Growing up with three sisters, the Barbie doll fascination
just really escaped me. I wanted a Ken doll, he just seemed a bit more
realistic as a role model for me. My sisters worried about nail polish
and when they could wear nylons, I wanted a tree house in the back
yard. I am 100% all girl and love the guys but my interests were much
more athletic naturally. Check out this limited production Barbie-themed hot pink bug reviewed by Car and Driver recently, is this what women want? Do we think Barbie pink when it comes to our car buying decisions?
Growing
up I wanted a bike, roller skates, to go back packing and loved to
camp. I loved being outside, while my sisters stayed inside and played
records, painted their nails, wore rollers in their hair and played
house with Barbie, yuck! Okay, I admit I was a bit of a tom-boy.....I
loved to hang out with my Dad in the garage while he tinkered on our
family car or played hide and seek in the backyard.
As it turned
out two of my sisters are nurses and one is in real estate, traditional
careers for women. I took the natural path to competing in male
dominated industries beginning with the world of technology and then
eventually got in through the back door to the automotive industry. I
love all things car and automotive related....and have
been very succesful competing in these male dominant and high paying
fields.
Now, lets take a look at Barbie and her role model to us girls in
regards to what kind of vehicle is supposed to flip our buying switch.
The good news is that Barbie did love to drive and over the years had
several makes and models that little girls loved to own. Did these
Barbie makes and models teach us what we should buy or what kind of
automotive purchase fits us?
Barbie has owned many sports car editions,( quite a few convertible
editions that punctuate the sexy Barbie image), sedans, a limo, a jeep
4x4 , an SUV, a VW van,vintage cars, remote control editions and the
recent electric jeep for little girls to drive on their own. There is a
selection of Barbie motor homes, RV's and camping trailers, so Barbie
did like to camp, ( I have a daughter and three granddaughters who love
to camp with me in my RV), thank you Barbie!
There is a NASCAR themed Barbie doll but NO Barbie NASCAR race car,
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Reflective of this race series? Don't get me up on that
soap box! Barbie did hook up with a young female race car driver in an
open wheel race series in 2001 Ashley Taws, driving the "Be Anything With
Barbie at Wal-Mart" car decked out in an
attention-grabbing pink and purple color scheme.
Barbie's tastes in her automotive purchasing has evolved since the
60's, she even rides a Harley in today's updated version, and so do I.
Although I am tall , blonde and wear
a 36 XX and to some, might think I idealize the Barbie look (certainly
in my younger days), however, I have never owned a pink or purple car,
truck or RV. The 2006 Barbie catalog of dolls is
interesting to review and these Barbie role models are what the girls
of today are looking at to form their view of what they want to grow up
to be like and will influence their buying decisions.
I have three granddaughters, my seven year old loves Barbie and I am
sure the younger ones will all get the Barbie influence and the Barbie
world part of their upcoming birthday and holiday gift wish lists. I
find the 2006 Barbie doll collection a bit disturbing, a sexy maid? a
nurse? a sexy bikini? a fashion statement? a bride? a sexy cowgirl? What is Barbie saying to my precious granddaughters?
What
are your thoughts on Barbie as a role model for young girls, her
influence ultimately on women's car buying decisions and career choices
or are the Bratz dolls going to be the new influencers?
Jody DeVere
President
Ask Patty.com, Inc.
