I’m a Barbie Girl, in a Commodified World: Exploring Commodification of Feminism in the Context of Barbie (2023)

Sammanfattning

Title: I’m a Barbie Girl, in a Commodified World: Exploring Commodification of Feminism in the Context of Barbie (2023) Seminar date: June 4, 2026 Course: BUSN39 - Degree Project in Global Marketing Authors: Olga Ivanova & Leonora Olnäs Supervisor: Daphne Geveke Research questions: How do feminist-identifying Generation Z consumers experience, interpret, and negotiate the feminist messaging of Barbie (2023) and its marketing campaign within its commercial and cultural context? Subquestion: How do these consumers make sense of the relationship between empowerment, representation, and commodification in Barbie (2023) and its surrounding marketing? Theory: Femvertising, postfeminism, commodity feminism, and brand communities are used to understand how feminist messages are incorporated into marketing, how empowerment becomes linked to consumption, and how consumers engage with brand meanings. Methodology: The study adopted a qualitative, interpretive research approach based on a social constructionist epistemology. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with feminist-identifying Generation Z consumers. Key Findings: Feminist-identifying Generation Z consumers experienced Barbie (2023) in ambivalent ways. While participants recognised the film and its marketing as meaningful, enjoyable, and culturally unifying, they also questioned the limitations of its feminism, in relation to commercialisation, inclusivity, and commodification. Implications: This study demonstrated that feminist marketing can foster engagement and community, while still being evaluated for authenticity and inclusivity. Brands should ensure that empowerment messages appear meaningful rather than purely commercial.