Just a few years ago, Barbie was seen as a polarizing and sometimes hated figure - as documented in the 2018 documentary "Tiny Shoulder". Fast forward to 2023, Barbie could be argued as one of the most universally loved brands in the lead up to the release of the movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

But how did Mattel do it? To understand the branding of Barbie, we must first dive into her history. Did you know that the founder of Barbie, Ruth Handler, created the doll because she felt like only giving young girls baby dolls indoctrinated them into motherhood?

There is a great article about Ruth Handler, the mother of Barbie, on Tablet Magazine (read here)

You can watch "Tiny Shoulders" on Hulu.

This episode is a deep dive into Mattel and the polarizing history of Barbie in the lead up to the 2023 movie. The reason I do not spend much time discussing the Barbie movie is because I stand with the SAG-AFTRA & WGA strike. This is more about the brand behind the doll, Barbie, and is not to be mistaken as a promotional piece of content for the movie.

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