Celebrate 60 Years of Barbie with New Toys, Family Events

Mattel is celebrating Barbie‘s 60th anniversary with great social initiatives and fun new toys. Over the years, Barbie has had more than 200 careers, made six runs for President, and blasted off for a trip to the moon — even before Neil Armstrong.

The Barbie Career 60th Anniversary doll collection celebrates six careers that have been there since the beginning, but are still areas underrepresented by women: astronaut, pilot, athlete, journalist, politician, and firefighter.

For bigger kids (collectors), the Barbie 60th Anniversary and Proudly Pink Barbie dolls honor 60 years of classic Barbie fashion.

Barbie 2019 Honorees — Barbie Role Models 2019. From left to right: Maya Gabiera, Surfer, Brazil; Naomi Osaka, Tennis Player, Japan; Kristina Vogel, Cycling Champion, Germany; Tessa Virtue, Ice Skater, Canada; Yara Shahidi, Actress, United States; Adwoa Aboah, Activist and Model, United Kingdom; Dipa Karmakar, Artistic Gymnast, India; Chen Man, Photographer, China; Ita Buttrose, Journalist, Australia.

As a continuation of the “Shero” program launched in 2015, more than 20 women will be honored as Barbie role models this year. The lineup includes representation from multiple countries and continents, with honorees ranging from 19 to 85 years old and speaking 13 languages.

Throughout the year, families can enjoy Barbie anniversary events across the country and around the world.

Barbie 60th Anniversary Events include:

An immersive Barbie pop-up experience in New York City to celebrate the brand’s past, present, and future on March 9. Equal parts fashion tribute and art installation, fans of all ages can celebrate the icon.
The Barbie “Be Anything” Tour will kick-off in Bentonville, Ark. with GRAMMY-nominated, country music star Kelsea Ballerini on March 9 and 10. It will run through October and stop at 36 participating U.S. Walmart locations. At each stop, girls can hear about a role model’s journey, enter for a chance to win up to $20,000, and enjoy other fun and interactive experiences for the whole family.
“Barbie Presented by Amazon” pop-up stores are in five major markets across the U.S. based on Amazon’s innovative physical retail model. Fans are treated to an immersive Barbie experience through April 2.
In-store activations in various participating U.S. Target locations throughout the country on March 9 that will feature the “What Will You Be” exclusive Barbie-themed apparel and accessories line for girls ages 5 to 10.
Celebrating female empowerment with a visual message at landmarks across the world including New York’s Empire State Building, TOKYO SKYTREE, Toronto’s CN Tower, and Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.