Georges Nellany

In a world where brands rise and fall, Barbie's dramatic rebranding journey has become a legend in the making. Gone are the days when Barbie was merely an emblem of unattainable beauty standards and limited aspirations.

 

Today, she stands as a symbol of empowerment, inclusivity, and diversity, thanks to the relentless efforts of the Barbie organisation's PR team. These audacious visionaries have not only reinvigorated the brand but also reshaped societal narratives, challenging the status quo along the way. With the recent release of the highly anticipated Barbie movie, the spotlight shines brighter than ever on the organisation's remarkable rebrand. 

 

In this blog, we will unveil the astonishing power of public relations that propelled Barbie into an epoch-defining force, captivating the hearts and minds of past and new generations of Barbie fans. From trailblazing PR campaigns to ground-breaking collaborations, we delve headlong into the extraordinary world of Barbie's PR revolution. 

  

Rebrand. Rejuvenate. Reap the Revenue Rewards. 

  

In a stroke of strategic genius, Barbie's PR team orchestrated an awe-inspiring rebranding campaign that not only revitalised the iconic doll's empire but also generated an astonishing amount of buzz and partnership opportunities. In fact, since January, nearly half a million articles have been dedicated to Barbie, with a staggering 86,000 published in July alone. Surprisingly, only 1.4% of these articles centred around the Barbie movie trailer, while the majority delved into the brand's PR efforts, partnerships, strategic events, and influencer marketing. 

  

This rebranding initiative has proven to be a lead generation powerhouse for the brand, with the Barbie company securing over 100 new partnerships in the build-up to the highly anticipated movie release this July. Recognising the significance of these strategic alliances, Barbie PR really capitalised on the opportunity to expand the brand's reach and influence, rejuvenating its relevance and relatability with its target audience. 

  

In doing so, Barbie not only gained validation and credibility but also tapped into diverse audiences beyond its target audience, who resonated with the brand's new inclusive ethos. The rebranding campaign's ripple effect extended far beyond the movie trailer, igniting conversations, and generating excitement through a myriad of PR activities. 

  

Simultaneously, Barbie's online presence underwent a remarkable transformation, with social media platforms serving as hubs for innovative storytelling and community building. Through these efforts, Barbie PR successfully cultivated a passionate and engaged online community, further amplifying the brand's reinvigorated message, and generating even more anticipation for its new product release – the Barbie movie. 

  

Even though the countdown to the movie release is now over, the fruits of Barbie PR's labour have become increasingly evident. The surge in the brand's awareness and credibility not only propelled the brand into the spotlight but also created a surge in lead generation. With over 100 new partnership deals secured, Barbie's rebranding campaign has proven to be a resounding success, positioning the brand for unparalleled growth and success in the coming months. 

  

Barbie PR's masterful rebranding campaign has propelled the brand into an era of unprecedented financial success. With most of the media coverage focusing on the brand's PR efforts and collaborations, Barbie has successfully positioned itself as a cultural phenomenon, captivating audiences far beyond the realms of the movie trailer. As anticipation reaches a fever pitch, Barbie's empire stands poised to soar to new heights, fuelled by a wave of brand loyalty, validation, and sales opportunities. 

  

Come on Barbie, let’s go teach Businesses how to use PR as sales tool. 

  

B2B businesses can take a page out of Barbie's PR team's book when it comes to understanding the power public relations can have on sales and revenue. Barbie's PR team understood the significance of cultivating an engaged online community through social media platforms – for businesses looking to expand their social media presence, LinkedIn is the key to success. By using innovative storytelling and community-building techniques, Barbie successfully created a passionate online following that amplified the brand's message and generated anticipation for the upcoming movie. B2B businesses can leverage LinkedIn to connect with their target audience, share compelling earned and owned content, and build a community around their brand. This can generate buzz, increase brand awareness, and ultimately drive sales. 

  

Moreover, Barbie's PR efforts went beyond just the movie trailer, focusing on generating insightful interviews and articles that highlighted industry-wide, political, and cultural issues such as sexism, diversity, and inclusivity – as the new rebrand allowed Barbie to have an authoritative voice and opinion on such topics. B2B businesses can take a similar approach by diversifying their PR strategies and engaging in thought leadership articles, newsjacking, industry events, webinars, and interviews with the press. This multifaceted approach helps generate interest, establish expertise, and position the business as a leader in their industry. 

  

Finally, and perhaps most importantly of all, the Barbie PR team understood the importance of tracking and measuring their PR efforts to gauge success. By utilising data, they were able to understand the impact of their PR activities and the level of media coverage they received; providing them data to justify ROI to the Barbie board. B2B businesses should also look to that to monitor the effectiveness of their PR, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimise their lead generation efforts. 

  

Businesses can take inspiration from Barbie's PR team by leveraging LinkedIn to build community and trust, diversifying their PR strategies, and utilizing and linking PR efforts to Business Development teams to drive sales. By adopting these approaches, Businesses can generate buzz, increase brand awareness, and ultimately attract more customers and generate more revenue.  

  

After the success of this PR and rebrand campaign - I think we can all agree that PR Barbie can finally go party. 

 

Check out our recent rebranding case study with SoftwareOne here.