Ruth Handler
• was an American businesswoman,
the president of the toy
manufacturer Mattel Inc. and is
remembered primarily for her role
in marketing the Barbie doll.
• The formation of Mattel
• Her husband, Elliot Handler and
his business partner, Harold
"Matt" Matson, formed a small
company to manufacture picture
frames, calling it "Mattel" by
combining part of their names
("Matt" and "Elliot").
Barbie: the beginning
•
•
Ruth Handler had noted that her daughter
Barbara, who was becoming a pre-teen,
preferred playing with her infant paper dolls
and giving them adult roles. She wanted to
produce a plastic doll with an adult body but
her husband and Mr. Matson thought it
wouldn't sell. But when the Handlers were
on a European trip, Ruth Handler saw the
German Bild Lilli doll (which was not meant
for children at all; rather a gag gift for adults)
in a Swiss shop and brought it home.
Once home, she reworked the design of the
doll and re-named her Barbie after her
daughter. Barbie debuted at the New
York toy fair on March 9, 1959. Barbie
became an instant success, rocketing the
Handlers and their toy company toward
fame and fortune. Subsequently they would
add a boyfriend for Barbie named Ken, after
Handler's son, and many other "friends and
family" to Barbie's world.
• Ruth Handler had noted that
her daughter Barbara, who
was becoming a pre-teen,
preferred playing with her
infant paper dolls and giving
them adult roles. She
wanted to produce a plastic
doll with an adult body but
her husband and Mr. Matson
thought it wouldn't sell.
•
• But when the Handlers were on a European trip, Ruth Handler saw the
German Bild Lilli doll (which was not meant for children at all; rather a
gag gift for adults) in a Swiss shop and brought it home.
• Once home, she reworked the design of the doll and re-named her Barbie
after her daughter. Barbie debuted at the New York toy fair on March 9,
1959. Barbie became an instant success, rocketing the Handlers and their
toy company toward fame and fortune. Subsequently they would add a
boyfriend for Barbie named Ken, after Handler's son, and many other
"friends and family" to Barbie's world.
• Since its debut in 1959, the Barbie doll has become an American icon that
functions as both a steady outlet for girls' dreams and an ever changing
reflection of American society. This can be seen in the history of Barbie's
clothes, and even her various "face lifts" to suit the times; in her
professional, political and charitable endeavors; and more recently in the
multi-culturalizing of her product line.
• Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli doll in 1964 and production of
Lilli was stopped. The first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra
striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either
a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion
Model," with her clothes created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte
Johnson. The first Barbie dolls were manufactured in Japan, with their
clothes hand-stitched by Japanese homeworkers. Around 350,000 Barbie
dolls were sold during the first year of production.
• Barbie was one of the first toys to have a marketing strategy based
extensively on television advertising, which has been copied widely by
other toys. It is estimated that over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold
worldwide in over 150 countries, with Mattel claiming that three Barbie
dolls are sold every second.
• The early ‘60s also saw Mattel entering the worldwide toy market. The
Barbie doll and other products were first test-marketed overseas in 1963,
and were received so favorably that many products began to be
manufactured under licensing agreements arranged by the company in
England, France, Germany, South Africa, Italy and Mexico.
• Ruth Handler believed that it was important for Barbie to have an adult
appearance, and early market research showed that some parents were
unhappy about the doll's chest, which had distinct breasts. Barbie's
appearance has been changed many times, most notably in 1971 when the
doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than having the demure
sideways glance of the original model.
• Barbie has become a cultural icon and has been given honors that are rare
in the toy world. In 2009, Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday
•
Ruth Handler became president of Mattel in 1968
• Barbie has had over 40 pets including cats and dogs, horses, a panda,
a lion cub, and a zebra. She has owned a wide range of vehicles, including
pink Corvette convertibles, trailers and jeeps. She also holds a pilot's
license, and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a flight
attendant. Barbie's careers are designed to show that women can take on a
variety of roles in life, and the doll has been sold with a wide range of titles
including Miss Astronaut Barbie (1965), Doctor Barbie (1988) and Nascar
Barbie (1998).
• Mattel has created a range of companions for Barbie,
including Hispanic Teresa, Midge, African American Christie and Steven
(Christie's boyfriend). Barbie's siblings and cousins were also created
including Skipper, Todd (Stacie's twin brother), Stacie (Todd's twin
sister), Kelly, Krissy, and Francie. Barbie was friendly with Blaine,
an Australian surfer, during her split with Ken in 2004.