Multinational toy manufacturer and entertainment company Mattel has had a surge of popularity recently. Most known for creating Barbie dolls, the brand’s recent dive into the film industry caused shockwaves online.
The recent Barbie movie release was the first venture into cinema for Mattel Films – the film production division of Mattel – since 2016. Interestingly, this was also the first movie from Mattel Films to receive a PG-13 rating. And maybe this audience shift was part of its success.
Historically, Mattel’s target audience have been children. Yet, proving that they aren’t scared to reinvent their brand image, the Barbie movie was actually designed to target ex-children: adults.
The brand also took a noteworthy approach with their film: they made jokes at their own expense. While this isn’t a new tactic, it’s worked well for Mattel. Jesting about their own previous shortcomings when it comes to gender issues in the workplace, they used the film to prove their growth.
And people loved it. During the week following the film’s release, almost half of emotion-categorized mentions about the film expressed joy. Social mentions for Mattel hit a peak in August, just a few weeks after the film’s release.