Not just a doll | Barbie at $1bn and the IPR fest around its trademark   

Everyone has been wanting a pink dip, be a part of the Barbie fantasy. From the Pink Burger with pink sauce on the menu of Burger King, Barbie Land Berry Pink frozen yogurt from Pinkberry, Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse on Airbnb to the Malibu Barbie Café – people have been reinventing ways to weave their imagination around the world of Barbie alongside the release of the Barbie movie. Eventually Barbie has become more than a doll – a movie even. Among a handful of movies to hit the magical $1billion mark in box office collection, Barbie today is an experience. In its quarterly earnings announcement in July, Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz has been quoted as saying, "The success at the box office during the first weekend, combined with positive film reviews and the entire build-up towards [Barbie's] release, made it more than a movie. It has become a cultural phenomenon." 

A trademark built over six decades

First registered in 1959, Barbie’s original logo featured a simple, handwritten bright pink sans serif font. The logo underwent multiple changes before Mattel reverted to the original in 2009, which is still in use. When Mattel registered the Barbie trademark, they had to precisely identify the trademark to produce the ‘Barbie doll’. Which meant no one else could make a doll like the Barbie. Over time, Barbie’s intellectual property portfolio expanded to include trademarks, designs, patents, and copyright protection. There are 23 registered trademarks in the EU and over 30 in the UK which consists of Barbie’s name and a variation of the logo. Barbie’s boyfriend Ken is also protected as a trademark. The shade of pink associated with Barbie is protected as a colour in the US. As part of the release of the Barbie movie, Mattel has entered over 100 licensing deals allowing licensees to sell products and services using Barbie branding.

Over 165 collaborations 

The Barbie fever has cut across industry segments - clothing, shoes, lifestyle, dental care, cosmetics, hair and stationery. Birkenstock, Aldo, Fossil, Asos, Kipling, Primark, Gap, Zara, Forever21, Crocs and more have joined the Barbiecore trend. The pink splash has been visible across an O.P.I barbie nail polish, Gap’s Barbie apparel, NYX cosmetics, a Burger King pink sauce, pink Xbox controllers, Crocs, UNO cards, and much more. The Barbie phenomenon has surprised Mattel no less. "The biggest shift in our strategy, and in our DNA, was to realise that people who buy our products are not just consumers, they're fans," Kreiz said in a company announcement. "Once you have an audience, more opportunities open up." 

An IPR pink-fest

For intellectual property lawyers across the world, Barbie is a phenomenon. The sheer influence of the doll and the symbolical colour pink across brands globally with windows screaming barbie pinks across shopping malls and high streets of the world is a never-seen-before trademark fest. Barbie – the movie was the greatest unboxing of for the doll ever and Mattel has claimed it as a ‘milestone.’ IPR professionals are excited with the power of a doll that endorses pink. Protection of the brand and collaboration with Indian brands has been ‘exciting’ said IPR lawyer, Safir Anand in a conversation with Republic. Anand has been handling Mattel for over a decade.

“Think of a top Bollywood star, no matter how popular he is, his sway predominantly remains the Indian audience. Barbie is no star – it is just a doll, which has taken over the screens all over the world and caught the imagination of top brands. This shows what a great opportunity even a doll can have in the present day of collaborations,” Sehr Anand, IPR Lawyer, said.

“It has been an honour to handle the IP work for such a creative and innovative organisation. This is a classic example that shows that even a fictional character can generate an immense source of brand value and aid in wealth creation. In fact, such a strong and consistent enforcement mechanism over time by Mattel also ensured their ability to succeed in many merchandising opportunities. Barbie despite being fictional, is a real-life inspiration,” Safir Anand added.