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Marketing

The Secret of the Barbie Movie’s Marketing Success

Barbie is a genuine phenomenon, reaching $1 billion in worldwide box office in only three weeks on the strength of legions of pink-clad moviegoers. We asked Yale SOM’s Zoe Chance, a former Mattel brand manager, about the movie’s marketing and message.

Fans in New York’s Times Square wearing Barbie clothes for the opening of Barbie movie on July 21, 2023.
  • Why a Pandemic Leads to Panic Buying

    We asked Yale SOM’s Nathan Novemsky, an expert in the psychology of judgment and decision-making, for his thoughts on how consumers are behaving during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they’re likely to view companies’ actions in the aftermath.

    A shopper confronting empty shelves at a grocery store in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, on March 14, 2020. Photo: Michel Porro/Getty Images.
  • Admitting a Purchase Mistake Makes Online Reviews More Persuasive

    Yale SOM’s Taly Reich has conducted a series of studies exploring the surprising value of mistakes. In her latest paper, she and her co-author show that shoppers are more likely to purchase a product after reading a review that describes making a prior purchase mistake.

    A customer returns a package at an Amazon Locker location in a Whole Foods Market grocery store in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Photo: Tada Images/Alamy Stock Photo.
  • We’re Not Sure What Authenticity Is, But We Know We Like It

    Foodies, employees, and art lovers all prize authenticity—but each means something a little different when they say that something or someone is authentic.

    A man inspecting a diamond using a magnifying glass, with a trash can full of discarded diamonds behind him
  • Study Finally Reveals How Many Cooks It Takes to Spoil the Broth 

    New research co-authored by Yale SOM’s Taly Reich looks at how we perceive collaborations of different sizes, and what those perceptions mean for how companies describe the creation of their products.

    Chefs cooking together
  • How Do You Grow A Blue-Chip Brand?

    Even iconic brands have to be willing to change. Kellogg’s chief growth officer, Clive Sirkin, explains how the company adapts to shifting technology, markets, and consumer expectations.

    Workers in a Kellogg factory
  • Does Data Mean Insight?

    Stephan Gans, chief insights and analytics officer for PepsiCo, makes the case for data and judgment.

    bottling plant
  • How A Sequence of Decisions Affects Later Shopping Choices

    When you’re picking out a jacket or a sofa, does it matter in what order you decide on its color, style, and material? New research suggests that the sequence may change how you categorize the object and how you decide to replace it.

    A coat rack of jackets of different colors.
  • Why Consumers Prefer Products Made by Mistake

    New research by Professor Taly Reich and her collaborators suggests that revealing mistakes in designing or manufacturing a product can enhance consumer preference.

  • Should Online Advertisers Pay for Clicks or Sales?

    A new paper provides insights into how both advertisers and publishers should think about which model to choose.

  • Can a Social Message Sell Sneakers?

    The 100-year-old sneaker company Keds has adopted women’s empowerment as its theme as it pursues a more nimble mobile-first marketing strategy.

    Several pairs of sneakers illustrated with a pink overlay