.
The campaign follows last year’s release of Mattel and Warner Bros. “Barbie” movie. The film, which generated $1.36 billion at the box office and boosted sales of the toy by 25%, inspired a marketing frenzy as brands including Bumble, Roku and NYX Professional Makeup sought to tap into the pop-culture moment. Plus, it marked a turnaround for the Mattel brand from a decade ago when it was losing social currency with the parents who make purchases despite having continued value among kids, Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and chief brand officer at Mattel, said during an Advertising Week panel last year.
“The Barbie movie did an amazing job, it was a global phenomenon,” Berger said. “We are so excited to see an expanded audience now re-engaging with Barbie the brand.”
The choice to double down on Barbie’s “You Can Be Anything” tagline contrasts a year marked by change as other decades-old marketers ranging from Best Buy to Ocean Spray deploy overhauls and refreshes of their brands. While some are seeking newness, a deeper focus on Barbie’s longtime mantra is key to staying true to who the brand is at its core, Berger explained.
“[‘You Can Be Anything’] is at the heart of our purpose, and it so uniquely captures something that only Barbie can really own within this space,” Berger said. “Ruth Handler invented Barbie because, to her, the doll always represented the fact that women had choices, so our purpose of inspiring the limitless potential in every girl, making sure that they know you can be anything, and then representing that in all of our forms — the work’s not done yet.”
