This New Barbie Ad is Powerful and Inspiring

Because you can be whatever you want to be.

“What happens when girls are free to imagine they can be anything?” The new Barbie ad opens with this question. In the past, the word “Barbie” was associated with problematic gender roles and unrealistic physical features, but we’re seeing a change. Guest Editor Dominique Fishback made an excellent point in her piece about Zendaya’s Barbie. She was excited about Barbie making a change but asked the question, why now? “However, I still couldn’t help but feel like the people behind Barbie had the ability to make the dolls look this close to real girls all along and just didn’t, but I guess this is what progress means.” How come Barbie hasn’t always been empowering to girls and why is it just now that Barbie is making commercials that inspire us? As Dominique said, it’s progress. Instead of dwelling on the past, we’re excited that Barbie is finally telling girls that you can be whatever you want and this commercial is a step in the right direction. 

Today, we can say that Barbie is becoming a positive tool for young girls. Their new ad inspires girls to be anything they can imagine- professors, doctors, or museum tour guides, but the best part about this commercial is that it doesn’t even show a Barbie until the end. It foscuses on the little girls who are seeing themselves in these toys. 

Instead of teaching girls to dress cute or put on makeup or learn to cook (all fine things but extremely limiting), Barbie is teaching us that we can do whatever we want and to use our imaginations to figure out what we want to be when we’re old enough to become doctors or professors. 

Watch the ad below and let it make your day. 

Thanks Barbie!