BBDO San Francisco Shows Off Barbie’s New Look

By Patrick Coffee 

If you watch TV or check Facebook or have human friends or live anywhere other than the igloo in this dude’s backyard (or even if you live there, really) then you heard about the new Barbie at some point today: the once-identical dolls now come in different shapes and sizes.

BBDO San Francisco got a lot of attention for its “Imagine the Possibilities” campaign late last year, which reintroduced the world to a more modern and self-aware version of the doll.

Today the office launched a new spot to go with the more varied product line, and it will inevitably get a good bit of coverage as well.

Interestingly, this one marks the commercial debut of documentary director Rory Kennedy, who’s best known for such serious political docs as the Iraqi torture scandal expose Ghosts of Abu Ghraib.

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The spot is obviously a far cry from that film, but it’s still on the serious side for a toy promo. Some have called it heavy-handed, but it’s really about supporting the new product line and expanding on the earlier work rather than starting a new narrative.

Should at least be interesting to see what BBDO does with this client over the next few months.

Credits

Client: Barbie/Mattel
Agency: BBDO San Francisco
Matt Miller, Executive Creative Director
Amber Justis, Creative Director
Kevin Thomson, Creative Director
Ian Hill, Copywriter
Tu Phan, Art Director
Nicole Dongara, Account Manager
Kim Fredkin, Account Director
Jacqueline Djanikian, Business Affairs
Whitney Ferris, Producer

Production Company: Nonfiction Unlimited
Rory Kennedy, Director
Michael Degan, Executive Producer
LJ / Loretta Jeneski, Executive Producer
Patrick Degan, Head of Production
Jim Shippee, Producer

Editorial: Whitehouse Santa Monica
Joanna Manning Post Supervisor
Charlie Harvey Editor

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