Barbie’s Feminism in Transmedia Marketing: Symbolic Consumption and Gender Stereotypes among University Women in Mazatlán
Abstract
Transmedia marketing strategies have incorporated feminist discourses to re-signify iconic products such as Barbie, aligning them with narratives of inclusion and empowerment. This study examines whether the femvertising practices of Mattel and the film Barbie (2023) contribute to the reinforcement or deconstruction of gender roles and stereotypes. The research was conducted in the Mexican context using a sequential mixed-methods approach, combining content analysis of the film with a questionnaire administered to an intentional sample of 90 female university students from the Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa. The findings reveal the persistence of Western beauty standards, aspirations linked to material consumption, and a willingness to reproduce the Barbie symbolic universe. The study concludes that the film embodies a commodified “pink feminism” that reinforces patriarchal values through symbolic-cultural consumption, evidencing the neoliberal co-optation of emancipatory discourses within transmedia marketing strategies.
Format
Crossmark
License
In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Comunicación y Género is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.
