Barbie has arrived in girls’ bedrooms in coaches and convertibles, on party buses and dream boats, her friend Ken at her side.
Now her latest vehicle is a data port, and her newest dream house is online.
Mattel Inc. unveiled its newest Barbie: a $60 device that connects girls to a new Web site, BarbieGirls.com. Mattel is hoping that Barbie Girls will invigorate the brand and serve as a case study in how a 1950s-era business finds its place in the Digital Age.
This combination of online and offline play is shaping up to be the hottest trend in toys.
The most visible example is Webkinz, from privately held Canadian toymaker Ganz. The $11 stuffed animals come with distinctive pass codes that give kids one year of access to a site where they can play games and chat with friends. Ganz says it has sold more than 1.5 million of the critters since their introduction two years ago.
The latest Barbie isn’t a doll but a 4 1/2 - inch-long gadget that attaches to a PC via a docking station and USB port. When the device goes on sale in July, it will be the only way kids can fully interact with BarbieGirls.com.
In this virtual world, girls will create a character they can name, dress, and customize by skin tone, hair style, and expression.
They’ll shop for clothes and furniture in a virtual mall, using “B-bucks” earned by playing games and watching product promotion videos.
Mattel is betting its online Barbie Girl will hold kids who’ve outgrown real dolls.
Photo by Mattel.
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