As a young girl–and like many other fashion-and-glam-obsessed little girls–I spent an obscene amount of time playing with Barbie Dolls. Being able to mix and match their clothes, style their hair, and collect different accessories to create a whole world for this doll that could essentially "be anything she wanted to be," was the most exciting thing in the world for me.
Over the years, however, Barbie has received a lot of backlash regarding her unrealistic figure and how this can negatively impact young girls' ideas of self-worth. Thankfully, Mattel has expanded its doll options to have more range in body shapes, skin and hair texture, race, gender, and ability. Barbie and her friends all come from different walks of life, and their differences are now celebrated. Barbies are not just for girls, they can be an exceptional toy for boys too, as they can teach them a powerful lesson. When they play with Barbie, they engage these women in their imaginations: as superheroes, construction workers, members of the military, and even parents.
Barbie is now the most diverse and inclusive doll line on the market today (35+ skin tones, 94+ hairstyles, 9+ body types)
That being said, Barbie's logo has has very few changes over the decades. It still has a hyper-feminine, bubblegum pink, script logo that doesn't necessarily show its recent expansion of expression and inclusion. Barbie is now the most diverse and inclusive doll line on the market today–35+ skin tones, 94+ hairstyles, 9+ body types–so their logo should reflect that! So I wanted to see what something new and bolder, would look like.....
Progression of Barbie's logo over the years.
Initial logo sketches.
My take on Barbie's logo still has a fashionable flair, but is more gender-neutral and has a bit of edge to it. I was very inspired by the idea of the fluidity of fabric being carried across to printed material–since this is a fashion doll afterall. I also thought about the parents who were left picking up these tiny shoes and sunglasses and wanted to create a unique (and fashionable) packaging solution.
Packaging concept that doesn't lack in style.
Featuring compartments for small bits. Roll up and get on with your adventure!
Store display concept feating new catch-phrase "B bold, B proud, B you."
Imagine how empowered and inspired a child would feel seeing these posters!
Shopping bags to show off your new doll.
The rebrand features a more inclusive color palette, bolder text, and textures that resemble that flow of fabric.
I really appreciate the effort and detail Mattel has put into the new expansion of their doll collection, I only hope they continue to grow and reflect their audience in their products.