Mattel Scores New Partners for Barbie

Mattel has partnered with iHeartMedia for the exclusive Barbie Radio channel and with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris for a limited-edition Barbie hair tool.

Mattel and Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division have launched Barbie Radio on iHeartMedia’s iHeartRadio. The first branded radio channel from Mattel, it stars Barbie as the DJ playing songs from her music catalog, including tracks from her latest album, Barbie: Big City, Big Dreams from the Netflix special of the same name.

DJ Barbie also shares stories that are designed to remind girls they can be anything they want to be. The launch of Barbie Radio comes after Mattel introduced Barbie Music Producer dolls, designed to introduce girls to an underrepresented career where women make up less than 3 percent of music producers.

Andrea Carpenter, senior director of content distribution and partnerships at Mattel, said: “Barbie has been inspiring, empowering and entertaining kids for over 60 years, and we are always looking to reach fans in new ways. Leveraging Barbie’s music catalog of hundreds of original songs is one way for us to do that. Partnering with iHeartMedia gives us the opportunity to engage fans and bring Barbie’s original music to more families than ever before.”

Kavi Halemane, executive VP and general manager of digital programming at iHeartRadio, said: “iHeartRadio is inviting kids and families to turn up the volume on even more hits from Barbie with the exciting launch of Barbie Radio. We are excited to team up with Mattel and Warner Music to bring Barbie and her favorite music to millions of iHeartRadio listeners across the U.S.”

Mattel has also partnered with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris for a Barbie edition of L’Oréal’s Steampod flat iron, which straightens, waves and curls hair. It is set to launch this month.

Anne Machet, general manager of L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, said: “At L’Oréal Professionnel Paris, we are highly energized by this collaboration! With Barbie, we have a shared vision of an inclusive world where any dream is possible. Since 2012, Steampod has empowered women of all hair textures to achieve any look they crave. And for over 110 years, L’Oréal Professionnel Paris has been dedicated to hairdressers, a profession that we are committed to valorize more than ever, and make it the dream profession for generations to come!”

Roz Nowicki, head of global consumer products and franchise marketing at Mattel, said: “We’re honored and delighted to partner with L’Oréal Professionnel Paris to launch this new collaboration. Barbie and L’Oréal share common values of empowerment and encouraging self-expression, and we worked closely to integrate these pillars into the final product.”