Barbie goes vegan!

Two years ago, Mattel launched an innovating Barbie dolls collection: “Barbie Ladies of the 80’s” where they added Joan Jett Barbie doll. 

Joan Jett, an America rock singer and guitarist, is best known by the hit cover “I love Rock n’ Roll” which she worked with her group “Joan and the Blackhearts”. 

Barbie dolls have been criticized of providing a negative image for young girls’ self-esteem and health, but Joan Jett Barbie doll could change this opinion since the American Rock Star is a perfect example of healthy eating habits. 

Joan Jett has been a vegetarian for more than 20 years. She has also contributed to animal defense organizations such as Farm Sanctuary, and pro vegetarian campaigns. 

The American Rock Star has also promoted PETA through several years.

 She once said “If there's anything I love more than rock and roll, it's animals”. 

This “Barbie Ladies of the 80’s” collection has been available since December 2009. It has been a great success since this Barbie dolls have a diversification focus. 

The promotion of health eating habits through Barbie dolls has also been a well plan strategy for Mattel to eradicate Barbie dolls “bad” image through some publics.

Source:

Star, Vegetarian. “Barbie Ladies Of The 80s” Joan Jett Barbie Doll From Mattel. 10 November 2009. 09 November 2011 <http://vegetarianstar.com/2009/11/10/barbie-ladies-of-the-80s-joan-jett-barbie-doll-from-mattel/>.

Barbie Spa

 After a long and tough day of work or school, many of us just want to get relaxed. What a better way to be stress-free than visiting a spa? 

The world’s only Barbie Spa is located in Shanghai, China. It was established right after the World Expo in Shanghai. 

This Barbie Spa provides several fascinating beauty services. Relaxing massages, nail art design, a Barbie body scrub, or a Barbie-tini, are some of the services the Barbie Spa has. 

The Barbie Spa is created especially for women and girls. Girls can also have their first nail art design experience at the same time as their moms are getting relaxed.

This Spa is very innovating, and it is the only one in the world. The most special feature this Spa contains is the fact that it is completely Barbie styled. Its elegant, trendy, feminine, and stylish features are what characterize this unique Barbie Spa. 

Other services they offer are: A Barbie Café and Barbie Shop. Delicious beverages, teas, and coffees 

 are ordered in this Barbie Café. 

On the other hand, girls can also visit the Barbie Shop and design their own Barbie doll. They can choose her doll’s clothes, nails, hair color, and shoes. In this Barbie shop they can complete create her perfect Barbie doll by feeling the fabrics before picking the doll´s outfit.

Source:

JetSetCD. Jaunted . 15 June 2010. 3 November 2011
<http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/6/15/83859/4324/travel/A+Shanghai+World+Expo+Alternative%3A+The+Barbie+Spa>.

Trick or Treat

Halloween celebrations are closer, and Barbie will never get behind with these festivities.

Barbie has a special Halloween Holiday Collection which includes beautiful Barbie dolls dressed up with fun costumes. The first Halloween Barbie dolls were Barbie and Kelly Halloween Target gift set launched into the market in 1997.  

Throughout the years, Mattel has innovated every year its Barbie dolls. Every year, they launch different Barbie dolls versions with diverse costumes. 

Mattel has also created special dolls version for Barbie’s friends. 

Barbie has dressed up as Medusa, the Wicked Witch of the West, Batgirl, and Poison Ivy. Mattel also created for the special Barbie Collection other costumes such as, Barbie as Elvis Presley, Barbie as Pirates of the Caribbean, Barbie as Athena Doll, Barbie as Catwoman and Wonder Woman. 

Mattel also created Barbie and Ken dolls costumes. These dolls have dressed up for Halloween as Morticia and Gomez from the Addams Family, Romeo and Juliet, Herman and Lily from the Munsters, Arwen and Aragorn of The Lord of the Rings, and finally the unforgettable couple Elvis and Priscilla.

 

Barbie has a wide range of Halloween costumes that become better and better every year.

Barbie has also had a huge impact on Halloween costumes for girls and teenagers. A girl dressed up as a classical Barbie doll wearing pink all over her shoes, dress, nails, and accessories has become a popular, fun, and original costumes among girls. 

 References: 

"Halloween Barbie Dolls." Squidoo : Welcome to Squidoo. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.

<http://www.squidoo.com/halloween-barbie>.

"Halloween Barbie Dolls." A Guide To Vintage Barbie Dolls, Clothing, Accessories and Other Fashion Dolls. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://www.fashion-doll-guide.com/Halloween-Barbie-Dolls.html>.

Barbie's Value

Since Barbie launch into the market, Mattel has experienced a significantly rise in its earnings. Barbie has a wide range of products that vary from the original and well-known Barbie dolls, Barbie’s friends, all kind of accessories such as cars, beach houses, doll houses, until pink clothing created specially for girls to dress up as Barbie does.

All kinds of products have emerged from this brand. Barbie’s pink color that distinguishes the brand has been recognized all around the world.

School bags, notebooks, decoration lamps, closets, quilts, cell phones, Barbie has aroused with every item a girl would like to have its branding.

Mattel states that every second, three Barbie doll are being sold somewhere around the world.

Every second!

During this year, Mattel Inc. reported for the three months that ended March 31^st, sales totaled $951.9 million dollars compared with $880.1 million for the same quarter a year earlier. (Los Angeles Times)

It is said that Mattel is one of the most producing and selling toy makers in the market.

For this reason, Mattel has already won a lawsuit against their competitors, the Bratz dolls creators, and Mattel has accomplished to remain in the top of dolls sales. 

Source:

Chang, Andrea. "Mattel Earnings: Mattel Reports First-quarter Drop in Profit - Los Angeles Times." Featured Articles From The Los Angeles Times. 16 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/16/business/la-fi-0416-mattel-earnings-20110416>.

When I grow up...

Do you remember what you wanted to be when you grew up? Well, you have already grown up. Are you doing what you say you wanted to be?

When we were small girls and boys, we dreamed with being an astronaut, a ballerina, a vet, a swimmer, a doctor, an orchestra director, a teacher, a painter, or maybe a singer.

Now that we are going to college and we are taking important decisions for our lives, it is a good moment for us to ask ourselves if what we are choosing is what we really want to do.

Barbie was created for this purpose; Barbie is for little girls an inspiration to pursue their dreams. As kids it is very simple to dream and imagine how would our lives be in a future, we didn’t fear for what would come later. 

In order for many grown ups to remember what their dreams were, and for little kids to encourage them to dream, Barbie created a series of videos, posted in Barbie's You Tube Channel, of women and girls accomplishing their dreams and living the life they imagined by doing what they love without fear.

Barbie also created a special tab in her Facebook page for girls around the world to share what they want to be when they grow up. Sharing what your dream is and reading other girls’ dreams could become inspiring because you can know you are not the only one dreaming of your future.

Source:

"Barbie's Channel - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/barbie>.

iBarbie

Today the big news about the death of Steve Jobs, co-founder and chairman of Apple Inc., impacted the world. This post entry will be to honor his memory and remember his contribution to the world related to the Barbie world too.

Apple has a variety of technological and innovating products such ipods, iphones, ipads, Apple TV, and Macintosh computers. Itunes was created by the same company to buy music, movies, games, applications, books and some other Apple products online.

Here is where Barbie comes in. Apple created several applications for ipods and ipads. The two most well known among girls are: Barbie Doll’d Up Nails and Barbie Fashionista. Both apps could be downloaded free.

The first app was made for girls to create their own nails design with different styles, color, and length. Girls could then print this design or see how would it look like on them by using the ipod’s camera.

The second app was especially created for girls who wanted to design Barbie’s outfit. For most girls, the most fascinating thing about playing with Barbie dolls would be to select her perfect outfit depending on the occasion; with this app, they could be able to digitally dress Barbie how they wanted to.

Both apps are could be downloaded free in itunes within other Barbie games.

Since the world is moving toward the ipod world, Mattel thought it would be appropriate to introduce Barbie in this world too.

We will always remember Steve Jobs as the man who left a legacy by the ipod invention, but also as an example of passion and dedication toward his own goals and dreams. 

Sources:

"Barbie® Doll’d Up Nails™ for IPhone." Itunes. Mattel Inc. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. <http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/barbie-dolld-up-nails-for/id381744899?mt=8>.

"Barbie® Fashionistas™ Swappin’ Styles® for IPhone." Itunes. Mattel Inc. Web. 5 Oct. 2011. <http://itunes.apple.com/mx/app/barbie-fashionistas-swappin/id405554932?mt=8>.

En Pointe

Since this week we are having the “Swan Lake” on stage in the City Theatre, this post entry will be about Barbie and her performances as a ballet dancer.

One of Barbie’s more than 80 careers is as a ballet dancer. This doll adapted two of the most popular ballet masterpieces: The Nutcracker, and The Swan Lake. Both great ballets from the mid 1800’s introduced by Marius Petipa and Pyotr Ilyitch Tschaikovsky. One interesting fact about these ballets is the commencement of ballerinas to wear tutus in the performances.

Barbie created two movies adapted by these previous ballets: Barbie in the Nutcracker and Barbie of Swan Lake, both directed by Owen Hurley and voiced by Kelly Sheridan as Barbie.

Barbie in the Nutcracker (2001) is a story being told by Barbie to Kelly, her little sister, in order to cheer her up since she is fearful of going onstage and she is also not able to perform a ballet move. The movie plot is inspired in another story: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.  

Barbie of Swan Lake (2003) is adapted from the Swan Lake original story but modified for children. In this movie, the plot begins again by Barbie telling her little sister, Kelly, the story about a girl that turns into a swan.

Both movies retake the meaningful elements found in ballet and translate it into children language. Fantasy and romance are included in these films too, making Barbie’s movies attractive for small girls who dream with becoming professional ballet dancers.

Sources:

"Barbie.com - Ballet History." Barbie - Play Barbie Games, Watch Videos & Find Fun Activities For Girls | Barbie. New York City Ballet, 2001. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. <http://www.barbie.com/nutcracker/history/history.htm>.

"Barbie and Kelly Dancing in Barbie and The Nutracker - YouTube." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 06 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcUcrwC9tUo>.