This week marks a significant milestone for the iconic doll, as it will have its first live-action cinematic adaptation starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, her companion. While the impact of the upcoming release on Mattel's revenues is yet to be determined, the Barbie brand has been a consistent source of profit for the company in the last decade.
According to our data based on Mattel's figures, toy sales experienced a sharp decline starting from 2013, dropping from a global total of USD 6.5 billion in sales to USD 4.5 billion in 2018. Although the pandemic years helped the company recover, there is still ground to cover to reach its former glory.
Statista.com
On the other hand, the Barbie brand managed to surpass the billion-dollar mark until 2018, when sales began to take off again. In 2021, it reached its highest sales value since 2013, raking in USD 1.7 billion worldwide. Brand Finance estimates the value of the Lego brand at nearly USD 7.5 billion, solidifying the Danish company as the most valuable toy brand, with a significant lead. As shown in the following Statista graph, the gap with Bandai Namco, the second-ranked brand, is approximately USD 5.8 billion. The Japanese entertainment group is better known for its video games, but its toy segment boasts numerous popular licenses such as Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon, whose action figures sell in large quantities worldwide. The American company Fisher-Price ranks far behind in third place, with a value close to USD 880 million.
Statista.com
Although the two most valuable brands hail from Denmark and Japan, the toy industry tends to be dominated by American brands. Seven out of the top ten companies with the highest brand value come from the United States. For instance, Barbie takes the fourth spot with a value of USD 701 million. Over the past 60 years, a true empire has been built around Mattel's flagship doll, which has once again captured everyone's attention thanks to the upcoming live-action cinematic adaptation of Barbie.