Case Study

Barbie: Cultural Icon, New Age Guru or Blonde Bimbo?

She’s 50 years old, but hasn’t aged a day; her hair hasn’t turned gray; she hasn’t
gained a pound; and she’s been number one nearly all her life. It’s Barbie, of course.
Introduced in 1959 as a teenager, Barbie turned 40 in 1999. Throughout her life, she’s
enraged feminists and mothers and warmed the hearts of millions of little girls. No
matter how they condemn her, she bounces back. Initially, just a blonde teenager, Barbie
has moved with the times to become a career woman, a sportsman, an international
sensation and an American icon—a true piece of American and somewhat global culture.

From incarnation, Barbie has been the center of controversy. Recognizing that
mothers wouldn’t like this Teutonic sex doll, the famous motivational researcher, Dr.
Ernest Dichter suggested that Barbie be introduced as a “teenage model” to encourage
concern with proper appearance. Thus, from the start, Barbie’s function was to teach
young girls to be concerned with their weight, their hair, their clothes and their face—
just the fuel the controversy needed.

Part of the problem stems from the fact that she is all out of proportion. If she
were a real woman, she would be seven feet tall, have a 40” bust, a 22” waist, 36” hips
and five foot long legs, and she would be anorexic (suffering from eating disorder).
Accepted as the U.S. version of beauty, Barbie reminds all the short, brown-haired,
brown-eyed girls with tubbier figures that they are not beautiful. Hence, generations of
young girls have struggled to be more Barbie-like. The result, critics say, is anorexia,
bulimia, and a devastated self image. In some ways, this argument does not seem
farfetched. Observe all of the Hollywood starlets and models with size 2 figures and
flowing blonde manes. Few were born that way. Instead, they have dieted, dyed their
hair, worn colored contacts, used liposuction and surgical implants to achieve a Barbie-
like figure.

Labeled a blonde bimbo by her critics, Barbie also teaches young girls to become
shallow and superficial, concerned about fashion and appearance rather than learning to
deal with real world issues or developing their minds, talents and abilities. The endless
parade of Barbie clothes and Barbies whose hair one can style and whose face can be
made up endlessly seem to support these arguments. Worse even, Barbie encourages
acquisition. She has truckloads of clothes and all sorts of belongings (homes, campers,
tents, swimming pools, etc.).

Another side of Barbie is that she has been a great success -- the number one
selling toy for Mattel, Inc. most of her life. All the various add-ons from Ken through
clothes, cars and homes to Strawberry Shortcake have simply been good marketing—
brand and line extensions that contribute greatly to Mattel’s bottom line. Using lifestyle
marketing, Mattel has added real products for girls—sunglasses, casual and sports attire
so that they can actually dress like Barbie!

Her defenders -- frequently little girls who played with Barbie dolls -- point out
that she is a great tool for stimulating the imagination. They can make their Barbie doll
do and be anything they want to be – the clothes and shoes and tiny sunglasses aren’t
necessary. Indeed, advertising for Barbie’s fortieth birthday in 1999 picked up on this
theme. “I am unstoppable,” a little girl in the ad says…”I am wise…I am curious. We’re
going to rule the World!” chorus a group of little girls. They close with “Together we
can do anything. Be anything. Be anything…” From queen of the superficial, Barbie
has become a new age inner healer who teaches little girls that they can do and be
anything. No longer a destroyer of little girl’s self images, Barbie has become the teacher
for the millennia that we can do and be what we want to be.

The new Barbie dolls tend to support this “do-anything, be-anything” image.
Barbie has become an athlete hawked by the likes of Tara Lipinski, Rebecca Lobo, Mia
Hamm and Jeff Burton (…Jeff Burton?). Yep, Barbie can ice-skate, play basketball,
soccer and drive in NASCAR. Once the pony tailed blonde cheerleader, Barbie has
moved from spectator to player. Of NASCAR Barbie, Jeff Burton says “In all honesty,
it’s pretty neat to have an American icon like Barbie in NASCAR racing.” NASCAR
Busch Grand National driver Patty Moise echoes Burton’s comments. “NASCAR has
enabled me to fulfill a lifelong dream to compete in racing…I hope NASCAR Barbie will
inspire more young women to go after their dreams.” In sports, Barbie is supposed to
convey a message of strength, independence and even beauty in an unforced way. The
acceptance of Major League Baseball, WNBA and NASCAR Barbie also reflects changes
in culture that being an athlete is something little girls can strive for and parental
approval of those girls playing competitive sports.

It’s not all glamorous careers for Barbie. She has also been a teacher, engineer,
pet doctor, dentist, lifeguard and president—even a paleontologist (someone who studies
life forms from a former geologic period). And the current Barbie web site allows girls to
help “detective Barbie” solve the mystery at the carnival over and over with different
clues. Thus, Barbie is also a good role model for everyday occupations for little girls and
she may become better with Mattel’s acquisition of Learning Co. a maker of children’s
software and games including the popular Carmen San Diego. Through computer
programs, Barbie can teach girls to spell, do math and develop stronger reasoning skills.

Barbie has also gone international. Barbie is sold around the world in the original
blonde-haired, blue-eyed version along with international Barbie such as Kenyan Barbie,
Polynesian Barbie, spring time in Tokyo Barbie (has black hair), etc. Not all cultures
have responded positively to her. In Egypt and other middle eastern countries, Barbie is
not only likely to be banned (due to makeup, short skirts, no underwear and lack of a
veil) but even replaced by dolls that these countries’ governments have helped develop
such as the Laila doll from Abla Ibrahiem of the Arab League. “Barbie wears a bikini
and drinks champagne,” says Abla. “We need to prevent our children from feeling torn
between their Arab traditions and the lifestyle that Barbie represents.” “It is hard to
explain to the kid just who that man (Ken) is in Barbie’s life,” complains a Cairo
television producer and mother of a seven year old girl.

Barbie has also clashed with cultures closer at home. Puerto Rican Barbie may be
liked in Puerto Rico, but Puerto Ricans in New York object to her. They claim that her
colonial garb misrepresents Puerto Ricans and the history of Puerto Rico on her box is
not entirely accurate.

There is a comprehensive interactive website offering range of Barbie fantasy activities,

games, products and gifts. Barbie speaks many languages of the world in this website.

When all is said an done, what is Barbie? Is she the great American icon of
superficiality and the plastic culture? Is she the villainous destroyer of young girl’s self
images? Is she the unwanted Americanization of other cultures? Does she teach sexual
promiscuity (just what is Ken’s role?) and disregard for cultural traditions? Or can she
teach young girls to do anything, be anything? Will little girls pick up their sneakers and
head to the gym because of WNBA, World Cup, NASCAR and ice skater Barbie?

Questions to answer.

1. How does Barbie represent cultural beliefs, values and customs? Explain
your answer.
2. What kind of cultural learning is involved with playing Barbies?
3. How Barbie is/could be used in learning cultural rituals? What sorts of
accessories are needed for these rituals?
4. What American/ Other Cultures core values can be associated with Barbie?
5. Some critics would maintain that the introduction of Barbies in different
nationalities leads to the Americanization of cultures. What kind of cultural
learning is involved for Barbie to teach young people new cultural values? Is
this Americanization likely to occur? Why or why not?
6. Is Barbie a good or poor role model for girls? Do Major League Barbie,
teacher Barbie, paleontologist Barbie or NASCAR Barbie teach girls self-
esteem and confidence? Why or why not?