Mattel essays

Barbie’s ensemble and gentle appearance created an aura of innocence which Mattel’s brand also desired to uphold. Children’s dress up games, tea or biscuit parties, and pretend proms all occurred with Barbie as the center of attention.

Mattel’s initial failure also tarnished their reputation as a company interested in family values and culture. By ignoring that Japanese children have their image and family cultures, Mattel significantly ostracized themselves from mainstream consumers.

Mattel needs to acknowledge that some of the same strategies deployed in Northern or Southern America may be invalid or irrelevant in countries that do not practice the same lifestyle. For instance, in the Americas young girls see their mothers use lipstick, wear bikinis, and wear sandals to show off pedicures.

This adaptation enabled Barbie over the last 50 years to stay a brand as a marketing strategy. Mattel has seen the opportunity to continue its marketing to more cultural influences in the United States, Mattel has created an African American as well as Hipic Barbie to capture both markets within Northern and Southern America.