Educational Media Reviews Online

Mattel has long enjoyed worldwide recognition of its Barbie dolls as the world leader in the fashion doll industry. In the last three years, Barbie, now 44 years old, has met fierce competition from the Bratz line of dolls. Physically, these Bratz dolls are caricatures of themselves with oversized heads, large ghostly eyes with a look of near disdain, and pursed lips. Moreover, these dolls represent a great deal of cultural diversity, more contemporary fashions, and a “good to be bad” persona. This documentary does an excellent job of laying out the fundamental crisis facing Mattel: Barbie, who has always been “perfect” with her dollhouses and Corvettes, must now be reinvented in order to compete with a rival brand of dolls that celebrates imperfections.

Barbie’s Midlife Crisis goes beyond the confines of simply examining Mattel by exploring the complex target market of both Bratz and Barbie: five to eight years old girls. This documentary examines the KGOY or Kids Growing Older Younger phenomenon. Returning to its examination of the Barbie brand, the film shows some of Mattel’s adjustments, successes, and abysmal failures with Barbie. It is a true case study in a hallmark brand’s adaptation to market pressures.

This intriguing documentary on brand recognition and how it can be both a blessing and a curse is highly recommended to audiences high school age and above. The film offers a brilliant demonstration of the dangers involved in reinventing a successful brand, so as to change without becoming a blatant sellout in the critical eyes of consumers.