re: Barbenheimer Discussion: Barbie at 1.4 Billion, Oppenheimer crosses 789 mil

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From custom Crocs to a special Prada line to gay pride parade floats, Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' movie has attracted more than 100 promotional partners and generated countless headlines.

Selling a summer tentpole is more expensive than ever, and more complicated, amid the proliferation of social media and as the box office continues to find its footing following the pandemic. It’s commonplace for a Hollywood studio to spend just as much, if not more, to market an event pic as it does to actually make the movie. The price tag of a global marketing campaign for a big event title is usually $100 million or more.

Then there are promotional partnership deals, which can be worth tens of millions. Barbie has attracted more than 100 such partners. From custom pink Crocs to a Prada clothing line to hair dryers — and everything in between. Merchants and brands rushed to cash in on Barbie mania, while companies including Progressive Insurance and General Motors used Barbie in custom TV and digital advertisements. All told, these partnerships are worth at least $70 million to Warner Bros. and toymaker Mattel, home of Barbie. And the value of the publicity the film has generated is immeasurable, from local TV news spot to features in Architectural Digest and The New Yorker. Stories about Barbie have become ubiquitous.

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Rival studio executives commend Warners and Mattel for what they say is a marketing campaign for the ages. “Barbie will be very, very profitable,” says one such source, adding that Warners is wisely focusing on the cool and fun factor, versus nostalgia. The source, who pays close attention to tracking, says social media metrics kept showing gains. So did box office projections. When it first came on official tracking, Barbie was pacing for a healthy $80 million opening. By earlier this week, that number had jumped to a huge $110 million. “People go to movies to have fun. They want a ride,” continues the source.

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