Redefining Play: The Rise of Kidults and Gender Fluidity in Toys

The 2023 movie Barbie and its accompanying marketing blitz incited a worldwide craze. Suddenly Barbie was everywhere, a celebrated icon reinstated at the forefront of cultural conversation.

This flourishing of goodwill stood in contrast to decades of criticism of the Barbie brand. Although proponents had celebrated Barbie for her promise to “inspire the limitless potential in every girl,” detractors felt that the doll promoted a narrow beauty standard and perpetuated gender stereotypes.

In this episode of Cold Call, Harvard Business School Professor Elie Ofek and coauthor and doctoral student Ryann Noe join host Brian Kenny to discuss the case “Barbie: Reviving a Cultural Icon at Mattel.” They explore how Mattel planned to sustain the Barbie brand’s positive momentum and replicate the doll’s success across other toy brands in the company’s portfolio.