Barbie. history Essay Example

on March 9, 1959, which is now considered her official birthday. In 1964, Mattel obtained the rights to the Bild Lilli doll and production of Lilli ceased.

The first Barbie doll was launched wearing a zebra striped swimsuit in black and white, along with a topknot ponytail. This doll came in both blonde and brunette versions. Marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model," Barbie's clothing was designed by Charlotte Johnson from Mattel. The initial production of Barbie dolls occurred in Japan, where Japanese home workers meticulously hand-stitched the clothes. In just the first year, around 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold. Ruth Handler, the creator of Barbie, believed it was crucial for the doll to have an adult-like appearance. Early market research revealed that some parents expressed dissatisfaction with Barbie's body.

Throughout her history, Barbie has undergone various changes in appearance. One significant alteration occurred in 1971 when her eyes were adjusted to face forward instead of the original model's demure sideways glance. Utilizing television and advertising for marketing, Barbie was one of the first toys to heavily rely on this strategy, which has since been widely imitated by other toys. It is estimated that over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in more than 150 countries.

Biography

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. In the novels published by Random House during the 1960s, she is portrayed as having parents named George and Margaret Roberts who live in the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. The Generation Girl books, published by Golden Books in 1999, depict her attending Manhattan International High School located in New York City. Over her lifetime, Barbie has owned more than forty pets including cats,

dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra.

Barbie has had a diverse collection of vehicles, such as pink Corvette convertibles, trailers, and jeeps. Along with being a flight attendant, she also holds a pilot's license and flies commercial airliners. Barbie's various careers aim to demonstrate that women can excel in different roles. Throughout her history, the doll has been sold with various titles like Miss Astronaut Barbie, Doctor Barbie, and Nascar Barbie.

Controversies

The popularity of Barbie leads to intense scrutiny regarding her impact on children's play. Criticisms often assume that children perceive Barbie as a role model and will try to imitate her.

Barbie's promotion of an unrealistic body image among young women has faced criticism due to its potential impact on girls imitating her and developing anorexia. The typical Barbie doll stands at 11.5 inches tall, which is equivalent to 5 feet 9 inches at a scale of 1/6. Barbie's body measurements are estimated to be 36 inches for her chest, 18 inches for her waist, and 33 inches for her hips. Research conducted by the University Central Hospital in Helsinki, Finland reveals that she would lack the necessary 17 to 22 percent body fat required for women to experience menstruation.

In 1965, Slumber Party Barbie included a book called How to Lose Weight, which advised not eating. Additionally, the doll was packaged with pink bathroom scales displaying a weight of 110 lbs., which would be considered underweight for a woman standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall. In 1997, Barbie's body mold was redesigned with a wider waist, as Mattel claimed it would better align with contemporary fashion designs. In March 2000, the media

reported stories asserting that vintage Barbie dolls made from hard vinyl could release toxic chemicals, posing a danger to children who played with them.

The claim by technical experts that the launch of a "Totally Tattoos" Barbie with customizable tattoos, including a tramp stamp, was false. However, the controversy surrounding the product arose in April 2009. Mattel's promotional material encouraged consumers to "Customize the fashions and apply the fun temporary tattoos on you too". Ed Mayo, CEO of Consumer Focus, argued that children might be influenced to get real tattoos.

Parodies and Lawsuits

Barbie has frequently been parodied and referenced in popular culture. One notable example is the 1997 song "Barbie Girl" by the Danish-Norwegian pop-dance group Aqua.

Mattel filed a lawsuit against MCA Records on September 11, 1997. They claimed that the song, which contained lyrics such as "You can brush my hair / Undress me everywhere" and had graphics resembling the pink Barbie logo, violated their trademark. However, Judge Alex Kozinski ruled in July 2002 that the song was protected as a parody under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Additionally, in 1993, a group called the "Barbie Liberation Organization" secretly replaced voice boxes of Barbie dolls with those from talking G.I. Joe dolls and returned these modified dolls to store shelves.

Parents and children who bought Barbie dolls discovered that some of them were saying phrases like "Eat lead, Cobra!" and "Vengeance is mine." Mattel took legal action against Barbara Anderson-Walley, a clothing seller from Calgary, Canada in 2004. Anderson-Walley argued that she had been called "Barbie" since childhood and did not intend to infringe on the doll's trademark. However, the

lawsuit was dismissed because it was filed in a New York court with no authority over Canadian matters.

Barbie vs Bratz

MGA Entertainment introduced the Bratz doll collection in June 2001, which became serious competition for Barbie in the fashion doll market.

Bratz dolls surpassed Barbie dolls in sales in the United Kingdom in 2004. However, Mattel countered that when taking into account total sales of dolls, clothes, and accessories, Barbie remained the leading brand. The increasing popularity of Bratz dolls led to a 30% decline in Barbie doll sales in the US and an 18% decrease worldwide in 2005. In order to support their argument, Mattel filed a $500 million lawsuit against MGA Entertainment, alleging that Carter Bryant, the creator of Bratz, had conceived the idea for the dolls while working at Mattel.

A federal jury decided on July 17, 2008, that the Bratz line was designed by Carter Bryant when he was employed by Mattel. The jury also determined that MGA and its Chief Executive Officer, Isaac Larian, were responsible for unlawfully using Mattel's assets and intentionally obstructing Bryant's contractual obligations to Mattel. Consequently, on August 26, the jury ordered Mattel to receive $100 million in compensation. This decision was finalized on December 3, 2008.

S. District Judge Stephen Larson has issued a ban on the sale of Bratz dolls by MGA. However, the company will be allowed to sell the dolls until the winter holiday season is over. The ban will come into effect no earlier than February 11, 2009, when Mattel and MGA are scheduled to appear in court. As per the court order, once the holiday season ends, MGA will be required to remove

all Bratz dolls from store shelves, along with reimbursing the cost of the dolls and covering all shipping expenses for their vendors and distributors. Exceptions may be made for certain toys if they are packaged separately from any infringing toys.

MGA stated its intention to appeal the court's decision.

Conclusion

In summary, Barbie has a 50-year legacy filled with controversies, parodies, and legal battles. So, when you spot a Barbie doll on a store shelf, you not only recognize her rich history and origin but also appreciate the immense effort exerted by the Mattel company to maintain her popularity and success.