Instagram The Barbie doll, a success since 1959, gained even more prominence in 2023, with the release of the film directed by Greta Gerwig.
The success of the movie took the character to Forbes magazine’s list of the one hundred most powerful women in the world. The ranking, released on December 6th, placed Barbie in the one hundredth position. Usually, the last number in the ranking is attributed to a figure that is not the traditional image of power, but that stood out that year, which is what happened with the doll.
The power of Barbie
The pink world run by Mattel and starring the doll broke box office records: 1.4 billion dollars (6.92 billion reais) worldwide. The success made Gerwig become the first woman to direct a billion-dollar film.
In line with the release of the film, sales of the doll rose 16% in the third quarter of the year, compared to the same period the previous year. In addition to Mattel, the trend is that Barbie will also increase the demand for other brands. According to the company Euromonitor International, the sale of dolls is expected to reach 14 billion dollars (69.2 billion reais) by 2027.
In addition to its million-dollar reach, Barbie’s success led Pantone to define pink as the color of 2023. On social media, the character has more than 5 million followers and almost 12 million subscribers on YouTube.
For Forbes, Barbie’s power goes beyond the achievements of 2023. Since its launch, the doll has been a symbol of female empowerment around the world. Among the available editions, the character has had different colors, types of hair and over 250 professions, from astronaut to the president of different countries. Seen as an inspiration for young audiences, the doll expanded its reach with the movie and highlighted freedom, the fight for women’s rights and women’s power. Due to all the impact the doll achieved, Barbie joined the highly competitive 2023 women’s list.
The Forbes ranking
Apart from Barbie, names such as Taylor Swift, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, Beyoncé and Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, are on the list.
In order to define the names and list them, Forbes uses four main criteria: money, impact, media and spheres of influence. In cases where the person is involved in politics, the GDP and the population of the country led by the personality are also taken into account. When it comes to women in the corporate world, the company’s revenue and number of employees impact the final decision.
See below the ten most powerful women of 2023:
1 – Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission
2 – Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
3 – Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States
4 – Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy
5 – Taylor Swift, singer
6 – Karen Lynch, President of CVS Health
7 – Jane Fraser, Executive Director Citigroup
8 – Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments
9 – Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors
10 – Melinda French Gates, philanthropist.
Source: Forbes.
