The creatives at Mattel were undoubtedly looking for a way to squash gender stereotypes, and they’ve certainly done it with their latest Barbie commercial.
For the first time ever, a boy appeared in an ad for the iconic toy. A very stylish young man with a mohawk appears with two equally stylish girls, and together they play with their Moschino Barbie dolls. Mattel partnered with Moschino designer Jeremy Scott to bring the collector’s doll to life.
“The thing I love most about Barbie is that she is the ultimate muse; she’s worn every style and design imaginable, and at the same time she’s had every possible profession you can dream of,” Scott said in a press release with Net-a-Porter.
Earlier this year Target removed “gender-based signs in their toy aisle.” The choice was met with both criticism and praise while the reaction to the Barbie commercial has been generally positive.
Only time will tell if other retailers and brands follow in Target and Mattel’s footsteps.
Image via Flickr/RomitaGirl67, resized
