New York CNN –
There’s nothing Barbie has loved more in her 64 years in the toy world than constantly reinventing herself.
She boasts more than 200 careers on her resume – doctor, astronaut, computer engineer, CEO and even presidential candidate. She’s had an enviable motley crew of doll friends who have stood by her through the decades, and her dollhouse mansions dwarf Bel Air’s mega-estates.
But some much-needed aspects of their development have also taken longer.
For years, Barbie was fair-skinned – white – slim, blond, with a very small waist, large breasts and always on incredibly high heels.
04:30 – Source: CNN
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Finally, in 2016, in light of the doll’s declining sales, Mattel (MAT) created a more realistic representation of a female doll, making the newer Barbies more inclusive and diverse in appearance. Barbie was reintroduced in four body types and seven skin tones, with 22 eye colors and 24 hairstyles. And her evolution continues with Barbie Fashionistas, a diverse representation of beauty that encourages children to fight the stigma of physical disabilities.
But along the way, Barbie and her crew have also thrown in a few spooky moments. The “Barbie” movie, which premieres in US theaters on Friday, brings up a few of those if you want to see them quickly.
“Barbie, with her 64-year history, we can’t expect everything about her and her world to be a head turner,” said James Zahn, editor-in-chief of The Toy Book, a toy industry publication. “There will be some hits and some misses.”
Here are some over the years.
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Pregnant Midge was featured in Mattel’s Happy Family Barbie Collection, which also included Alan (pictured behind the stroller).
Midge first appeared in the 1960s. She was Barbie’s healthy, all-American best friend. In 2002, Mattel introduced a pregnant Midge doll that features a removable baby bump and a toy baby inside. The Midge doll made waves. “She raised her eyebrows years ago. Maybe it was unfounded and maybe Mattel was ahead of the curve with a pregnant doll for girls to play with,” Zahn said.
Walmart (WMT) eventually pulled the pregnant Midge doll from shelves, citing customer complaints about the appropriateness of a “pregnant” doll. The doll was sold as part of the Happy Family set, which included husband Allan and son Ryan.
Like Midge, Allan showed up as Ken’s sidekick in Barbie Land in 1964. Then he became Midge’s husband. “Allan didn’t really take off,” said Zahn. “The kids were more focused on Barbie without the extra characters, so Allan came and went.” Mattel changed his name to “Alan,” but still no dice. Alan was eventually withdrawn from Barbie’s world.
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Barbie and Tanner.
Perhaps Mattel was ahead of its time with a poop-themed toy (check out the popularity of “poop” emojis now?!) with Tanner, the pooping golden retriever toy. The toy maker released a Barbie Tanner playset in 2006. The set included a “shovel” accessory with a magnetic end so kids could pick up Tanner’s play poop. You fed Tanner a play treat, squeezed his tail, and it fell out the other end.
Unfortunately for Mattel, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled more than 680,000 Barbie Tanner playsets in 2007 over safety concerns about loose magnets on the shovels.
The agency said the loose magnets could attract each other if swallowed by small children, leading to a potentially fatal intestinal perforation or blockage.
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Mattel worked with OREO manufacturer Nabisco in the 1990s to create an “OREO” style Barbie. However, the doll has reportedly been recalled.
It was a collaboration that went awry. Mattel worked with OREO manufacturer Nabisco in the 1990s to create an “OREO” style Barbie. However, the doll was reportedly recalled after criticism that the word “Oreo” can also have offensive connotations to people of color.
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Growing Skipper teenager doll from 1975.
Skipper entered Barbie’s universe in 1964 as her younger sister. About ten years later, in 1975, the toy company introduced a “Growing-up Skipper” doll. If you rotate her arm, the doll would elongate and also “develop” breasts. Rotate the arm again and she would revert to her shorter length and lose her breasts. The controversy here is perhaps obvious. “It’s another oddity over the years of the brand,” said Zahn.
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Video Barbie doll with built-in LCD screen and video download port.
Mattel’s July 2010 Video Girl Barbie was designed to double as a video camera for children ages 6 and up. The company said there was an actual video camera inside the doll, with a camera lens in the necklace the doll wore and a video screen on the back so kids could capture everything from the “doll’s perspective.”
In December of the same year, the FBI warned that the doll could be used as a tool by pedophiles. The FBI’s “Cyber Crime Alert” at the time made no mention of misuse of the doll, but did note the possibility.
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Hello barbie
In 2015, Mattel introduced Hello Barbie. She spoke, listened, and responded to what she heard via a microphone, sophisticated electronics, and a WiFi connection. The doll’s functions raised concerns about an invasion of privacy.
“Hi, Barbie not only listened to you, she remembered what you said and brought it up again a few days later,” said Richard Gottlieb, CEO of consulting firm Global Toy Experts.
“It spooked parents and garnered a cover spot and a scathing article in The New York Times Magazine about why it’s not safe to let your child play with Hello Barbie,” he said. “Despite or because of the production of this cover, it never succeeded.
Mattel discontinued the doll two years later.