This summer’s highly anticipated “Barbie” movie, which raked in over $1 billion in theaters so far, set off a trend in pink and Barbie-themed products, captivating businesses and consumers alike.

Compared to July 2022, last month ASI found a 31% increase in ESP searches containing the term “pink” – what’s more, there were 85 searches for “Barbie” vs. zero searches last July. Pink will likely remain popular throughout the rest of the year, but promo companies that want to capitalize on the Barbie trend should act quickly, says Yanique Bridge, an account manager with distributor WHOOPLA (asi/522701) in Oak Park, CA.

“If anybody wants to hop on the trend, I think they need to do it now,” Bridge says. “They shouldn’t wait a couple months, or weeks, even – they should get on it.”

Mattel, the toy manufacturing company that sells Barbie dolls, has collaborated with a shocking number of businesses to spread pink everywhere. The Copyright Office in the Library of Congress has registered more than 2,000 Barbie-related works, according to Time.

WHOOPLA CEO John Vo says his company’s involvement in the Barbie trend started when they were asked to create a box for Mattel’s collaboration with Tangle Teezer. Packaging creates first impressions, so Vo says they’ve been pushing their clients for a while to focus on creativity in that realm.

“I was really excited to work on this box because this is an iconic-looking Barbie box,” Vo shares. “If you see a box like this with the blue and the pink and the white, and there’s a cutout, there’s a window there, you immediately think Barbie.”

WHOOPLA helped create this box for the Tangle Teezer and Mattel collab with two hairbrushes and a mirror.

WHOOPLA recently helped another client with a pink campaign, and while there wasn’t anything specifically Barbie-related, Vo thinks the current craze could have influenced the color choices.

So, what exactly is Barbie pink? The Barbie brand has its own signature Pantone shade: PMS 219C, a vibrant magenta. A Mattel rep told CBC that the color has been a trademark of the brand for decades, but it seems everyone is starting to associate more shades with Barbie than just that one – Vo mentions bubblegum and hot pink, for example.

Bridge thinks part of the trend comes from the fact that guys no longer see pink as a color that only women wear. Her sons in their late teens have been wearing T-shirts and shorts in more-subtle pink shades.

“It’s for all demographics, and it’s all genders,” Bridge says. “This is one of those trends that I think will be around for a while.”

But it’s not just about business; it’s about the experience and nostalgia. Fans across the country dressed up in head-to-toe pink to see “Barbie” in theaters – and many brought the shade home, as well. Stephanie Cooper, a Pennsylvania mom, hosted two Barbie-themed parties for her daughters. She gathered a wide collection of decorations for her home, from pink balloons and disco balls to Barbie tablecloths and paper plates.

“When I decided to have the parties, the supplies were hard to find,” Cooper says, noting that she had to order them online ahead of time to ensure they’d be available to pick up at her local party-supply store.

Cooper speculates that the movie and its marketing efforts appeal to both teenagers and adults, which has been a factor in why Barbie-themed merch has been flying off the shelves. While she’s not sure how long the craze will continue, she thinks we’ll see more Barbie items in stores, including gummies, cereal, hair accessories and jewelry.

Bridge says she believes pink will be popular at least through the end of the year. As Barbie-themed gifts and décor continue to make their way into retail, consumer enthusiasm is likely to ripple into the holiday season.

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