The Barbie brand collaborations you should care about

Using NewsWhip’s Spike, we have identified collaborations across various industries, including fashion, beauty, and food, that have generated substantial online engagement and had the most impact. Some of them have attracted attention through earned media coverage, such as Airbnb’s creation of Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse, but the hype around these partnerships has mostly been built natively on social media, where brands have seen success by leveraging the power of their owned channels. 

Let’s explore the collaborations that drove top engagement on social media, transforming the digital landscape into an enchanting Barbie dream world.

Crocs x Barbie

Crocs has introduced a line of limited-edition shoes and accessories in partnership with Barbie. The success of this strategic partnership can at least in part be credited to Crocs’ comprehensive and well-executed social media strategy. Their promotional efforts across multiple social platforms have generated large engagement numbers.

The shoe brand took to all their prominent social media channels – Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook – to unveil the dazzling Barbie Crocs. Among these posts, the Instagram announcement emerged as the frontrunner, garnering an impressive total of 235.7K+ engagements. Their TikTok video achieved significant traction with over 33.4K+ engagements. Additionally, their Twitter announcement generated 9.2k+ engagements, and their Facebook post received 6.4K+ engagements, showcasing the widespread appeal and success of their partnership with Barbie.

Beis x Barbie

Beis, founded by actress and influencer Shay Mitchell, is another company that is bringing the timeless charm of Barbie into their travel collection, featuring items such as pink jet-setting luggage and trendy weekender bags.

Since its post on July 6th, an Instagram reel featuring Shay Mitchell and a Barbie doll with Beis luggage has received over 102.1K engagements, featuring the dynamic duo ready for an exciting and stylish adventure. 

Taking the excitement further, Beis also uploaded a TikTok video, revealing the stunning details of the brand’s new Barbie pink luggage, accompanied by an iconic high-heel scene inspired by the forthcoming movie. This video has already generated an impressive 39.1K+ interactions, further igniting anticipation for the Beis x Barbie collaboration. 

NYX x Barbie

NYX, a cruelty-free American cosmetics company, has achieved a significant milestone by securing a makeup collaboration with the iconic Barbie brand. This strategic partnership has sparked interest in the brand’s social media platforms, resulting in a surge in interactions with their audience.

One of their most prominent posts featured a TikTok providing a detailed view of their Barbie makeup products, now available on Ulta Beauty. Since its initial posting, the content has garnered an impressive total engagement of over 55.9k+. 

Among their other top-performing posts, NYX achieved remarkable success on Instagram. The first post, featuring beauty influencer Briel Adams-Wheatley testing out the Barbie makeup products, received an impressive total engagement of 92k+. Following in second place was NYX’s video that showcased the unboxing of the makeup collaboration, accumulating over 64.4k+ total engagements.

Coldstone x Barbie

Cold Stone Creamery has released a Barbie-inspired Pink Cotton Candy flavor, which has become a social media sensation. Featuring All That Glitters is Pink Creation™ and Best Cake Ever, with Pink Cotton Candy Ice Cream and Dance Party Sprinkles, these sweet treats perfectly embody the essence of the iconic character and have become a delightful hit among fans. 

With a focused effort on promoting their new Barbie-inspired flavor, the ice cream parlor chain has taken to social media to captivate its audience. Notably, their Instagram reel displaying the pink ice cream in front of the DreamHouse has proven to be the most successful content, amassing an impressive engagement of over 10.3K+. 

Airbnb x Barbie

Barbie’s dream house is dreamier than ever, thanks to its partnership with Airbnb. This collaboration became the subject of extensive media coverage with over 137.7K+ interactions, drawing widespread fascination and curiosity. 

To promote this experience, Airbnb utilized its owned social media channels, with TikTok and Instagram emerging as the primary platforms for showcasing the enchanting features of the dream house. The incredible pink Airbnb’s Instagram carousel generated an impressive 119.1K+ engagements, while the Tiktok video exhibiting the dream house received over 8.4k engagements.

Airbnb has also generated a significant buzz by inviting celebrities like John Legend to be one of the fortunate guests to stay at the dream house and share their magical experience of the pink paradise.

Overall, Barbie, in her iconic pink glory, remains an enduring cultural icon. With the highly anticipated release of the new movie on July 21, the doll has now literally come to life, and it captivated audiences of all ages worldwide through unique marketing collaborations across diverse industries. 

To read more about the top brand partnerships in 2023, check out our blog on Instagram partnerships here.