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☆ Algeria bans 'Barbie' movie, media and official source say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Margot Robbie attends the European premiere of "Barbie" in London, Britain July 12, 2023. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File PhotoALGIERS, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Algeria has banned the movie "Barbie," which had been showing at some cinemas in the country for several weeks, an official source and the local 24H Algerie news site said on Monday. The official source said the film "promotes homosexuality and other Western deviances" and that it "does not comply with Algeria's religious and cultural beliefs." Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, the movie sends Mattel Inc's (MAT.O) doll on an adventure into the real world. Reporting by Lamine Chikhi, writing by Angus McDowall, editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Margot Robbie, Maja Smiejkowska, Ryan Gosling, Barbie, Ken, Mattel, Lamine Chikhi, Angus McDowall, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Ministry, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, ALGIERS, Algeria, Algerie, Lebanon, Kuwait

☆ In Barbie lore, Allan was actually the father of pregnant Midge's unborn baby
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In "Barbie," Allan appears as a kind but lonely man who just wants to hang out with the Kens and Barbies. But in Mattel lore, Allan was actually married to Midge and had two children with the doll, despite him not interacting with her in the movie. A few months later, in early 1964, the toy company began producing a red-haired boyfriend for Midge, Allan Sherwood, named for Handler's son-in-law. "Allan shares wonderful adventures with Barbie and her friends," including going on double dates as Midge's partner with Barbie and Ken, a advert from 1964 proclaimed. Allan was the same size as Ken, meaning that he could share his clothes, as was the case with Barbie and Midge.

Persons: Barbie, Allan, Midge, Greta Gerwig's, Allan Sherwood, Handler's, Ken, Allan's, Michael Cera, bendable, Brad, Ruth Handler, Alan, Mattel, Ryan, Nikki –, nathanmychael Organizations: Service, Mattel, Families, Walmart Locations: Wall, Silicon, Gerwig's

☆ As Gen Z gains major spending power, brands like Sephora and The Knot are rethinking their marketing strategies beyond millennials
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Ryan Joe | Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In 2021, 64.3 million millennials made online purchases, compared to a projected 64.4 million in 2023, according to Insider Intelligence. By contrast, 37.2 million Gen Zers made online purchases in 2021 compared to a projected 45.5 million in 2023. "But in terms of bringing new customers into a brand, I'm not hearing conversations every week about getting more millennials — it's 'Gen Z, Gen Z, Gen Z.'" While Watford's mandate also includes non-Gen Z millennials, some in the advertising industry have shifted focus onto Gen Z, which is more open to brand messaging, particularly in environments like video games. So if you're targeting Gen Z, you're not just targeting Gen Z."

Persons: Gen Z, Gen, Zers, Sarah Engel, it's, Z, Zena Arnold, Jenny Lewis, Lewis, Comscore, Magna, Pandora, SiriusXM, Suzi, Ann Hand, they're, Barbie's Dreamhouse, Hand, Digital's Engel Organizations: Companies, Intelligence, Nielsen, Edison Research, Spotify, YouTube, Super League Gaming, Mattel, League Gaming Locations: Roblox

☆ It’s a Barbie world — and pink is seeping into what we use, wear and eat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Just this week, a restaurant in Los Angeles debuted a vegan “Barbie roll,” created using pink soy paper. According to Circana, the week the movie hit theaters, Barbie products accounted for six of the top 10 doll items sold. In footwear, unit sales of pink sneakers for adults grew 15% in the second quarter versus a year ago. Elsewhere, Barbie-licensed book sales jumped 53% in the second quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023, and up 44% compared to second quarter 2022. “The ‘Barbie’ movie has created excitement that is spanning a host of industries as Barbie fans of all ages are showing their love well beyond the movie,” said Cohen.

Persons: ”, Barbie, ” Marshal Cohen, Circana, Arriana McLymore, Cohen Organizations: New, New York CNN, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., ”, Reuters, Mattel Locations: New York, Angeles, Zara's Soho, New York City, Arriana

☆ Lebanon moves to ban 'Barbie' film for 'promoting homosexuality'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIRUT, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Lebanon's culture minister moved to ban the film "Barbie" from cinemas on Wednesday, saying it "promotes homosexuality" and contradicts religious values. Mortada's decision said the film was found to "promote homosexuality and sexual transformation" and "contradicts values of faith and morality" by diminishing the importance of the family unit. Lebanon was the first Arab country to hold a gay pride week in 2017 and has generally been seen as a safe haven for the LGBT community in the broadly conservative Middle East. Mawlawi last year took a decision to ban events "promoting sexual perversion" in Lebanon, understood to refer to LGBT-friendly gatherings. In a speech last month, Nasrallah called on Lebanese authorities to take action against materials he deemed to be promoting homosexuality, including by "banning" them.

Persons: Mohammad Mortada, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Mortada's, Bassam Mawlawi, Mawlawi, Nasrallah, Lebanon's, Bechara Boutros, Rai, Ayman Mhanna, Samir Kassir, Mhanna, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Barbie, Ken, Mattel, Laila Bassam, Gebeily, Toby Chopra, Nick Macfie Organizations: Hezbollah, Reuters, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Lebanon

☆ 13 Hollywood production companies making brand films that streamers like Netflix and Apple want to buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

said Marc Gilbar, who runs the brand division at Imagine Entertainment. Some are also looking to brand films to offset some of the revenue they're losing in the dual Hollywood strikes. (Brand films are often unscripted and thus aren't governed by the Hollywood unions.) They also see brand work being a positive for below-the-line workers who are idled by the work stoppage. Led by EVP Kate Oppenheim, Tribeca Studios' projects have included "We Could be King" (ESPN2) for Dick's Sporting Goods and P&G's Queen Collective series (BET).

Persons: Ben Silverman, Issa Rae's Hoorae, Kevin Hart's Hartbeat, Julian Jacobs, we've, Marc Gilbar, Samuel L, Jackson, Emma Stone, Zac Ryder, Olivia Wilde, Laurene Powell Jobs, Caitlin McGinty, It's, James Gay, Rees, Paul Martin, Kevin Hart's, Hart, Hartbeat, Brian Price, Chase Sapphire, Procter, Reese Witherspoon, Zoe Fairbourn, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer's, Ron Howard's, Bryce Dallas Howard, Gilbar, Rocco DiSpirito, General Mills, Rupert Maconik's Saville, Werner Herzog, Barry Levinson, Sugar23, Oscar, Michael Sugar, Trevor Noah's, he's, Kennedy, Matt Rotondo helms, Sugar, Mike Beck, Alexa Conway, Trevor Noah, Kate Oppenheim, HBO Max, Paul McCartney, Mary McCartney Ventureland, Kerstin Emhoff, Paul Hunter, John Battsek, Stacy's Pita Chips, Will, Jada Pinkett, REI, Gargi Organizations: Hollywood, Brands, Mattel, Netflix, Apple, UTA, Imagine Entertainment, Producers, Adobe, IBM, Anonymous, HP, Afghan Girls National Soccer Team, Showtime, Pepsi Boardwalk Pictures, Relativity Media, Super, Pepsi, REI, Unilever, Marriott, Surf League, Major League Soccer, Sam's, Gamble, Weinstein Co, Hulu, Imagine, Paramount, Saville Productions, Disney, Time Studios, Procter & Gamble, Anheuser, Busch, InBev, CAA, Studios, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, Tribeca Studios, Dick's Sporting Goods, HBO, CNN, Mobile, Stacy's, Everest, Vice Studios, Westbrook Media, Meta, Logitech, Samsung Locations: Hollywood, Subway, Magnolia

☆ Millennials and Gen Zers in Asia don't want to work in factories. It means you could soon pay more for clothes, furniture, and toys.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Young people in Asia don't want factory jobs, so companies are raising wages and adding perks. That's because factories across Asia that have traditionally produced many of these goods are struggling to find workers, The Wall Street Journal reported. In China, manufacturing workers' wages have more than tripled over the past decade, and factory workers in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Japan, have seen notable pay bumps as well. Companies like the Barbie manufacturer Mattel, the toy maker Hasbro, and Nike are facing elevated labor costs in Asia that have contributed to price hikes. Mark Perry, University of Michigan economistExperts attribute Asia's factory labor shortage to a variety of factors.

Persons: it's, Manoj Pradhan, Mark Perry, Julian Zhu, Gabriel Galvan, It's, Barbie Organizations: Service, Street Journal, Companies, Mattel, Hasbro, Nike, University of Michigan, Reuters Locations: Asia, Wall, Silicon, London, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Mexico, America

☆ Not everyone is convinced the US will avoid a recession
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —The case for no US recession is building, but some on Wall Street are cautioning against getting overconfident. That has raised hopes among investors that the United States could avoid a recession despite the Federal Reserve’s aggressive pace of interest rate hikes. Still, some investors are maintaining that the US economy could tip into a recession later this year. The index of leading economic indicators is just kind of at an extreme rating. One of the reasons for the rise in equity valuations in recent weeks was the pricing out of recession or economic weakness.

Persons: Michael Gapen, Michael Feroli, ”, Bell, David Donabedian, we’ve, There’s, Catherine Thorbecke, Danielle Romain, Romain, Read, Uno Mattel, Uno Quatro, Ellie Stevens, “ We’re, Ray Adler Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Bank of America, ” Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase’s, CIBC Private Wealth, Fitch, Google, Trust, Mattel, Uno Locations: New York, United States, New York City

☆ Mattel is now trying to make Uno happen — but no one's going to watch an Uno movie, even if Margot Robbie's in it
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Mattel wants a "Chief Uno Player" to hype another of its brands after the "Barbie" movie's success. One can only hope this Uno hype isn't a precursor to an Uno movie. One can only hope this Uno hype isn't a precursor to an Uno movie. Either way, good luck to the Chief Uno Player-to-be. And if you get the job, please be sure to lobby Mattel to keep Uno off the big screen, for all our sakes.

Persons: Uno, Barbie, we've, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, one's, There's, anthropomorphized Uno Organizations: Mattel, UNO, Uno, anthropomorphized Locations: New York

☆ Mattel 'Weird Barbie' doll for sale for limited time
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Some might say Weird Barbies are made, not sold. Mattel, however, begs to differ. The toy company behind the iconic Barbie brand has announced a signature doll modeled after Kate McKinnon’s character from Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster “Barbie.” In the movie, McKinnon’s character helps send Margot Robbie’s Barbie on her journey. “Barbie” is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, which is owned by CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. The doll is one of seven products in an expanded collection stemming from the billion-dollar hit movie, including various Barbie and Ken dolls modeling outfits they wore on-screen and a Hot Wheels corvette set.

Persons: Barbie, Kate McKinnon’s, Greta Gerwig’s, ”, Margot Robbie’s Barbie, “ Barbie ”, McKinnon, ” Mattel, Ken, ” Lisa McKnight, “ Barbie Organizations: CNN, Mattel, Warner Bros . Pictures, Warner Bros .

☆ 'When I think of Bratz I think of Black girl': Bratz fans want to know why Kylie Jenner is the brand's first celebrity doll
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

MGA Entertainment tapped Kylie Jenner to create six collectible mini Bratz in her likeness. Loyal Bratz fans have questioned the brand's choice to partner with Jenner. Bratz tapped Kylie Jenner for its first-ever celebrity doll since the brand's debut 2001 debut. "This is a seminal moment in Bratz history to join forces with Kylie Jenner as the brand's first-ever celebrity collaboration," Bratz creative director Jasmin Larian said in the release. Bratz dolls dominated the toy industry in its first five years, grossing $2 billion in sales in their first five years on shelves.

Persons: Kylie Jenner, Jenner, Jasmin Larian, Kylie, Yasmin, I've, Jen, hou, tim e Organizations: MGA Entertainment, Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ 'Barbie' to top $1 billion at the global box office Sunday
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Discovery and Mattel will top $1 billion in global ticket sales, before the end of the weekend, according to estimates from the studio. Gerwig joins Anna Boden, co-director of Disney's "Captain Marvel," as the only two women to helm a live-action billion-dollar film. Universal's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" has topped $1.3 billion since its April debut. Each film tallied less than $200 million in domestic box office receipts. "The box office powerhouse isn't done yet as the coming weeks offer little in the way of direct competition, giving 'Barbie' plenty of runway to continue building on this success," Robbins said.

Persons: Barbie, Shawn Robbins, Greta Gerwig, Gerwig, Anna Boden, Marvel, Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck, Mario, Paul Dergarabedian, Indiana Jones, Robbins Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery, Mattel, Disney, Warner Bros, Mario Bros, Comscore, Furious, Comcast, CNBC Locations: Comscore, NBCUniversal

☆ Warner Bros movie 'Barbie' ticket sales top $1 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Box-office ticket sales of the movie "Barbie" topped $1 billion in the United States and worldwide since its debut more than two weeks ago, Warner Bros. Pictures, a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD.O), announced on SundayIn a statement, Warner Bros. said the movie took in $459 million from domestic theaters and another $572.1 million overseas over the weekend, for a total of $1.0315 billion. "As distribution chiefs, we're not often rendered speechless by a film's performance, but Barbillion has blown even our most optimistic predictions out of the water," said Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures, and Andrew Cripps, president of international distribution. "Barbie" ticket sales ranked second this year to "The Super Mario Bros," which was released in April and raked in a total of $1.357 billion at the box office. Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: we're, Jeff Goldstein, Andrew Cripps, Oscar, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Barbie, Ken, Mattel, Mario Bros, Gertrude Chavez, Dreyfuss, Leslie Adler Organizations: Warner Bros . Pictures, Warner Bros ., Warner Bros, Thomson Locations: United States

☆ 'Barbie' is less than $100 million away from a billion-dollar box office heading into third weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"Barbie" is less than $100 million away from topping $1 billion at the global box office. "Joining the billion-dollar box office club is a watershed moment for 'Barbie' and Greta Gerwig as the latter will become the first solo female director to achieve that feat," said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. Anna Boden, co-director of Disney's "Captain Marvel," was the first female director to be attached to a billion-dollar live-action film. When "Barbie" tops this mark, it will become the first billion-dollar film to do so for the newly minted Warner Bros. Box office analysts don't expect "Barbie" ticket sales to stall after this weekend, either.

Persons: Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Shawn Robbins, Anna Boden, Marvel, Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck, Robbins, It's, Paul Dergarabedian Organizations: Warner Bros . Discovery, Mattel, BoxOffice.com, Disney, Warner Bros, Comscore, Screen, – American Federation of Television, Radio Artists Locations: Comscore, Hollywood

☆ These stocks reporting earnings next week have historically exceeded expectations and rallied as a result
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

About four out of every five of those stocks that have already reported have exceeded Wall Street's expectations. CNBC Pro used FactSet data to screen for companies reporting next week that have historically beat Wall Street expectations at least 70% of the time. Entertainment company Lionsgate has beaten expectations for earnings and sales 70% and 63% of past quarters, respectively. Shares have popped an average 3.9% in the sessions directly following its past earnings reports. The average analyst surveyed by Refinitiv sees that ascent continuing, with nearly 50% upside expected over the next year.

Persons: Tyler Radke, Armour, Refinitiv, — CNBC's Michael Bloom, Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, Citi, Entertainment, Lionsgate, Mattel

☆ Mattel wants to pay you $277 an hour to play Uno
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Ellie Stevens | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Mattel says it is conducting a nationwide job search for a “Chief Uno player.” The salary: $277 an hour. The toy company is hiring someone to promote the release of their new game, Uno Quatro. Uno Quatro is a new version of Uno that combines connecting four tiles in a row, as in Connect 4, with the classic Uno feature of matching numbers and colors. Starting September 13, the Chief Uno player will teach players to play the game and participate in livestreams and interviews. An eye-catching five figure position to play Uno for four weeks can accomplish just that.

Persons: Mattel, Uno Quatro, “ We’re, ”, Ray Adler, Uno, Tim Calkins, ” Calkins, TikTok, “, …, Skittles, French’s, McDonald’s, Calkins Organizations: CNN, Uno, Mattel, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Locations: New York City

☆ Hasbro sells off costly production studio, taking a page from Mattel's playbook
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Four years after acquiring Toronto-based production studio eOne, Hasbro is selling it off to Lionsgate. That price tag consists of $375 million in cash and the assumption of production financing loans. Without eOne, Hasbro will also return to licensing and partnerships with studios to fund entertainment projects for brands like Dungeons and Dragons, PlayDoh, Magic: The Gathering and Transformers. Hasbro acquired eOne in 2019 for $4 billion, a price tag that included coveted preschool brands like Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. Without eOne, Hasbro will continue to rely on partnerships with studios like Paramount for theatrical releases and television productions.

Persons: Drew Crum, Eric Handler, Roth MKM, Chris Cocks Organizations: Toronto, Hasbro, Lionsgate, eOne, Paramount Locations: Rhode

☆ Movies to Sell Us on the American Dream - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Pamela Paul | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If there’s anything more American than apple pie, it’s Coca-Cola, Levi’s and Harley-Davidson. No wonder so many of the latest movies tell the stories behind these beloved brands. The 1980s and ’90s, for one thing, which in these movies looks like a relative golden era. And in these movies, it was a time when the right nerd/ne’er-do-well/eccentric with the right combination of charm, chutzpah and ingenuity could make his or her dream come true. All you needed — or so we’d like to think — was the right story to sell.

Persons: Davidson, —, there’s “ Barbie Organizations: Mattel, Apple, Facebook Locations: Cheetos

☆ I'm a Barbie girl who almost got tricked by a plastic-free hoax
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A fake campaign by environmental activists said Barbie-maker Mattel would go plastic-free by 2030. Outlets like People, The Washington Times , and Dow Jones Newswires reported that Mattel, the maker of Barbie and other toys like American Girl dolls and Hot Wheels, would go plastic-free by 2030. "With our plastic-free commitment, we denounce the empty promises of plastic recycling and take a bold step towards real ecological sustainability. By the end of the day, Yahoo News had the exclusive on the team behind the stunt : The Barbie Liberation Organization. The stunt did make me envision what seaweed Barbie would look like — but it's unclear if that's possible.

Persons: Barbie, I've, that'd, Dow Jones Newswires, Greta Thunberg, Daryl Hannah, Instagram, Hannah, Hannah didn't, Ynon Kreiz, Mattel, Igor Vamos, Mike Bonnaro, Vamos, Adam McKay Organizations: Mattel, Service, The Washington Times, Yahoo News, Liberation Organization, Barbie Liberation Organization, Dot Studios Locations: Russian

☆ Barbie doll sales are booming online as the blockbuster film barrels toward $1 billion at the box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The "Barbie effect" is also boosting Mattel's direct-to-consumer sales of dolls, per Shopify. Shoppers are "voting with their wallets" for their favorite brands, even as they cut spending elsewhere, one exec said. Two weeks after the hit summer film's release, box office sales are on track to top $1 billion, and retail sales of the namesake dolls are booming. "We're seeing [Mattel] doll sales up 56%," said Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, the e-commerce platform that powers the direct-to-consumer operation for Barbie's parent company. "Consumers are voting with their wallets to buy from their favorite brands," he said.

Persons: Barbie, Harley Finkelstein, Finkelstein, Richard Dickson, Dickson, we've Organizations: Service, Shopify, Mattel Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ Hasbro sells its eOne film and TV unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHasbro sells its eOne film and TV unitCNBC's Julia Boorstin joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss Hasbro's decision to sell its film and TV units, the value of intellectual property in the entertainment industry, and Mattel's decision to expand its movie offering following the success of Barbie.

Persons: Julia Boorstin, Barbie Organizations: Hasbro

☆ ‘Barbenheimer’ Isn’t a Contest. But if It Were, Which Film Would Win?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Kyle Buchanan | More About Kyle Buchanan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Barbie is a famous clotheshorse, and Gerwig’s movie more than delivers on the fashion front: Whether Robbie’s doll is wearing gingham dresses or disco jumpsuits, she takes costumes that could read as cosplay and makes them chic. Still, even though Murphy is striking in period garments, there can be only one victor in this category. We have no doubt that Barbie would look fashionable even in Oppenheimer’s tailored menswear, but could the theoretical physicist pull off her rollerblading look in eye-searing fluorescents? (Kinky, yes, but Tatlock clearly knows that the way to this man’s heart is to first admire his bookshelf.) Advantage: “Oppenheimer”

Persons: Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, ”, Oppenheimer, Nolan, Murphy, Jean Tatlock, Pugh, Gita, “ Barbie ”, “ I’m, Ken ” Organizations: Mattel Locations: “

☆ Midge, the pregnant doll mocked in 'Barbie,' may have failed in the 1960s because she was friendlier and 'much more girl-next-doorish' than Barbie, Ruth Handler once said
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mattel's Midge doll may have failed in the 1960s because she was "less glamorous" than Barbie, Ruth Handler once said. A pregnant version of the doll, referenced in Greta Gerwig's movie, was pulled from Walmart in 2002. A TV advert said that Barbie, Midge, and Ken "go everywhere together," including sunbathing on the beach, playing tennis, and attending school. Mattel released a pregnant version of Midge in 2002. Walmart pulled the sets, with a spokesperson telling CNN at the time that customers "were not happy" with the pregnant doll.

Persons: Midge, Barbie, Ruth Handler, Handler, Greta Gerwig's, Emerald Fennell, Ken, Allan, Michael Cera, didn't, Barbie's, Alan, Mattel, Lawrence Lucier, Ryan –, Ryan, – Organizations: Walmart, Service, Mattel, PJ, University of Southern, CNN Locations: Wall, Silicon, University of Southern California

☆ Toymaker Mattel says it will pay someone nearly $18,000 to play and promote its new Uno game
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Mattel is hiring a "chief Uno player" to promote its new game, Uno Quatro. The job involves starring in social media content and teaching the game to others in New York. Its main task is to promote Uno Quatro, a variation on the original card game which involves trying to match four-in-a-row using plastic tiles on a grid. It's not just the new Quatro game though, as the chief Uno player will also have to help create social content for "various Uno games." It involves filming yourself answering four simple questions, like your favorite reverse card moment – a move you can make when playing the Uno game.

Persons: Uno Quatro, They'll, It's, Quatro, Uno Organizations: Mattel, Service, Privacy, New, Uno, Seaport Locations: New York, Wall, Silicon, New York City, livestreams

☆ Fact Check-Video of giant Barbie next to Burj Khalifa is CGI
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of a digitally created giant Barbie doll next to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was misleadingly shared online as a real-life installation of the doll in front of the world’s tallest building. Facebook posts linked the video to the Blue Beam conspiracy theory (here) and (here). A Georgia-based fact-checking platform Myth Detector, reviewed the Blue Beam theory in 2021, concluding that it originated in a 1994 book called ‘Project Blue Beam’ by Canadian journalist and conspiracy theorist Serge Monast. Mattel, manufacturer of the Barbie doll, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Video of a giant Barbie doll next to Burj Khalifa was created using CGI.

Persons: Barbie, ”, Serge Monast, Poynter, Burj Khalifa, Read Organizations: Facebook, UN, NASA, United Arab, Eye, Mattel, Reuters Locations: Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Georgia, Canadian, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Burj

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