In a sign of the times – and something to make note of from an advertising perspective – for the first time ever, a boy is featured in a Barbie commercial.
Mattel just aired an ad for a new limited edition Barbie doll, and people are going nuts over it (in a very good way). Since it aired, the comments on the commercial have been overwhelmingly positive.
The commercial opens with an adorable, mohawk-clad little boy stating that the new Moschino Barbie is “so fierce!” He stars in the spot with a diverse selection of little girls.
Gif: Moschino/Youtube
And reaction has definitely been positive:
I’m overjoyed that Barbie put a boy in their recent ad. yes yes yes yes. I want to see a little girl in a GI commercial now
— Alexa Losey (@alexalosey) November 18, 2015
omg as if the new @barbie ad features a little boy 8 year old me would be so happy YOU GO LIL BARBIE LOVING BOY
— Dan (@_danhickman) November 17, 2015
Apparently, all it takes is a little forward thinking to increase sales. According to Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott, the $150 USD (side note: $150??!!) Barbie dolls sold out in less than an hour. If you’re willing to cough up at least double that, you may be able to find one on eBay.
In a year that’s seen McDonald’s introduce kale to its menu, and the White House hire its first transgender staff member, Barbie bringing a boy into a commercial (who isn’t named Ken) may not seem groundbreaking for the brand, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction if it wants to survive.
The times they are a changin’…for the better.
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