In a promotional tie-in, that kicked off the fourth season of the TV sensation MadMen (now in full-swing, having premiered Sunday, July 25), toy-maker Mattel teamed with the show’s production company, Lionsgate, to release four, very limited edition, MadMen Barbie dolls. Being translated into doll form, sharp suits, high retro fashion and all, are the characters Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks), Roger Sterling (John Slattery), Don Draper (John Hamm), and, most appropriately, Betty Draper (January Jones).
Though every TV show, movie, video-game, and their aunts seem to have collector’s edition action figures/dolls tied into their promotional/product strategy, the MadMen partnership with Barbie stands alone in that it is a very well suited one, no pun intended. As Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University put it in a New York Times article, “Mad Men’ represents so beautifully the universe that created Barbie.” This is particularly evident when considering that Barbie was introduced to the world in 1959, and the first episode of MadMen takes place in 1960.
Further bolstering this is simply taking into consideration the character of Betty Draper, the conflicted and seemingly soul-less, Barbie-resembling, ‘50s/60s housewife. Not to overly simplify the Betty character, but she does often come across strikingly doll-like, blonde outside, hollow plastic inside. One wonders if perhaps this partnership better serves MadMen and the themes it presents, rather than Barbie and the, continuously, under-fire image of females that it represents.
Nevertheless, this strategy continues to cement MadMen’s place as a modern, pop-cultural phenomenon, and though I would never fork over the $74USD to purchase any of the dolls anyway, I do find it unfortunate that the Betty Draper doll doesn’t come with an air-powered rifle and her neighbour’s doves to use as target practice (remember that? Wow! Craziest/funniest way to end an episode).
Though every TV show, movie, video-game, and their aunts seem to have collector’s edition action figures/dolls tied into their promotional/product strategy, the MadMen partnership with Barbie stands alone in that it is a very well suited one, no pun intended. As Robert Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University put it in a New York Times article, “Mad Men’ represents so beautifully the universe that created Barbie.” This is particularly evident when considering that Barbie was introduced to the world in 1959, and the first episode of MadMen takes place in 1960.
Further bolstering this is simply taking into consideration the character of Betty Draper, the conflicted and seemingly soul-less, Barbie-resembling, ‘50s/60s housewife. Not to overly simplify the Betty character, but she does often come across strikingly doll-like, blonde outside, hollow plastic inside. One wonders if perhaps this partnership better serves MadMen and the themes it presents, rather than Barbie and the, continuously, under-fire image of females that it represents.
Nevertheless, this strategy continues to cement MadMen’s place as a modern, pop-cultural phenomenon, and though I would never fork over the $74USD to purchase any of the dolls anyway, I do find it unfortunate that the Betty Draper doll doesn’t come with an air-powered rifle and her neighbour’s doves to use as target practice (remember that? Wow! Craziest/funniest way to end an episode).
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