Bloomingdale’s is just one retailer and brand trying to capitalize on the Barbie doll buzz. There will be a pop-up with exclusive Barbie-inspired apparel and accessories, as well as a life-size Barbie box for shoppers to pose with.
bloomingdales
New York City — In the middle of Manhattan, shoppers can step into a box of life-size Barbie dolls. Strike a pose on the hot pink slide. Discover earrings, dresses and candles inspired by iconic plastic dolls.
The pop-up shop inside Bloomingdale’s flagship store is just one example of how retailers are trying to cash in on the buzz ahead of Friday. Released “Barbie” from Warner Bros. Discovery.
Over 100 brands including Bloomingdale’s Coles, crocs and gaphas licensing agreements or other transactions with toy manufacturers. Mattel Selling Barbie-themed fashion, beauty and accessories. Many of these items cater to the needs of adults who want to convey their childhood memories by wearing bright pink heels or lounging on pool floats. From Barbie’s dream house.
Bloomingdale’s has created an exclusive collection of Barbie-inspired clothing and accessories for women for its private label Aqua. The company also hopes to attract shoppers with Barbie-themed window displays on Lexington Avenue, special events and free hairstyling.
Retailers want a splash of hot pink to ward off the gloom of summer stagnation and inflation. Barbie toys were born months ahead of the movie’s release, but it’s worth noting the effort and creativity retailers had to use to grab shoppers’ attention and convince them to pay full price. telling a story.Companies, including Bloomingdale’s parent company Macy’slarge retailers the goal and coach parents tapestry It warns that sales of discretionary and big-ticket items are slowing in the United States as consumers pay more for groceries and for services such as dining out and travel.
Plus, millions of Americans have other expenses this fall. Student loan payments are resuming after more than three years of pandemic-related hiatus.
Aldo’s chief brand and product officer, Dianara Gullon-Amalfitano, said glitter and hot pink could help free shoppers from a pragmatic, budget mindset.
“This Barbie and Aldo collaboration is probably going to put that rational thought out the window and say, ‘Oh, this makes me feel so happy. It’s so good. I gotta get this.'” she said. .
About half of Aldo’s Barbie collection sold out in the first week. The company said it was working to restock its limited-edition collection, which includes 19 items ranging from crossbody bags to pumps.
About half of Aldo’s 317 North American stores and website carry the product. Aldo products are also available for purchase at select Macy’s stores and Macy’s website.
Aldo has a collection of Barbie shoes and handbags. Some items, such as Barbie platform sandals, sold out within 24 hours, the company said.
Aldo
Macy’s luxury department store, Bloomingdale’s, carries the Barbie the Movie x Aqua line in nine stores and online, as well as a mix of other brands. The department store’s chief marketing officer, Frank Berman, said the Barbie merchandise has so far “sold incredibly well” and appealed to cross-generational customers.
Berman said the retailer intentionally included items in its Barbie-inspired collection at various price points, from $24 pink candles to $8,350 rose gold heart stud earrings. It is said that
“There are some things that are a little overdone, but they are carefully selected so that everyone can get a piece of it,” he said.
Many items in Gap’s Barbie collection have sold out. It includes rectangular hot pink adult sunglasses and a t-shirt with the word “Ken” in pink capital letters, both for $39.95.
Gap has sold out some of its popular Barbie items, including rectangular pink sunglasses. His pink denim jacket is also a top performer across the store and website.
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Can Barbie help?
Barbie may be more than just a shocker The 2023 box office will be sluggish. The topic could also boost spending on non-essential items, which has been depressed by the surge in spending caused by COVID-19.
Retailers will need to continue to offer unique and trendy merchandise to entice shoppers gearing up for the all-important holiday season to buy their wants, not their needs.
Consumer general merchandise sales in June fell 4% year-over-year on a dollar basis, according to market research firm Sarkana (a merger of the former NPD Group and known as IRI). Sales in the category fell by 9% over the same period.
last week, Amazon, walmart, Retailers such as Target boosted sales by offering deep discounts on Amazon Prime Day and other competitive promotions. According to Adobe Analytics, consumers spent $12.7 billion during the two-day online sales event in the US, up 6.1% year-on-year, setting a new record.
Barbie dolls jumped to the top of the most popular searches last week. Initial data from Numerator shows that the company jumped from 85th to 49th on the list of top brands compared to last year’s Prime Day. The best-selling Barbie merchandise during the sale event was lead actress Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” collectible doll.
With Americans looking for bargains, Barbie dolls are just one way to persuade retailers to look beyond the essentials.
Cowen retail analyst Oliver Chen said brands are responding to trends such as a shift to loose-fit denim, a return to dressier and more tailored occasions, and a growing interest in innovative makeup and skincare products. said to be making good use of
“Newness breeds desire, so every brand likes newness,” Chen said.
Susan Fournier, marketing professor and dean at the Boston University Business School, said Barbie dolls are “another floating life jacket” retailers can get their hands on. The brand has built in recognition, nostalgia that resonates across generations, and free marketing thanks to the movies.
Unlike other movie-themed merchandise, Barbie isn’t just a logo plastered on T-shirts and backpacks, it’s an aesthetic that spans homewares, cosmetics, and clothing, an optimism many shoppers might crave. she said. she said.
“We’re in a pretty messy world,” she said. “We’re in a post-corona world, and there’s a lot of baggage. There’s a lot of anxiety. And when you get a Barbie doll, everything’s pink. I think there is something very deep about hunger.”
She said part of the brand’s power comes from its complex heritage. Barbie goes hand in hand with perfection: a thin waist, a beautiful house, and a handsome boyfriend. But Barbie was also unmarried, and she became an astronaut before her first moon landing.
“There is something culturally powerful about living in that contradictory space,” Fournier said.
Inside Bloomingdale’s pop-up shop in New York City, shoppers can find a premium collection of Barbie doll clothing and accessories from private label Aqua. The collection is available on the retailer’s website and in his nine stores.
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Chasing Barbie’s bump and beyond
Other retailers are implementing similar strategies with pop culture-inspired branding.
tapestryOwned by Coach, Coach has collaborated with popular brands and celebrities, including Disney and the cartoon Peanuts. There was a collection of clothing and accessories inspired by New York artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who became famous for his edgy graffiti-inspired designs in the 1980s. Coach recently unveiled a new collection with actress Kirsten Dunst.
Coach CEO Todd Kahn said the company is carefully choosing which partnerships make sense. He said he had enjoyed seeing collaborations with other brands’ Barbies, but Coach had abandoned the partnership.
“People often use collaboration to grow faster,” he says. “We are interested in long-term sustainability, which is why our collaboration has become very selective about them. Use it to help you get there, and then measure how sticky they are, which is super important.”
For example, Coach’s Basquiat items attract more enthusiastic new customers, bringing in about 10% more Gen Z and Millennial customers than the mainline collection, and encouraging them to pay some of Coach’s top price points. , he said.
Barbie dolls seem to be popular with some brands, but it remains to be seen if those customers will stick around.
Berman, who was Bloomingdale’s long-time chief marketing officer, said the chain sees more store and website traffic when the collaboration takes place. That’s why the company’s flagship store has The Carousel, a dedicated pop-up space that also offers online shopping.
Time and time again, the retailer has blended fashion, well-known brands and memorable experiences. There was a pop-up inspired by Netflix’s hit series “Bridgerton.” Many years ago, there was a Moulin Rouge-themed pop-up featuring can-can dancers and film star Nicole Kidman.
Aldo’s Amalfitano declined to discuss recent sales or the outlook for the year. But like other retailers, the shoe and accessories brand is feeling a pullback in discretionary spending, she said.
She hopes sales and shopper engagement will continue to improve even if Barbie merchandise is gone.
“That’s a burning question,” she said.
— CNBC’s Caitlin Freda and Courtney Reagan contributed to this report.
