How Warner Bros.'s Social Media Marketing Strategy Built Hype for the "Barbie" Movie

If you hadn’t heard, Warner Bros. Pictures is producing a Barbie movie, set to release in the summer of 2023. The film stars A-listers Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, and will take the legendary Barbie character to the big screen. It will be the first live-action film based on the legendary line of Barbie dolls from Mattel. While details about the film itself remain scarce, hype does not. Promotional materials for the film have sparked a frenzy online, with splashy pink fashion dominating in many corners.

But the early viral success of the Barbie movie is about more than just big names and big studios. Warner Bros. and Mattel have teamed up to roll out an effective, understated social media strategy for the much-anticipated movie.

Barbie’s Social Media Marketing Success

Even though Barbie is still several months away from hitting theaters, its cultural presence has already been firmly established. Warner Bros. kicked off the social media marketing campaign with a few promotional images of the film’s stars in full costume. These initial pictures were a huge hit. This is true whether it was nostalgia or giddiness seeing both Robbie and Gosling in bright pink outfits. 

The film’s social media marketing has even prompted a high-profile fashion movement: Barbiecore. With a focus on pink and other vibrant, flashy colors, Barbiecore fashion is lifting spirits and generating hype for Barbie. Celebrities from Lizzo, to Harry Styles, to Justin Bieber have been spotted in hot pink attire in recent months. The trend is a runaway promotional hit for Warner Bros. and their summer blockbuster. But as gaudy as the fashion is, the social media strategy has been more subtle.

Warner Bros. has been careful not to share too much about the Barbie movie on social media. Too much hype too soon can cause the general public to lose interest by the time the film is released. But the slow build-up, starting with promotional and behind-the-scenes photos, is a deft touch. The iconic Barbie fashion has brought the Barbie movie into mainstream focus, while leaving plenty to be desired for its theatrical release.

What Is the Goal of Marketing For Social Media?

Traditional marketing streams would focus on sales as the top metric for measuring success. But in this era of marketing for social media, sales are not always the primary focus. We can see this in Barbie’s social media marketing strategy. Thus far, Mattel and Warner Bros. have not actively sold anything in promoting the film. Instead, they have generated intrigue and built an audience. 

Both companies understand the value of social media marketing in this respect. People do not use social media as a place of commerce. Instead, it is a place to connect, share ideas, and spread awareness. Many of the most successful companies on social media prioritize content marketing and audience engagement above everything else.

 As Mattel’s CEO, Ynon Kreiz, said in a recent interview: “We know that in success, if people watch the movie, and there’s high engagement, good things will happen. We know how to sell toys, where the opportunity is really about quality entertainment, based on our IP.”

The opportunity to sell will naturally follow a successful social media marketing strategy. The first step is to build an audience, and the rest will follow.

Hire a Social Media Marketer

There are many ways to build an audience using social media marketing. But, in most cases, it starts with finding the right social media marketer. If your business is looking for help with marketing for social media, Web Content Development can help. Read more about our social media marketing services here.