Chances are you’ve been seeing a lot more pink than usual.
For weeks now, the marketing campaign for Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie has been inescapable and, for better or worse, it’s on track to be one of the biggest box office events of the year.
So, on the eve of the film’s release, we’re going to ask the obvious question – what we can learn about promotional merchandise from 2023’s most relentless marketing campaign?
Colour
The first thing that strikes you about Barbieworld is that its very, very pink.
In the world of marketing, brand colours hold a significant influence on a company’s success. They are the visual representation of a brand’s identity and play a crucial role in capturing attention, evoking emotions, and leaving a lasting impression on your audience.
This concept extends to promotional merchandise as well. When customers receive branded merchandise in consistent brand colours, it improves brand recognition and helps you stand out from your competition.
The Barbie movie’s marketing team have taken this concept and run with it.
By splashing their specific shade of hot pink on everything from traditional Barbie dolls to not-so-traditional Brazilian Burger restaurants, Mattel has created an instant association between the colour and their product.
Through constant exposure and consistent branding, Barbie pink has joined the ranks of Cadbury purple or Tiffany blue as a globally recognizable brand colour
Brand Partnerships
Featuring your logo on products that your customers already love is a great way to enhance the quality perception of your merch.
Brands like Moleskin, High Sierra or K’arst come already embued with a sense of rarified quality and by branding these products you show that you too care about quality and craftsmanship.
With over 100 brand partnerships to its name, the Barbie movie certainly knows how to capitalise on the popularity of other products.
Every product category under the sun has received the Barbie treatment with everything from Xbox controllers, shoes, and real-life houses all getting a pink makeover. Some of our favourites are included below.
Consistency is Key
Maintaining consistency across your merchandise helps to solidify your brand identity and reinforce your brand message in the minds of your customers.
Choosing specific products that align with your brand is an important step in making sure your promotional merchandise is as effective as possible.
When your merch consistently reflects your brand’s values, aesthetics, and messaging, it creates a cohesive brand experience that resonates with your audience.
A recent survey even found that two-thirds of businesses attributed over 10% of their overall revenue growth to consistent branding.
This is another area where we can learn from Barbie.
Despite the incredible number of products and brand collabs that the Barbie movie has made, they all conform to the brand values of playfulness and fun (and pink).
This shows that maintaining a consistent look and feel across your merchandise is an important part of building your brand.
Conclusion
The Barbie movie could be the biggest pop culture event of the year and that’s in no small part due to its extensive marketing campaign.
Whilst we mere mortals might never have million-dollar marketing budgets, we can still learn some valuable lessons from Barbie’s consistent branding and brand-specific merchandise choices
