Barbie has been a lightning rod for controversy since her debut at the New York Toy Fair in 1959. Mattel has made subtle changes to the doll’s body and face over the years, but none as dramatic as the changes they are making now by adding three new body types: tall, petite and curvy.
Barbie’s sales have dropped dramatically in the past few years in the face of fierce competition from what parents perceive to be more progressive playthings—like the Lego Friends toys and the Frozen doll. “Some of the things that people said about Barbie was that she might be a bad role model for girls, that she represents an unrealistic body type,” says Jess Weiner, a branding expert and consultant who has worked with Dove, Disney and Mattel to create empowering messages for girls.