One has to be living under a rock to be unaware of the massive buzz around Barbie, the film by Greta Gerwig based on Mattel's iconic doll of the same name. The film is making history at the global box office having earned over $155 million in North America and $337 million globally in the first weekend. Barbie's box office earnings have captured the imagination of the public largely due to the fact that Barbie clashed with legendary filmmaker Christopher Nolan's World War II drama Oppenheimer. While the film has left Oppenheimer behind in most territories– India being an exception – in terms of box office earnings, Barbie does take second seat to Nolan's film in terms of critical reception. So, what explains Barbie's dream run at the box office? As per one user, who goes by the handle “Aakash Gupta Product Growth Guy”, a large part of the film's success can be attributed to the film's stellar marketing campaign.
In a detailed Twitter thread, the user has compiled 50 of the team's best marketing stunts. In a tweet, the user said, “Barbie's opening weekend was $337M. That's nearly 2x Oppenheimer's $174M. Warner Brother's insane ”Operation Barbie Summer” is a big part of that success. These are 50 of the team's most amazing marketing stunts,” proceeding to specify the marketing activities that took the entertainment world by storm.
“1. 3D ad in front of Burj Khalifa
2. Google Confetti for Greta Gerwig, Ryan Gosling, and Margot Robbie
3. Margot sharing “Meet Ryan Gosling” was on her list of things to do before she dies on Extra TV.
4. Building a Malibu Barbie dream house that can be seen from 10 miles away and available for rent on @Airbnb.
5. HGTV Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge with Ashley Graham
6. All the other Mattel brands x Barbie
7. Barbie song by Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice.
8. EPIC main trailer with a giant blowout party, planned choreography, a bespoke song - and a hilarious preview of Will Ferrel and Greta Gerwig's characters.
9. Barbie at the DC Pride Parade.
10. Barbie-themed hotel
11. Hilarious Ryan Gosling interviews like this in GQ Magazine
12. Barbie plane by Lockheed Martin
13. Architectural Digest tour of Barbie's home
14. Billboards that speak for themselves [referring to pink billboards]
15. Makeover of Sidney's iconic Bondi Icebergs Swimming Club
16. World of Barbie travelling exhibit, now in LA
17. Barbie boat cruise in Boston
18. Indiscriminate out of home
19. Secret Margot Robbie Letterboxd account
20. Actual Letterboxd Greta Gerwig interview. Greta made history with the biggest opening weekend debut for a film directed by a woman
21. 2001: A Space Odyssey-style teaser trailer
22. Ruggable collection
23. Barbie x Video game
24. Barbie x Pinkberry
25. Barbie x Forever 21
26. Fun 'Looking Good Barbie' clip pre-release
27. Barbie x ALDO Shoes
28. Barbie x GAP
29. Barbie x Impala Skate
30. Barbie x Bloomingdales
31. Barbie x NYX Cosmetics
32. Barbie x Kitsch
33. Greta Gerwig on Good Morning America
34. Barbie x Canada Pooch
35. Margot and Ryan at BBC Radio 1
36. Barbie x Swoon
37. Barbie X Cakeworthy
38. Barbie X Moon Oral Beauty
39. Barbie x Homesick Candles
40. Barbie x Beis Travel
41. Barbie X Funboy
42. Margot on CBS Sunday Morning
43. Fun 'Just Allan' clip pre-release
44. Pink Xbox
45. The Cast with Michael Cera [BuzzFeed]
46. Barbie-themed episode for Summer Baking Championship, Season 1, Episode 7 on Food Network
47. How Margot became Barbie with Teen Vogue
48. Fun 'Just Ken Exclusive' clip
49. Ryan and Margot on Good Morning America
50. An AI selfie generator: http://Barbieslife.a
51. Barbie x Burger King
52. Barbie at NYC Pride”
Take a look at the tweets here:
2. Google Confetti for Greta Gerwig, Ryan Gosling, and Margot Robbie pic.twitter.com/R9THUKJuvl
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
4. Building a Malibu Barbie dream house that can be seen from 10 miles away
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
And available for rent on @Airbnbhttps://t.co/5hCTxN5moL
6. All the other Mattel brands x Barbie pic.twitter.com/t0G2bO50dy
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
8. EPIC main trailer with a giant blowout party, planned choreography, a bespoke song - and a hilarious preview of Will Ferrel and Greta Gerwig's characters pic.twitter.com/8g6YWtFTwv
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
9. Barbie at the DC Pride Parade pic.twitter.com/rTWiVs8WHm
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
10. Barbie themed hotel (vid by @JakesTakes) pic.twitter.com/Id6u5BVgDB
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
Check out the complete thread here
The user also noted, “The marketing team for Barbie clearly didn't sleep or waste a single dollar in its $150M budget. It's a great model for marketing teams: Websites. Interviews. Out of home. Big TV Shows. Licensing deals. They all come together to generate a world-class marketing experience.”
The marketing team for Barbie clearly didn't sleep or waste a single dollar in its $150M budget.
— Aakash Gupta ???? Product Growth Guy (@aakashg0) July 25, 2023
It's a great model for marketing teams:
Websites
Interviews
Out of home
Big TV Shows
Licensing Deals
They all come together to generate a world class marketing experience. pic.twitter.com/F3niRav5Dp
NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee wrote about the film, “Barbie, in essence, banks on straightforward fable-like means to present a pointed and imaginative survey of the pitfalls of male hegemony over corporate America and a hard look at where women stand in the real world and in the tactile domain of the imagination.”
In addition to Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film features America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell in other pivotal roles.
