"Barbie's Got a New Body"

[$tevie]

Barbie sales plummeted 20% from 2012 to 2014 and continued to fall last year. A line of toys designed to teach girls to build, Lego Friends, helped boost Lego above Mattel as the biggest toy company in the world in 2014. Then Hasbro won the Disney Princess business away from Mattel, just as Elsa from the film Frozen dethroned Barbie as the most popular girl’s toy. The estimated revenue loss to Mattel from Elsa and the other Disney Princesses is $500 million.

Meanwhile, American beauty ideals have evolved: the curvaceous bodies of Kim Kardashian West, Beyoncé and Christina Hendricks have become iconic, while millennial feminist leaders like Lena Dunham are deliberately baring their un-Barbie-like figures onscreen, fueling a movement that promotes body acceptance. In this environment, a new generation of mothers favor what they perceive as more empowering toys for their daughters. Elsa might be just as blond and waif-thin as Barbie, but she comes with a backstory of strength and sisterhood. “The millennial mom is a small part of our consumer base,” concedes Evelyn Mazzocco, head of the Barbie brand, “but we recognize she’s the future.”
http://time.com/barbie-new-body-cover-story/

http://www.barbie.com/en-us

[rgG]

Wow. Wasn't expecting this.
This could be a huge boon for Mattel, because now instead of just one Barbie, little girls may want one of all the different shapes, colors, hair colors, etc. It will be like Beanie Babies, you have to have them all.

[jdc]

Is the third one supposed to be Rebel Wilson?

[3d]

One curvy body out of four? I guess it's better than nothing.

[$tevie]

rgG wrote: It will be like Beanie Babies, you have to have them all.

I hadn't thought of that but it sounds extremely probable.

[3d]

rgG wrote:
Wow. Wasn't expecting this.
This could be a huge boon for Mattel, because now instead of just one Barbie, little girls may want one of all the different shapes, colors, hair colors, etc. It will be like Beanie Babies, you have to have them all.

We'll see if consumers support this with their wallets. Talk is cheap.

[Paul F.]

And, three years from now, they will reintroduce "Classic Barbie" to wild fanfare...

[3d]

Coming out for next holiday season:
Silver Toyota Camry Hot Wheels cars and Honda Odyssey mini-van playsets.

[$tevie]

3d wrote:
One curvy body out of four? I guess it's better than nothing.

Not sure what you mean. There's 4 body types, 7 skin tones, 22 eye colors, 24 hairstyles, with all the combinations possible. This wasn't about making Plus Size Barbies.

Paul F. wrote:
And, three years from now, they will reintroduce "Classic Barbie" to wild fanfare...

They are still selling her, as "Original Barbie".

[jdc]

$tevie wrote:
[quote=3d]
One curvy body out of four? I guess it's better than nothing.

Not sure what you mean. There's 4 body types, 7 skin tones, 22 eye colors, 24 hairstyles, with all the combinations possible. This wasn't about making Plus Size Barbies.
I didnt realize there were so many combos -- but it looks like the original photo is of the 4 new bodies, the "original" isnt shown.