Barbie’s Lesson to Girls: Use Credit so the Money Never Ends
Posted by Lisa in Marketing to Girls, tags: barbie, credit, Marketing to Girls, mattel, shopping, spendingIf you’re like me, you might be thinking that Barbie is starting to look wholesome next to a variety of newer dolls like Bratz. But forget the argument over age-appropriate fashion and behavior for a minute, The newest Barbie toys aim to teach our daughters that it’s OK to spend, spend, spend on credit with no worries.
I watched in horror as a Mattel commercial came on today for a new Barbie product called the Fashion Fever Shopping Boutique. It’s the sort of thing that makes you wonder, “Does Mattel have a parent focus group?” The commercial for this toy is “priceless.” In a time when consumer debt is at an all-time high, saving is at an all-time low and Americans are losing their homes, Mattel wants Barbie to teach girls two very important things: 1) Shopping is fun 2) Just use the plastic … you’ll never run out of money.The average college freshman will rack up $1500 in credit card debt their first year in college. Combine those spending habits with student loan debt and we have an entire generation up to their eyeballs in debt before they even start their professional careers.Where does it end? Will parents say, “enough is enough” or will Mattel and other companies continue to make a bundle on Americans’ out-of-control spending habits. What can a generation of parents buried in debit teach the next generation? We’re killing the American Dream for ourselves and our children. Thanks for the assist Barbie!
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