Mattel Inc. Addressing the Component of Cultural Identity Among Essay

Mattel Inc. Addressing the Component of Cultural Identity Among Consumers - Essay ExampleBarbie the first venture of Mattel into the electron orbit of dolls was launched in 1959. Barbie was designed keeping in mind that one-year-old girls like giving the role of adults to their dolls. Mattel has been very successful in many European countries and the joined States, due to its strategy of incorporating the cultural specification of these countries into its products. Its strategy of bringing variation in their products according to the philosophy, and biological traits of their consumers has made them the brand they argon today (Mattel, 2011). Barbie is a brand that acknowledges the importance of cultural identity in the toy market. Biological traits for cultural acceptability have incorporated very carefully. Barbie, Mattels biggest and most accept brand is very detailed in its design. The original Barbie was created to target young American girls, who wanted to grow up to be indep endent, beautiful women. Many parents initially had objections a wee-weest playing with Barbie as many thought her physical attributes gave young girls a wrong idea ab by beauty. The fear was that girls might take thinness as the indicator of beauty. Consumers were worried about the wrong idea Barbie might give their children regarding the definition of beauty in their culture. Consumers who had African, Asian and other ethnic origins were also non very pleased with the physical attributes Barbie was given. Mattel counteracted these notions by coming up with Barbies that represented the culture and traditions of these specific countries. Thus, Indian, Mexican, Japanese, and African Barbies were created. These Barbies have contrastive skin tones than the original Barbie they are several shades darker than the original shade. The Japanese Barbie has a yellow skin color similar to the oriental skin tone. Many might point out the fact that the features of these dolls have not been cha nged. Only the skin tone and the clothes have been altered. By diversification of their products, Mattel accessed growing markets. (Grassel, 2011) Barbie now represents a mass- spectrum of culture to gain acceptability into the Latin American, Afro American, and Asian cultures. Barbies imaginary friend-circle has been very carefully designed. It is designed in such a way that young girls from all different cultures will feel included in the world of Barbie. Kayla was introduced in 1990. Her ethnic vagueness was done intentionally. She represents the Latina-young friend of Barbie. Kayla can make any young Latin American girl relate herself to Kaylas style. The Barbie line for girls near their teens also has characters that show the importance of Hispanic and African culture in Mattels market segmentation. Including these characters in their doll collection gives Mattel access to consumers who hail from these cultures (Barbie, 1991). Independent women are next-generation women is the philosophy Mattel reinforces with its product, Barbie. Girls from a very young age value their independence and dreams. The clothes and accessories donned by Barbie make the statement of her independence. She is a doctor, a nurse, an astronaut, and anything and everything she wants to be professionally. The commercials of Barbie also emphasize the abilities of women. Women can be whatever they want to be is what Barbie wants to encourage in young girls.