Mattel celebrates Barbie with live events, products

The toymaker is launching a months-long "Be Anything" Tour with Walmart, several pop-ups with Amazon, new content and a 60th-anniversary doll collection.
March 8, 2019

Mattel is officially kicking off celebrations for Barbie’s 60th anniversary today—on International Women’s Day, no less—with new content, events and consumer products.

The toymaker is hosting a number of anniversary events, including an immersive pop-up experience that combines fashion and art in New York City on March 9, as well as the months-long Barbie “Be Anything” Tour that will stop at 36 Walmart locations across the US to give girls the chance to win up to US$20,000 to put toward their dreams. Barbie is also partnering with Amazon on a number of pop-up stores across the US through April 2, and will launch in-store activations at a number of US Target locations countrywide on March 9 that include exclusive Barbie-themed apparel and accessories.

Additional anniversary-specific consumer products include the Barbie Career 60th Anniversary doll collection, which celebrates six careers (astronaut, pilot, athlete, journalist, politician and firefighter) that have long been part of the Barbie world but are still jobs where women are underrepresented. The Barbie 60th Anniversary and Proudly Pink Barbie dolls, meanwhile, pay homage to the brand’s style heritage. Mattel is also partnering with a number of licensees to launch commemorative products across categories including apparel, publishing, food, beauty and travel.

On the content side, Barbie Vlogger launched a new vlog called “Finding Your Voice” on YouTube on March 7, and will also serve as an editor on the YouTube Kids app to create a playlist of inspiring videos.

Mattel is marking International Women’s Day by honoring women breaking boundaries in a variety of career fields as part of its ongoing Shero program. The role models include activist/actress Yara Shahidi (Black-ish, Grown-ish), tennis star Naomi Osaka and model Adwoa Aboah. Together, the new dolls represent the largest and most diverse lineup of women recognized by the program to date. Last year’s Shero program honorees included filmmaker Patty Jenkins, conservationist Bindi Irwin and boxing champion Nicola Adams.

The toyco continues to diversify its doll offerings following the January 2016 launch of its Fashionistas line, which debuted tall, curvy and petite body types as well as new skin tones and hairstyles.

Additionally, the Barbie brand will celebrate its 60th anniversary by supporting organizations working to level the playing field for girls. One dollar from every doll sold (up to US$250,000) will be donated to these like-minded organizations through the Mattel Children’s Foundation.

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