Think Pink - Geographies of Barbie

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It started with a tweet from Steve Brace.
Actually it started when I first saw the news about the Barbie Movie and the concept behind it, and that Greta Gerwig was going to direct it. There's been a huge marketing campaign since and the excitement has grown, along with the very clever use of Barbie dress replicas for the stars on promotional appearances and at the premiere. The film's opening is now imminent and I will be seeing it on the opening weekend.

I also saw this prop in a cinema in Norwich and couldn't resist going inside the box.



The New Yorker then ran a piece which suggested that the Barbie movie would open the floodgates of other similar movies featuring toys (along with the world-destroying tide of plastic crap that will no doubt follow in the way of merchandising.




Greta Gerwig directed the forthcoming “Barbie” movie. Lena Dunham is lined up to helm “Polly Pocket.” J. J. Abrams is attached to a Hot Wheels project. Daniel Kaluuya is producing a feature about Barney the purple dinosaur. What, exactly, is going on here?

The movie was then banned in Vietnam due to the inclusion of a map which showed a disputed area of the South China Sea. There was plenty of coverage of this at the time too.

Here's a trailer for you:

So what are some of the geographical themes that the movie could encompass?

1. Impact of toy manufacture on the environment - you can get Barbies made out of recycled ocean plastic for example

2. Cultural references in the different Barbie dolls, and whether they are truly representative of the population. There have been a great many jobs that Barbie has had including (geography) teacher.

3. Partnership with National Geographic with a range of dolls.

4. The likely response of fast fashion brands, who will launch a range of clothing and other merchandising around the movie - Primark are already going big on this with 83 items in their Barbie range

And a piece of music to finish:



The film’s slogan—“If you love Barbie, this movie is for you. If you hate Barbie, this movie is for you”—is indicative of the tightrope it has to walk. “Barbie” is somehow simultaneously a critique of corporate feminism, a love letter to a doll that has been a lightning rod for more than half a century, and a sendup of the company that actively participated in the adaptation. “It’s a tall order,” Robbie admitted. “The dangerous thing about making something for everyone is that you ultimately make it for no one.”


Update

Economist article from December 2022 - subscription required to read in full... I have a school account

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