Inside the Warner Bros. Marketing Campaign for ‘Barbie’ That Took on ‘A Life of Its Own’

Did you get caught wearing all things fuchsia and blush and strawberry-dyed at the movies this past weekend? If so, you weren't alone in participating in the sea of pink that took over small-town and big-city theaters across the country to celebrate the debut of Barbie, which scored $165 million at the domestic box office in the process.

In an exclusive interview with Variety, Warner Bros. President of Worldwide Marketing Josh Goldstine broke down the comprehensive promotional bonanza that led to the Barbie craze. Apparently, it was both an intentional byproduct of the marketing team and also a phenomenon that came about organically and, per Goldstine, "took on a life of its own."

"I've been doing this for 35 years. This is one of the most unique experiences I've ever had," he said of the hype surrounding Barbie, some of which was generated by the film's marketing department but most of which sprouted organically due to a variety of factors — including excitement for director Greta Gerwig's take on the iconic doll, nostalgia for all things Barbie brand then and now, and Barbie's star-studded cast. In fact, companies were clamoring to partner up with the Barbie movie in the hopes of getting in on the buzz.

"We started to see the material electrify the culture," Goldstine explained, noting that one of the first signs that Gerwig's Barbie was going to shake up the status quo of pandemic-era cinema was the viral response to BTS photos of Barbie leads Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling rollerblading in Santa Monica in their neon attire.

While Goldstine kept mum about specific figures, rival executives of Warner Bros. told Variety that they estimated the hot pink publicity push cost well over $150 million, which doesn't include the absurdist dramedy's $145 million production budget. Much of that money was allotted to purchases of pink paint for its simultaneously hyperrealistic and surrealist Barbieland set designs, resulting in a global shortage of the hue.

"The reason people think we spent so much is that it's so ubiquitous," Goldstine said. "That's a combination of paid media and how many partners came to play with us. Because it pierced the zeitgeist, it has the impression that we spend so much. In fact, we spent responsibly for an event movie."

Those payments led to unusual collaborations with Xbox, AirBNB, Crocs and Progressive, to name a few. But none of that money was allotted to the creation of the "Barbenheimer" double-feature event, a communal moviegoing experience born from Barbie and Oppenheimer's coincidental dual release dates, which amplified collective enthusiasm for both films and let to record-shattering opening weekend numbers at the box office.

"In a really exciting way, this whole 'Barbenheimer' phenomenon created a series of conversations and engagements. It's paid off," Goldstine added.