It might not sound that wild, but back in the ’50s, TV adverts for a toy like Barbie were truly groundbreaking! Mattel was the first company to buy spots and advertise during The Mickey Mouse Show, which was revolutionary because it changed the consumer from parent to child. In commercials pitched to young girls, Barbie appeared as a real person, which engaged kids and had them begging their parents to buy her.
Essentially, Barbie/Mattel are responsible for advertising toys to kids, which is an incredibly effective strategy! (You’ll know that if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a child begging for the latest toy they only just saw on TV two minutes ago).
