Barbie teams up with She Should Run to unveil the 'first all-female White House ticket'
Following Barbie’s “real-world” makeover at the start of this year Matell is continuing its diversity push around the iconic doll introducing the first all-female White House ticket.
Barbie has teamed up with She Should Run to create the first all-female White House ticket
The world’s largest toymaker has unveiled a president and vice-president edition of the iconic doll designed to “inspire girls to become leaders”.
Teaming up with non-profit group She Should Run to create the models, Barbie’s parent company has added the dolls to Barbie’s Career line of products. The pair also undertook research to get some insight into how Matell can offer products that can offer leadership storytelling and found that just 39 per cent of girls said they wanted to be a leader when they grew up.
There have been presidential versions of the doll since 1992, but this partnership marks the first time the company has given Barbie a vice-president sidekick.
Building on its ‘Imagine the Possibilities’ positioning, the brand has created a video showing what happens when a little girl’s dreams of leadership are played out through Barbie.
"The president and vice-president dolls continue our efforts to expose girls to inspiring careers that are underrepresented by women," said Lisa McKnight, general manager and senior vice-president at Barbie.
"We see this doll set as a timely and topical platform to further the conversation around female leadership. We are proud to partner with She Should Run to help elevate its message and show girls that they can be and do anything."
The political Barbies were sent out to members of Congress, who took to Twitter to praise the initiative.
Thank you @SheShouldRun and @Barbie for my inspiring and powerful Dolls! @erinlooscutraro @ClareBresnahan. pic.twitter.com/RSWF6c1PNc
— Yvette D. Clarke (@YvetteClarke) July 13, 2016
How great are these new President & Vice President Barbies! TY @SheShouldRun for telling girls #YouCanBeAnything! pic.twitter.com/qfT2UrDTDy — Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) July 13, 2016
Love the new POTUS & VP @Barbie! Helping inspire girls to believe #YouCanBeAnything! pic.twitter.com/Cu3JhjSJM3
— Rep. Norma Torres (@NormaJTorres) July 13, 2016
Barbie got an image overhaul last year, with Matell adding three new body shapes and seven skin tones to its range of dolls to make the toy "more reflective of the world girls see around them".