Mattel secures social proof for Barbie with online reviews

The problem - lack of social proof

Mattel, best known for Barbies and Hot Wheels toys, needed online reviews to generate social proof and bridge the trust gap between them and their target consumers: children and parents.

This case study illustrate the success of Mattel’s partnership with Stars and Stories.

In this article you will find out more about how Stars and Stories contributed to the success of the online reviews campaign for ” Barbie® It takes two! Camping set” .

About the product

Unlike most Barbie® sets, Mattel created this “It takes two!” set to ignite young girls’ sense of adventure in the outdoors. The Barbie® doll comes with a color sleeping bag, a small dog, and a miniature pink backpack full of eclectic accessories to complete the fun.

Strategy and approach to generate social proof

Mattel understood the difficulty of attracting sales when new products have no online reviews attached. They needed social proof.

The action plan consisted of our campaign managers narrowing down our search to find suitable participants from our review community who :

a) have children

b) have children who like to play with Barbies

c) are willing to write reviews on behalf of their little ones

The aim of the plan was to capture the general feelings of the parents and also (more importantly) the children. This is an ideal scenario for future Mattel consumers, as they will take into account the opinions of both parties about Mattel Barbie products before making their final purchasing decision.

Execution and results

In February 2022, we helped Mattel achieve solid review campaign results for their Barbie® “It takes two!” camping playset. We distributed 24 samples across Germany and delivered 20 authentic online reviews within a four-week timeframe.

Parents gave Mattel a 100% recommendation rate, increased social proof and praised the toy set for its fun camping accessories as well as the doll’s overall appearance.

20

Authentic reviews delivered

24

Samples

4,9

Average rating

100%

Recommendation

599

Average words per review

"We have had the pleasure of testing the Bosch MUMS2TW00 for a few weeks via Reviewclub. We have made both soft and hard cakes, as well as regular bull dough. It has done all the tasks well, however, the whisk was not so effective at whipping cream. But for thicker doughs, we think it has good power, it does not seem strained or so in the engine. There are many accessories which are good. It has a slim and modern design and looks good on the kitchen counter! All parts are easily washed in the dishwasher."

Joost van de BeldBrand Activation & MarCom Specialist at Sony Benelux

“First of all, I think the design is quite nice. You can choose between different skins to customise it. The delivery includes a storage case and several of these black rubber attachments. You can practise inserting the skins in front of the mirror, but it’s also very intuitive. So far, I have always had the problem that all earplugs become loose or slip out at some point. During a concert, I was constantly busy adjusting the earplugs. That’s definitely over now because the wings make them sit perfectly. I no longer have to worry about accidentally losing them. Now for the important part – the sound. You can still have a conversation without any problems. The sound is not dull, it is still clear, but simply quieter and therefore more pleasant. You can easily clean them with water. All in all, I am really thrilled and have finally found my favourites!”

Martijn BraamBenelux Director | iRobot

"Like this sharply. Feels solidly built and stands extra extra firmly with the help of the suction cups at the bottom. The engine does a good job. Both for simpler tasks such as whipping cream, but also when putting dough and other heavier jobs. The sound volume is perfectly okay. What I like most is all the accessories you can complement it with. This means that it can completely replace a number of household appliances. It is also good in size, feels compact but still strong. Looks so good that you can have it in the kitchen."

E. EngqvistLindt

When I unpacked [the coffee machine] for the first time, I was surprised at how big and powerful the coffee machine looked. Although I knew the dimensions when ordering, it still looked even larger in real life. If you only have limited space in the kitchen, this will probably be a bit difficult. Otherwise, the coffee machine makes a valuable impression with its titanium look… The taste of the coffee is full-bodied and very tasty. Whether it’s an espresso in the morning or a latte macchiato at noon, I’ve never had a coffee that I didn’t like. I was completely won over by the fully automatic coffee machine despite the high acquisition costs. You quickly have a really tasty coffee that is cheaper in the long run and better for environmental reasons than our previous capsule coffee machine.

E. EngqvistLindt