October 10, 2003

Enchanted, Not

Remember when I mentioned the new Barbie? The witch? Well, I finally found pics and descriptions.

Watch as Barbie's friend, Christie, rapidly changes from ordinary schoolgirl into a Charm Girl. She puts on her magic Charm Girl jacket and is able to mix up potions that you can really drink. She even has a book that doubles as a secret box. Christie also comes with a dragonfly, mixing pot, stand, spoon, stirrer, mixing potion (sugar-based mixes you mix with water), costume and book. Doll measures approximately 11.5 inches tall.

Part of the Secret Spell Barbie collection, Christie joins Barbie and Kayla in secret adventures.

The ad goes basically like this: "At a secret time, in a secret place...." three young girls are "secreted" away in a library, mixing potions and casting spells. "For luck, for money, for love...." When one girl questions whether the spells actually work, a good-looking teen boy comes walking up behind another girl, the one with the Secret Spells "kit" - and she smiles, knowingly, as if to say the spells do work. Yes. Fortunes, love, and luck are created through spells. Everything you've always wanted is yours - if you are among the secretly charmed.

Excuse me. Secret? Let's review here. Most teens/pre-teens spend a great deal of time keeping secrets from their parents. Now, Mattel is encouraging more? (Mattel's since changed the ad to substitute "magic" for "secret.")

I have no problem with a child's curiosity about other religions and beliefs, but, I have a problem with a toy company following this line of marketing. Not because they're challenging kids to think about paganism, but because this encourages their curiosity to remain hidden. This is an area that should be open for discussion. Okay, most parents won't be up for addressing the topic, but it shouldn't be promoted as something to be hidden.

Even worse than the "secret" behavior, I see this as the tip of the marketing iceberg. Next up, Jehovah's Witness and Mormon Barbies who carry around religious tracts to annoy neighboring Barbies. Or perhaps we'll see Ken as a Catholic priest. In addition to his vestments, a Bible, an altar boy, and a confessional will be included in the package.

There's no telling where this fun trend will end.

Posted by DaGoddess at October 10, 2003 06:50 PM
Comments

Prego Midge with the removable baby is still my favorite. I of course being a good OB nurse had to go and buy her as soon as I saw her!

Posted by: karen at October 10, 2003 07:54 PM

That Barbie doll must be the sorceress that stole that guy's penis in West Africa.

hehehe

Posted by: glenn at October 10, 2003 08:12 PM

They have Muslim barbie now. Complete with covering and no breasts. They had this on the news the other day and it about made me sick. A barbie to please everyone.

Posted by: Sam at October 10, 2003 10:22 PM

The world is just going to Barbie Hell......

Where are the good old fashioned Barbies I used to play with........

Posted by: Peach at October 10, 2003 11:07 PM

Hell, that's a Dragonfly Jenny doll.

Posted by: Acidman at October 11, 2003 03:20 AM

What a shitty idea for a barbie. Grr....

I still need to write the book I want about educating kids on all religions. There isn't one out there and it's how I'm going to bring up my kids.

Posted by: C.C. at October 11, 2003 05:08 AM

and on a complete tangent I really like the cat women one.

I don't have a problem with the fact that they are witch es, but the marketing of keeping secrets. That I am not comfortable with

Posted by: munin at October 11, 2003 06:25 AM

Actually the Muslim Doll is not a Barbie or even made by Mattel. I think she's called Razeena. She was made for Muslim girls to play with, not to promote one religion over another. [a doll that looks like the people surrounding the child, not unlike making a black barbie available, or an asian barbie, etc.] It just so happens they made her without the out of proportion breasts, lol. I'm all for alternatives to Barbie. Not that I think Barbie is inherently evil or any crap like that, I'm just for free market. Barbie is like the Microsoft for the doll world. I'll cheer on anyone that produces a good alternative that kids like.

Separately, I do agree the way the witch barbie has been promoted is dubious. I don't think they are promoting Paganism. They are simply catering to the Harry Potter crowd. It's all about make-believe--imagination. That's good. Promoting keeping secrets...not so good. But then this is the same company that made a talking Barbie that said stuff like, "Math is hard."

Posted by: Schnee at October 11, 2003 07:14 AM

Maybe Ken and GI Joe can be Mormons going on their 2 year "mission trip" with their white shirts, black tie and pants and bicycles. Oh and don't forget a little Book of Mormon.

Posted by: GrumpyBunny at October 11, 2003 08:46 AM

What'll they think of next, huh... hmmm... maybe a Barbie with an opening in the mouth section and with an almost real vagina! She won't be for little girs to play with, but rather for men! Yeah, thats it! She'll be able to "give head" and you'll be to sleep with her... of course, for this all to work, she'd have to be life-sized, wouldn't she? Then, when you aren't playing with her, she'd probably be in the way... Maybe they would need to make her a blow-up doll... I think that will be the next iteration of Barbie, what do you think? What? They've done that already! You don't say...

Posted by: Mad Bull at October 11, 2003 01:53 PM

G.I. Joe came out YEARS ago in different colors and ethnic backgrounds, it's about time Barbie caught up.
Otherwise, I agree about the "holding secrets" train of thought. Wica and other religions, fine. Secrets, no good.
Um, thought, if Priest Ken gets an alter boy, what position will the alter boy be in? Had to ask, because you know it will be brought up.
What about "MOONIE" Ken? He could have his own dress, shaved head, tamborine and flowers.

Posted by: Wichi Dude at October 11, 2003 02:04 PM

Oh, to Mad Bull, the Japanese have had an anatomically correct doll for years, both male and female. And yes, they had ALL body parts included to the finest detail. Both dolls even had nipples. They are a strange group overseas. To their credit though, the dolls were of "human" proportions.

Posted by: Wichi Dude at October 11, 2003 02:09 PM

Where will the trend end? The end is not in sight, dear Goddess. Why, even the witchy Barbie has a built-in follow-up:
FUNDAMENTALIST BARBIE!!!
A whole new market!!!!!!

Posted by: Indigo at October 11, 2003 05:59 PM

Personally I always liked the sado-masochistic Barbie and Ken...but I guess Mattel didn't do that.

Posted by: Dawn at October 11, 2003 07:03 PM

It's bad enough that Barbie and Ken have shown us all how imperfect we are, i.e.: not pretty, and it fills girls' heads with ideas that they're supposed to grow up and do nothing but mall shop and date cuties. But now we need magic spells to bewitch our crushes and do away with mall shopping altogether ? Fantastic !

Posted by: siso at October 12, 2003 06:34 AM

I'm still waiting for proof that the original Barbie is a natural blonde.

Posted by: Jodi at October 12, 2003 07:54 AM

I still prefer the
Gangsta Bitch Barbie
that appeared as an SNL skit
a few years ago.

Fortunately my girls have been
past the Barbie phase for a
few years.

Posted by: Rodney Dill at October 12, 2003 09:19 AM

Enuff has already been said....!!

Posted by: Dr. D. at October 12, 2003 10:26 AM

I always just thought that Barbies were meant to be naked, missing body parts, with tangled hair in the bottom of a toy box. Are all y'all telling me there's something else to do with them?

Posted by: TW at October 12, 2003 04:27 PM

what? No athame? No chalice? No rock, incense or candles? At least they could have given her a sacrifical chicken... sheesh. thbbbt :P

Posted by: pril at October 12, 2003 09:56 PM