Director Karen Cunningham and Slim Pictures, who partnered with the team at BBDO San Francisco to create the innovative new Barbie: “Imagine” campaign for Mattel, as part of its broader initiative to empower girls.
With their new online film, entitled "Imagine the Possibilities," this groundbreaking new campaign expresses how Barbie engages the young girls of today with the multitude of career choices and life possibilities available to them.
In the tradition of cinema verite, Cunningham filmed five different little girls in five locations, each of whom pretended to be experts in different real-world occupations: veternarian, paleontologist, college professor, soccer coach, and businesswoman. Cunningham captured the in-the-moment and honest reactions from the adults in the scenes as they interacted with each little girl in her pretend role, by using up to six hidden cameras in each location.
“Most of the adults reacted very favorably to the surprise of our little professionals,” remarked Cunningham. “For one moment, the grownups were in that imaginary world. None of the girls broke character, as they were acting out something they would truly like to be. The adults responded to that authenticity.”
Creative Credits:
Agency: BBDO San Francisco
Client: Barbie
Title: “Imagine the Possibilities”
Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars
Executive Creative Director:Matt Miller and Steve Rutter
Sr. Copywriter:Adam Balogh
Sr. Art Director:Jason Moussalli
Executive Producer:Patti Bott
Senior Producer:Lisa Christman
Business Affairs: Danielle Ivicic
Managing Director: Marc Burns
Senior Account Director: Kim Fredkin
Management Supervisor:Nicole Dongara
Account Supervisor:Nicholas Roth
Director of Business Development:Crystal Rix
Senior Planner:Alaina Crystal
Production Company:Slim Pictures Inc.
Director:Karen Cunningham
Director of Photography:Jeff Cutter
Executive Producer:Tom Weissferdt
Line Producer: Suzie Greene Tedesco
Music House:De Wolfe Music — Andrew Know Music Productions
Edit/Visual Effects House:No6
Editor:Andrea MacArthur
Executive Producer:Crissy de Simone
Post Producer:Yole Barrera
Flame Artist:Verdi Sevenhuysen
Colorist:Bob Festa at Company 3