This story was originally part of the 2023 Glossy 50 feature. Click here to see all of this year’s honorees.
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” was a sensation this year. The film triumphed at the box office, was critically acclaimed and put Barbie’s iconic pink branding pretty much everywhere.
For Lisa McKnight, evp and chief brand officer at Mattel, the moment was a huge opportunity.
“The ‘Barbie’ movie and its impact on culture stands out as a point of pride over the past 12 months and probably across my entire career,” McKnight said. ”The Barbie brand was ready for this movie to be created because of all the hard work the team has done over the past decade. We’ve been on a long-term journey to evolve and modernize Barbie to be more relevant and a real reflection of the world kids see around them — work we feel is very important.”
Throughout the last year, there’s been a flurry of Barbie brand collaborations. A short but representative list includes Crocs, Joybird, Boohoo, Superga, Forever 21, Gap, MeUndies, Aldo and PacSun.
McKnight, as chief brand officer, led the coordination of a Barbie-led onslaught of collaborations that helped put both Barbie and Mattel everywhere. The Barbie brand itself practically doubled in value in 2023 compared to two years ago, now sitting at more than $700 million.
Next, McKnight said her focus is on bringing some of that energy to other Mattel properties, which will include more fashion collaborations. Mattel recently partnered with artist and designer Daniel Arsham to create a series of limited-edition Hot Wheels. It also worked with Off-White on a “Monster High” collaboration, building off earlier work that Virgil Abloh had done with another Mattel property, “Masters of the Universe.”
The secret to orchestrating such a vast number of successful collaborations, McKnight said, is a willingness to let the partners do what they want.
“We put a lot of trust in our partners and give them creative freedom to express themselves through our brand, which is an exciting experience for creators,” McKnight said. ”The entire portfolio of brands is attracting top talent and creators who have a true brand affinity. Anyone we work with has a personal connection to our brands, resulting in a meaningful and authentic work of art.”
