Mattel is spending millions to promote the new “Fashionista” Barbie at the same time competitors like Bratz and Liv dolls are turning up the pressure in the battle for doll dollars. The squabbles are getting nasty, and will probably grow more so as the winter holiday shopping season hits full throttle: “The Fashionista Barbies don’t even come with a hairbrush,” says an executive at another doll company. As if!
The new Barbie has 12 moveable joints and can be posed like a runway model. The Liv dolls go Barbie one (or rather, two) better, with 14 moveable joints. “Liv is a friend. Liv is now,” says the co-founder of Spin Master, which makes Liv, trying to explain the dolls’ “every girl” appeal. Bratz, meanwhile, are trampy-looking dolls with huge heads and slutty clothes, according to Urban Dictionary. The doll marketing battles are being ramped up through online videos, specially created songs and dances (“Do the Barbie”!), and whatnot.
OK, that’s about all I can write while pretending to be interested in this. Check out the story in the WSJ.
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