EL SEGUNDO, Los Angeles — She is turning 60 this year and still doesn’t have a single wrinkle. Blonde or brunette, slender or curvy, black or white, princess or president, Barbie is a forever favourite for young girls, even if she has caused controversy over the years. The iconic doll has evolved to keep up with the times — check out her Twitter feed. And despite fierce competition in the toy industry, 58 million Barbies are sold each year in more than 150 countries. "In an industry where success today is three to five years, 60 years is a huge deal!" said Nathan Baynard, director of global brand marketing for Barbie. Around the world, Barbie is as universally known as Coca-Cola or McDonald’s, Baynard said during a recent visit to Mattel’s design studio in El Segundo, a suburb of Los Angeles. In all, more than one billion Barbie dolls have been sold since she made her debut at the American Toy Fair in New York on … [Read more...] about Barbie will soon be 60 — and is still going strong
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Barbie deployed to close ‘Dream Gap’ for young girls
Mattel, the maker of Barbie, has modernised the iconic doll in recent years, and is now embarking on a project to "close the dream gap". — AFP PhotoViet Nam News LOS ANGELES — Over the years, Barbie has taken on many roles: beach beauty, scientist, even president of the United States. And now, she will work to help young girls close the so-called "Dream Gap." The doll’s maker Mattel on Tuesday announced a sweeping campaign in collaboration with university researchers to teach young girls to believe in themselves, and not to buy into sexist gender stereotypes. "Research has identified that starting at age five, many girls are less likely than boys to view their own gender as smart and begin to lose confidence in their own competence," Mattel said in a statement. The company will fund research and work on "rallying a community around supporting girls" through its multi-year Dream Gap Project. Mattel unveiled a new ad featuring young girls holding placards that read … [Read more...] about Barbie deployed to close ‘Dream Gap’ for young girls