AUGUST 13, 2007

Is She a Barbie Girl?

There are some things that we as Americans love, and there are some things we just seem uninterested in.  It’s normal for product popularity to fluctuate over time.  We change our minds often and love when products are created just for us.  It’s interesting to compare the way people in other countries spend their money with the trends in America and the types of things we like to buy.

One thing we know for sure is that parents are spending a lot of money on their children these days.  According to an estimate by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average cost of raising a child from infancy to college entrance ranges from $143,790 to $289,380– depending, of course, on outside factors like family income and lifestyle.  Along with educational spending and the cost of things like food and clothing, every child enjoys getting a new toy– families are buying them up often all around the world.

An article from The Wall Street Journal that focuses on the rise and fall of toy maker Mattel Inc.’s products was pointed out to me today– and I think there is a larger meaning behind the changing numbers.  According to the article, Mattel’s second quarter profit rose 15% because of the huge international interest in Fisher-Price and Hot Wheels toys.  According to the article, "International sales jumped 18%, helped by foreign-currency translations and gains in Brazil and other Latin American market."  Toy sales in the United States actually were down 3% this year.

Sales of Barbie rose 6% internationally, but fell by 5% in America.  Apparently the Bratz dolls by MGA Entertainment Inc. have been in competition with Barbie’s fans.  Mattel is trying to fight back with things like www.thebarbiegirls.com, an interactive online site which allows girls to create a virtual character, play games, chat, and shop online. 

With the rise in technology and the new types of activities young girls are interested in today, it’s not surprising to me that Barbie isn’t as popular today as it was when I was a little girl.  Now there are so many options of how a young girl can occupy her free time, so sitting and playing with a doll may not seem as appealing as watching a DVD or playing a game online.  Interactive entertainment has become a trend of today and it’s very interesting to note that Mattel Inc. is doing all it can to break into the online market and target these groups of new technology-savvy kids.