Archived material Access restricted Article
Rantburg

Today's Front Page   View All of Wed 04/26/2023 View Tue 04/25/2023 View Mon 04/24/2023 View Sun 04/23/2023 View Sat 04/22/2023 View Fri 04/21/2023 View Thu 04/20/2023
1
2023-04-26 -Short Attention Span Theater-
Barbie's latest doll represents people with Down's syndrome
Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.
Posted by Fred 2023-04-26 00:00|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [11127 views ]  Top

#1 ...Hmmm.

On the one hand...two cheers for Mattel. Not sure how many DS girls will be buying a Barbie that looks like them, but okay. However, that puts us on...

The other hand - it is my understanding (and I will cheerfully admit to error) that the overall number of DS births are steadily decreasing. There are much better and constantly improving pre-natal tests that are spotting it so the parents can terminate if they so wish or simply not try to conceive in the first place. (Not debating the decisions, just pointing out that they are options )


Which means, if one thinks about it, Mattel is marketing an $11.00 toy to a steadily shrinking customer base. Not sure what kind of marketing research is being done here, but there it is.

Mike
Posted by MikeKozlowski 2023-04-26 08:29||   2023-04-26 08:29|| Front Page Top

#2 /\ Mattel's M16. Short-term financial gain outweighs long-term impacts ?
Posted by Besoeker 2023-04-26 08:39||   2023-04-26 08:39|| Front Page Top

#3 Will we see Flesh-eating Bacteria Barbie, because Inclusion? There is a DIE Barbie joke in there but I shall refrain.

I wonder what it costs Mattel to turn out a non-standard Barbie - the design, tooling, molds, packaging, production line changeover, etc. I'm guessing you need to sell a bunch to break even.
Posted by SteveS 2023-04-26 09:38||   2023-04-26 09:38|| Front Page Top

#4 Doesn't cost them anything if the distributors/retailers are 'required' to carry it.

The only thing to do is if retailers just quit carrying the Barbie line. The Big Boys pick up the tab because they are Invincible!

Then customers pick up the tab because the write off of 10 cubic yards of wrote-off Barbie product thrown in the trash is worked into your price tag, and taxes.
Posted by swksvolFF 2023-04-26 10:35||   2023-04-26 10:35|| Front Page Top

#5 
Posted by Frank G 2023-04-26 10:41||   2023-04-26 10:41|| Front Page Top

#6 There are some misconceptions in this thread. If you will allow me?

1) This product isn't really for girls like my daughter with Down syndrome. She loves Barbie dolls and likes the varients just fine. But she doesn't see herself as being in a distinct minority group. (Few of them do.)

2) This doll will be part of a product line that most parents get on a subscription basis. We have the subscription, and she gets excited every time a doll comes in.

3) The most common form of DS isn't detectable pre-conception by a genetics test. It is detectable post-conception by a blood test, and abortions are common; though possibly less so than they were 20 years ago in the United States. We are not sure, but the rates mave have dropped from 92% when detected to as low as 82%. But that of course is subject to change.

4) A DS barbie doll is fine -but is most likely for collectors IMO.
Posted by Secret Master  2023-04-26 11:25||   2023-04-26 11:25|| Front Page Top

#7 Ref #5: Frank you've just flooded hundreds of urostomy bags with that graphic.
Posted by Besoeker 2023-04-26 11:36||   2023-04-26 11:36|| Front Page Top

#8 I would call the picture Great Value Barbie.
Posted by Super Hose 2023-04-26 12:41||   2023-04-26 12:41|| Front Page Top

#9 I had no idea about any of that, Secret Master. Thank you for explaining.
Posted by trailing wife 2023-04-26 17:30||   2023-04-26 17:30|| Front Page Top

#10 Mattel’s press release on the subject. Definitely for collectors, continuing a trend of Barbies with various skin colours, body types, and handicaps.
Posted by trailing wife 2023-04-26 21:36||   2023-04-26 21:36|| Front Page Top

23:14 trailing wife
21:42 DooDahMan
21:36 trailing wife
20:54 SteveS
20:52 SteveS
20:48 SteveS
19:53 Frank G
19:37 Super Hose
19:34 Frank G
19:30 Frank G
19:22 Omiting Theting7288
18:59 swksvolFF
18:55 swksvolFF
18:47 Frank G
18:37 Rex Mundi
18:34 Rex Mundi
18:11 M. Murcek
17:33 trailing wife
17:30 trailing wife
17:28 Rex Mundi
17:24 Rex Mundi
17:23 M. Murcek
17:11 Verlaine
16:56 Super Hose
Merry-Go-Blog










Paypal:
Google
Search WWW Search rantburg.com