Mattel Company, the company that produces Barbie dolls, first opened in 1945. They have over 50 offices in North and South America, Europe, and Asia with a home office in California. They also make other popular products including Hot Wheels, Fisher Price, American Girl, Polly Pockets, and UNO games. In 2006, their net income was $592.9 million.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/apr/21/list-facts-about-candidate-barbie/
http://corporate.mattel.com/about-us/history/default.aspx
Many companies have tried to create dolls to compete with Barbie. The Tamy doll was created to provide a more teenage look. Ideal Toy created the Crissy doll with hair that grows with the push of a button. Kenner created the Blythe doll that has changing eye color. Hasbro created Jem, a rock and roll doll. Happy To Be Me created a doll with a thicker waist, wider hips, and larger feets. Get Real Girls created a sports version of Barbie for athletic girls. The best selling doll made by a competitor was Bratz, which was made by MGA Entertainment. Barbie still remains the best selling doll.
http://newamerica.net/node/7772
Several women and young girls envy Barbie and her body. A few even take it as far as trying to change their own look to look like Barbie. For example, Cindy Jackson, the founder of Cosmetic Surgery Network, has had 52 operations to make herself look like Barbie. She has spent over $100,000 on plastic surgeries. Jackson is aware that a woman of Barbie's dimensions physically could not live because she wouldn't have enough body fat.
http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18559_162-632909.html
The value of a Barbie goes up when consumers collect multiple dolls. Some collections include fantasy, fashion, vintage, and world culture, with vintage being the most valuable. There are over 100,000 Barbie collectors. 90% of these collectors are women above the age of 40. 45% of these women spend over $1,000 each year on their collections. Barbies that originally sold for $3 are now worth up to $5,000. The highest price ever paid for a Barbie was $17,000 in 1965. The doll was part of a private collection of 4,000 dolls.
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/b/barbie_doll/index.html
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/vagner_artes/376884260/
Barbie is one of the most popular toys for American girls ages 3-10. 90% of girls in this age group own a Barbie. Every 3 seconds, a Barbie is sold somewhere around the world. Barbie is now sold in 150 countries.
http://collectdolls.about.com/library/blbarbiefacts.htm
http://forthoseabouttoshop.ca/2010/12/15/barbie-love-her-or-loathe-her/
Barbie's 50th anniversary was on March 9, 2009. After 50 years, over 1 billion Barbies have been sold. They have generated billions of dollars over time and continue to do so. Fans plan hundreds of events including several fashion shows and the National Barbie Doll Collectors Convention in Washington D.C. which sold out.
http://womensissues.about.com/b/2009/03/09/after-50-years-what-is-barbies-impact-on-girls-and-women.htm
In order to stand the test of time, Handler needed to make additions and changes to the doll to accomodate social changes. In the late 1960's the first black Barbie was released. The civil rights movement had just begun and segregation was still common. Handler decided to make a multicultural Barbie collection to appeal to more people. There are now Cinco de Mayo, Spanish, and Peruvian dolls as well.
In the 1980's Handler created Barbies with different careers. It was becoming more common for women to pursue a career outside of the home. She created astronaut, doctor, graduate, olympic swimmer, American Idol winner, and many other types of Barbies. Handler has since created 108 career themed Barbie dolls.
http://womensissues.about.com/b/2009/03/09/after-50-years-what-is-barbies-impact-on-girls-and-women.htm
