“This movie is empowering!”

“Hopefully, my daughter understands why I’m always tired.”

“Didn’t expect a movie like this could have such deep messages.”

Those are some comments from my friends who watched the recent Barbie movie. The sweetly emotional 114-minute package made the audience, especially women, feel like they found a companion in this film, a best friend.

Empowering Women Through Dolls

The Barbie movie opens with a scene of young girls playing with dolls, accompanied by a narration that challenges traditional gender roles: ‘In the past, girls were confined to playing with baby dolls, preparing them for a future of caregiving and motherhood.’ This narrative is disrupted by the appearance of a stunning doll in a black and white swimsuit, heralding a new era in the ‘Barbie world’ where women assume essential roles in life. Barbie is no longer just a doll; she can be a president, a doctor, a law enforcer, and more, empowering young girls to dream beyond societal expectations.

Mattel, the manufacturer and distributor of Barbie, made a bold move and successfully raised awareness through this movie. Barbie’s character stereotypes have long been controversial because they set new beauty standards for women worldwide. Although Mattel innovates with diverse Barbie and Ken dolls, its stereotypical dolls with white skin, slim bodies, blue eyes, and blonde hair will always be its trademark.

In this movie, the stereotypical Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, suddenly malfunctions. Her foot suddenly becomes “flat,” indicating something is wrong in the real world. With Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, Barbie explores the real world, which is opposite to her ideal world. Barbie threatens other women who are anxious about maintaining their existence and placing themselves in social spaces, feeling like they’re not themselves and afraid of competition because they refer to the perfect life fiction created by Barbie. Women in the real world think that Barbie is only relevant in a phase of life, while the rest is an endless struggle—far from the dream the figure produced on March 9, 1959. In this movie, Mattel seems to “confess” their sin of becoming a company that has made women more miserable and constantly pressured to appear perfect rather than motivated, confident, and happy.

Of particular interest to our audience, this movie delves into the shifting dynamics of gender roles. Men, symbolized by Ken, grapple with the rise of women’s independence and empowerment, prompting a redefinition of masculinity. Ken and his counterparts strive to assume leadership positions and diminish women’s roles to create a more balanced life. This vibrant film boldly confronts gender roles and addresses the ongoing issue and conflict between men and women in contemporary society.

Directed by feminist Greta Gerwig, this movie also captures another dimension: the romance between a mother and a teenage child. Portraying the sadness of a teenager seeing their stressed mother unveils the mother’s distress, who is also a working woman, and the feelings of a teenager in their journey to adulthood struggling to shape themselves. Greta described the emotional awareness across generations very well in the movie. This movie is not only a “vitamin” for Gen-X and Gen-Y, who are grappling with life challenges and patriarchal values, such as dual roles and the struggle to reach strategic positions, but also opens up the knowledge of GenZ about gender role equality. Barbie then invites its audience to realize that women can play a role in every aspect of life. That women playing alongside men (and vice versa) is inevitable—not a competition.

Integrated Communication and Marketing Strategies

The adeptness of Barbie’s communication and marketing team in crafting social issues on gender equality reinforces its position as the most iconic brand in the modern world. Leading up to the release of the Barbie movie, a “Barbie mania” was created among its fans by arousing curiosity from new target audiences through social media campaigns, experiential marketing, and partnerships with several brands.

Barbie also encourages its audience to fearlessly express themselves through the #barbiechallenge, packaged in various social media posts. In Indonesia, influencers compete to upload content acting like Barbie dolls, sparking similar content from the public. Referring to Google, the keyword “Barbie” has been a top search since early 2023, covering character players, stories, dolls, and soundtracks.

Brand collaborations have become more diverse leading up to and after the release of this movie, with ALDO, NYX, Zara, and others launching unique Barbie-themed fashion designs. This successful marketing strategy has sparked the resurgence of the Barbie brand and contributed to the increase in doll sales and Mattel’s stock.

Utilizing social messages to boost awareness and even a brand or corporation’s position is an intelligent communication strategy. However, this strategy must be packaged in a well-planned, long-term campaign timeline, combined with tailored-made planning, including efforts to identify potential partners or the right social communities, including influencers and key figures related to the social issues to be addressed. This step presents the most significant challenge: brand owners and social activists must understand two opposing poles. This understanding is crucial for the audience to feel informed and aware.

Highlighting Social Issues Through Popular Approaches

The precision in crafting and deepening the issue is a crucial factor in the success of a campaign. A brand or corporation is usually accused of riding on social issues without providing solutions to gain more profit. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the brand or corporate capacity to solve these problems and their limitations. Conversely, social activists need to soften their idealism and consider the extent of outreach that can be expanded and the more significant impact that is generated through collaboration schemes. Like an ecosystem, multi-stakeholders should build a mutualistic symbiosis to achieve goals together, at least at some level.

For example, collaboration can generate digital discussions that can be expanded and deepened through subsequent strategies. It is also important to remember that no matter how a social idea is conveyed, it should be tailored to the target audience’s psychographic profile and communication channels.

In the end, the success of a social issue campaign lies in the agreement and emotional connection between the ‘two poles.’ On the one hand, brand owners need to build more value to maintain their existence in an increasingly critical era of social change toward a better life. On the other hand, social activists can maximize the power of audiences and resources owned by brand owners. This discussion and collaborative step between the two poles can achieve the goals of each party.

Author: Dewi Bastina