[soc.feminism] Japanese Barbie Dolls

rivero@dev8a.mdcbbs.com (06/06/91)

[There was a piece on this in the Wall Street Journal this past week either
Tuesday or Wednesday if anyone is interested in knowing more.         - MHN]



Just heard an item on the news that I thought was worth sharing
(In light of the recent Parker Brothers thread).

  It seems that Mattel Toys has been selling Barbie dolls in Japan.
Under pressure from Japanese womens groups, who resented the "fullness"
of the physical features on the doll( relative to Japanese norms),
Mattel shipped a Barbie varient with a flatter chest and narrower
hips.... and watched their sales plummet!

  On reverting to the "original" Barbie, sales started climbing again.
Marketing research shows that Japanese mothers are simply buying the dolls
that their children ask for.


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