Barbie burnout? How brands can dodge the risk of 'collab fatigue'

By Jo Allen | Published: 2-Aug-2023

Movie and TV-inspired collaborations have reached a pink-hued high but brands still need to find a point of difference beyond the 'x'

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This article was originally published in the Collaborations Trend Report.  Receive your copy here


It was becoming hard to think of a brand that hadn’t launched a Barbie-inspired collection.

From Primark to Pür, dozens of players across the beauty industry and beyond debuted limited edition products inspired by one of the most anticipated summer movies of 2023.

It was also the source of one of the biggest aesthetics of the year, Barbiecore, and the resurgence of hot pink make-up shades at every turn.

NYX Professional Makeup’s Barbie The Movie collection offered eyeshadow palettes, Jumbo Eye Pencil sticks in signature vibrant pink and electric blue shades and a highly successful flip phone mirror, which sold out across Ulta stores and on the brand’s website.

Hair care brands jumped in too: Hally, with its Barbie-inspired Shade Sticks, and Tangle Teezer with a Barbiecore pink brush.

In home fragrance, Glasshouse Fragrances released the Barbie Dreamhouse Triple Scented Candle featuring  “a realistic plastic doll accord”, that was intended to transport the consumer back to the thrill of unwrapping a brand new Barbie doll.

Barbie collaborations even came to oral care, with Moon launching an official Pink Collection with a special edition electric toothbrush and whitening toothpaste.

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