It has been discussed throughout the mass media and in the academic and professional circle the impact the economy and new technology has had on journalism. Newspapers are cutting down their staff and writers, and journalists are expected more than ever to not only report the news in the traditional media, but also integrate the news through social media.
Growing up, my Dad encouraged my sisters and I to play with the traditional girl toys like Barbies, but he also encouraged us to play video games and have other toys to play with such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Legos. Barbie has transformed over the years and had many careers it seems like – from being an astronaut to a lawyer to portraying fashion icons like Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor. So, what is Barbie’s new career for this upcoming year? Well, she will be a journalist. This story has received a lot of coverage in the traditional media as well as in social media. But my question is – is this just another career for Barbie, or a strategic PR move for journalists to present a new image of their profession to a younger audience?
I think that this campaign could go either way – you have to look at see what Barbie represents and how she is part of American culture. Also, it is a medium to communicate specific messages through visual representation in a way. If you think about it – what Barbie wears and has in representing her career as a journalist shows what image they want to present to the field. From what I can see, Barbie the journalist has a microphone and a notepad. I think that this is true for broadcast journalists, but what about having a smartphone? What about if she wants to tweet, update, or check-in with her followers? What if Barbie had an iPad? This would have been very interesting to see – because I believe that having these visual representations of new technology would help enhance the journalism profession and managing how people perceive the field. In many ways, I think that Mattel missed a huge opportunity to incorporate a tablet or something like that into this campaign – and it is a missed opportunity in representing the journalists as well.
For me, I think that we will have to wait and see what happens and if this is new launch of News Anchor Barbie is a winning success for Mattel and Journalism professionals. However, if we do go down this route – I think that it would be fabulous to see Barbie the Social Media Professional! 😀
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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