There’s nothing quite like a clever reference or a well-executed marketing campaign, especially when it involves brands talking about their competition. That’s exactly what’s been happening recently on Instagram with Bratz and Barbie. It all started with the release of the Barbie doll movie by Mattel in July, and now Bratz has taken advantage of the situation.
Many observant viewers noticed that in the movie, when Barbie leaves her fictional world, Barbieland, and enters the real world to find Sasha –a teenager who thinks she’s too old to play with dolls–, she discovers Sasha with her three friends in the school cafeteria. They’re sitting there, silently judging Barbie’s cowboy outfit, symbolizing not just a physical resemblance but also a nod to the famous dolls from MGA Entertainment.
This subtle reference didn’t go unnoticed, and Bratz made the most of it on Instagram. They posted a photo on their official Instagram account, recreating that memorable movie scene, along with the caption: “Bunny Boo 🐰and the girls checking out your Halloween Costume 👄🎃.” This weekend, many celebrities celebrated their own Halloween parties, and according to Google’s data, Barbie was the most popular costume choice this year.
This isn’t surprising when we consider the social phenomenon surrounding the release of the Barbie movie over the summer. Millions of people went to the movies dressed as Ken and Barbie, and many brands launched clothing collections inspired by the film. In recent months, it seemed like everyone was caught up in the excitement created by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. The result? Barbie became the year’s biggest blockbuster, earning over $1 billion at the box office.
Given this backdrop, Bratz has expertly seized the opportunity to promote themselves. Throughout October, they impressed us by recreating scenes from some of the most famous horror movies, including Carrie and I Know What You Did Last Summer. However, their latest nod to Barbie has set Instagram abuzz. The outcome? More than 180,000 likes on their photo, a substantial increase compared to their typical posts, which usually receive between 18,000 and 37,000 interactions. It’s undoubtedly a remarkable success story and engagement strategy that, so far, hasn’t been matched.
Só as colecionadoras entenderam essa cena!
As bonecas «Bratz» foram inventadas por um rapaz que anteriormente trabalhou na Mattel!#Bratz (Foto: Reprodução/Bratz/RedesSociais) pic.twitter.com/BL00ovb9Au— revista setembro (@RevistaSetembro) October 31, 2023
Spanish article by Mario Caridad for LOS40.
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