|
Dear Mattel: You’re blowing it. You had a chance to enrich the way kids learn, interact, and engage their imaginations in play. But MP3 Barbie has absolutely no redeeming social value.
Mattel is about to launch its new combination Barbie/MP3 player and to take its Barbie Girls site out of beta. The starter set for the BarbieGirls site is sold for $59.99 That investment brings young children into a culture of materialistic greed – before the values that might temper that greed have been formed.
When her feet are plugged into the iPodesque docking station that she comes with, MP3 Barbie unlocks a site filled with games, virtual shops and online chatting functions on the BarbieGirls.com Web site. Every mini-skirt and pair of shoes gives bought with mom and dad’s very real credit cards give you more privilege in online Barbie’s Second Life for the 6-12 set.
Interestingly, the new doll and its world will be promoted virally, mainly through the site, with minimal (for Mattel) traditional advertising. That is a sea change in itself.
Yet, with all the money and talent available to them, Mattel has not come up with anything that isn’t a direct copy of already existing sites like Webkinz, neopets and Club Penguin.
The better way
If you wanted to copy someone else's program Mattel, here are some places you could have looked. Harper-Collins Children's Books is soliciting teen writers through a collaborative writing program. The American Express Members Project will help fund world-changing ideas suggested and selected by members. Starbucks Expedition for Change is another project hoping to bring about positive social change.
Webkinz, to its credit, rewards kids who solve math problems, teaches kids how to make their own videos, and at least tries to instill values beyond “I have more expensive toys than you.”
Children's Models?
But none of the online communities for children that I’ve been able to find suggest that children think of ways to help other children who are less fortunate, or that they improve their reading and math or problem-solving skills while having fun.
Will MP3 Barbie succeed? The New York Times says that about 3 million people have registered since April 27 on the BarbieGirls Web site, and “that’s without Mattel advertising the site, even on its Barbie.com home page.”
Related:
Int'l Herald Tribune: Barbie and other toy companies use physical goods to unlock online goodies
Blogging Stocks: An MP3 for Barbie - who needs it
|
Comments
True enough, BL. Although I'm not so sure BarbieGirls really makes sense, no matter its orientation. My 10-year-old daughter has checked out the site -- but don't tell her friends: she'd die if they knew she was on a Barbie site, because she stopped playing with Barbies years ago. My four-year-old neice, however, loves Barbies -- but is too young to play virtual world games like Club Penguin and Webkinz.
Bottom line: I'm not sure who Mattel is targeting here, exactly... cuz ages 6-12? I don't think so.....
Posted by: Ann Handley | 07.24.07
Ann- all in all, it's clear they are clueless about the Internet. and no matter who they are targeting, they did it in a shallow, copycat, useless kind of way.
Posted by: B.L. Ochman | 07.24.07
Ann - my 7 year-old niece is more into stuffed animals than dolls, that's for sure. But she's been on Webkinz and other sites for quite a while.
Not so sure what too young is anymore. :>)
Posted by: B.L. Ochman | 07.24.07
What I particularly don't like about this is the focus on material acquisition. Why not allow girls to "virtual shop" instead of forcing them to compete with others in the community for status by purchases? The site will effectively alientate those who might love Barbie as a brand, and be able to afford/use the $9.99 basic Barbie doll, but can't afford merchandise through the site. How unfortunate that Mattel has chosen to highlight differences in an age group already focused on fitting in socially.
Posted by: Mandy Vavrinak | 07.24.07
There was an opportunity to take the Barbie community beyond material acquisition. And in the process, Mattel could have engaged the imaginations of children.
As Ann said, kids have moved on to other toys that DO engage them more.
The only way Mattel could get them back is with a truly interactive site that goes beyond materialism.
Clearly, they're not getting it.
Posted by: B.L. Ochman | 07.26.07