Despite the cultural differences and a price equal to seven times the average monthly salary Barbie has been highly successful in Iran, it remains to be seen whether Barbie, who is "forbidden by Islam,'' will struggle against new local
competitors Sara and Dara which have been created expressly to compete against Barbie. Ihe dolls feature traditional clothing and headscarves and are available with family members, thus reinforcing the importance of family for Iranian children.
The dolls were launched in 2002 at prices about one-third of Barbie's.
In Brazil, Barbie faces stiff competition from a cheaper local rival . Latin America was one of the first non-U.S. markets
Barbie entered. Brazil is an important market because dolls account for 37 percent of the country's annual $430 million in toy sales. However, Barbie has been losing market share to the Susi doll manufactured by Estrela, the company once licensed to distribute Barbie in Brazil. According to Synesio Batista da Costa, president of the Brazilian Association of Toy Manufacturers, Five Susi dolls were sold for every two Barbies during the 1999 Christmas season. In fact due to Susi's overwhelming popularity, Estrela introduced Susi in Chile. Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay in 2000. Susi's success can be attributed to both a lower price and the inclusion of realistic Brazilian touches allowing Brazilian children to identify with Susi. Susi is a blonde with a small chest and waist . but wide thighs and dark skin, similar to Brazilian girls. Susi represents the philosophy that "young girls want dolls that show
them as they are, not as they want to be." Mattel faces strong competition from this new doll and needs to assert its prominence to ensure success in the Latin region.
However, Mattel has learned that to be successful within a foreign culture, Barbie does not need a total overhaul, but instead can be very profitable with small cosmetic changes. For example, Barbie was successfully launched in India in