What PR PRos can leaRn fRom the BaRBieveRse

FOR the past weeks.

Barbie starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken has ruled movieverse.

The Greta Gerwig film has now generated $351.4 million in North American ticket sales; with $423 million abroad.

Earlier. Barbie scored the biggest opening weekend of the year so far, at $80 million, showing the enduring appeal of a movie based on a small plastic doll living in a perfect pink world.

Launched in 1959, Barbara Millicent Roberts has been described as being more than a doll. She has been called a cultural juggernaut by Tatler GenT’s Deep Dive. How does Barbie still dominate the cultural conversation all these years, proving that legacy brands can be cool?

In an article in prnewsonline, Kayla Hannemann shares what communicators can learn from this awe-inspiring work, and how it can help our brands. Here are some Communications Lessons from the Barbieverse.

n build meaningful brand partnerships

B A RBIE ’ S collaborations matched her image. Known over the years as a jet-setting, rollerblading icon, Hannemann says “it made sense that Barbie has partnered with brands like Beis to develop a luggage collection, and Impala to create one-of-a-kind inline skates.” tic pollution. An estimated 170 trillion plastic particles are adrift in our oceans, choking our marine ecosystems and entering the food chain. n Greenpeace calls for pl astics t r eaty to be set in ‘black and white’; t r eaty must reduce corporate plastic production

MANDALUYONG, PHILIP -

PINES—In celebration of Plastic Free July, Greenpeace Philippines has pushed for a strong and ambitious Global Plastics Treat, one that addresses unrelenting plastic production by corporations, through its evocative “Black and White Campaign.”

The campaign features a series of disconcerting images captured by acclaimed photographers in the country, featuring lifeless sea animals washed ashore in eerie black and white tones. However, upon a closer look, a startling revelation unfolds: these carcasses are not real animals, but life-size replicas made from used plastic, symbolizing the tragic fate of countless animals due to plas -

“The Black and White” campaign surfaces the reality that plastic pollution is causing harm to all life on Earth, humans and animals alike. As the campaign continues, the numerous impacts of the plastic life cycle from production to waste will be revealed, highlighting that plastic has equally serious effects on people.

“Plastic pollution is more than just trash in our oceans. With plastic’s overproduction, humanity is at risk. Its impacts reach far and wide, posing a grave threat to biodiversity and our food system, while also harming people’s health, exacerbating social injustices, and fueling the climate crisis,” said Greenpeace Philippines Campaigner Marian Ledesma.

“The Black and White campaign vividly illustrates the urgent need for a strong Global Plastics Treaty, transcending boundaries to protect our planet and all its inhabitants from the relentless impact of plastic pollution.” n know your target audience

What can we learn from this?

“If you are going to partner with another brand, ensure that it aligns with your company’s mission, value, and goals,” says Hannemann. “Depending on your goals, you may want to find a partner with a similar customer base, or one with a slightly different customer base.

W H ILE it may seem that the Barbie movie’s media frenzy targets anyone and everyone, Hannemann believes that there are “specific advertisements that intentionally target specific consumers.”

There are products for consumers of varying ages, genders, and incomes ranging from Hot Wheels’ Barbie Corvette for cool collectors, Homesick’s Dreamhouse Candle and Ruggable’s Barbie rug for homemakers, and Xbox’s Barbie- inspired consoles for techies.

With this, it is important to ‘find out what your customers relate to, why they buy your products and services, what makes them tick and capitalize on this.

As rule of thumb, “you can never know too much about your audience; the more research conducted, the better.” n make consumers part of your story

B A RBIE S m arketing team went above and beyond to make consumers a part of their Barbieverse. These included a selfie generator

Plastic pollution is everywhere. Alarming levels of microplastics have infiltrated the food and water we consume, the air we breathe, and have even found their way into our organs and bloodstream. In the Philippines, recent studies reveal the presence of microplastics in the air of Metro Manila and in the waters of Laguna de Bay and Tañon Strait. Additionally, plastic pollution disproportionately affects marginalized communities, such as fisherfolk grappling with damages to their fishing gear and a decline in fish stock, and urban poor communities facing the risk of plastic-induced flooding.

Despite these grave impacts of plastic pollution, corporations continue to increase their production of plastic. A report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development shows that global annual plastic production skyrocketed from 234 million tonnes in 2000 to a staggering 460 million tonnes in 2019, with projections indicating a tripling by 2060. To make matters worse, only 9% of all plastic has been that took social media by storm, life-size Barbie boxes placed outside of select movie theaters which got people involved in person and online.

“Every selfie meant more coverage for the movie, at no cost to the Barbie team,” says Hannemann, noting show consumers became marketers. She adds, ‘when you start a campaign, think of ways to involve your community. As customers for photos, reviews, and more, and share them to authentically represent your brand.” n break barriers

A B A RBIE x B umble collab was intriguing, putting the movie into the spotlight.

“Sometimes you have to think recycled globally, yet corporations still use recycling as an excuse to promote a single-use model, prioritizing their interests over the well-being of communities and the environment.

Plastic production is also a significant contributor to the climate crisis as 99% of plastics are made from oil and gas. By 2030, annual greenhouse gas emissions from plastic could equate to those produced by 295 500-MV coal plants annually (1.34 gigatons), with the cumulative emissions projected to reach 56 gigatons by 2050.

A strong and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty will halt plastic pollution at its roots, and prevent this system of plastic greed from progressing.

“The Global Plastics Treaty is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to address the plastic pollution crisis head-on. Greenpeace calls for a strong treaty that encompasses comprehensive measures, including eliminating plastic pollution from production to disposal, capping and phasing down plastic production, and ensuring a just and inclusive transition to a lowcarbon, zero-waste, toxic-free, outside the [Barbie] box,” says Hannemmann. “It you’re looking to make waves; you have to do the unexpected. n amplify your news

She cautions, though, against going too far. If you are looking t o astonish people, ensure that it aligns the overall goals of your company.

F RO M news about the pink shortage caused by the Barbie movie to Margot Robbie’s Vogue cover, Barbie’s team did a great job of sharing news around the movie.

“If there’s a story about your company, share it on your socials and website,” says Hannemann. She also suggests adding an “In the News” section to your homepage or sending out a regular newsletter and reuse-based economy,” said Ledesma. “Most importantly, the treaty must advocate for a human rights-based approach, aiming to address the injustices experienced by people, the environment, and communities alike. World leaders must put a strong treaty in black and white.” n Goo G l e launches new fact c h eck e x plorer imaG e se arch feature MANILA, PHILIPPINES— Google has continued to deepen its commitment to fighting misinformation and supporting fact-checking communities by announcing a new innovative image fact-checking feature to its Fact Check Explorer service. The upgrade aims to further empower netizens seeking to combat the very real danger of fake news on the internet.

Initially only available for text searches, Fact Check Explorer’s new image search feature addresses the challenges faced by fact checkers when verifying images. Fake or manipulated images are a persistent threat, especially in the Philippines where 51% of the featuring your brand’s top media placements. This way, “more people will see the coverage.” And, may we add, love your brand more. population finds it difficult to distinguish false information. Journalists, researchers, academics, and even concerned netizens can now simply upload or share the link of an image to determine if it has been previously fact-checked.

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman.

We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

Currently in a global beta version, the new search feature enables fact checkers to understand the timeline and context of an image. This updated capability allows researchers to track when an image was first indexed by Google and its subsequent usage over time. By providing valuable insights into an image’s history, this feature empowers fact-checkers to assess the accuracy of images and its context to effectively combat harmful misinformation.

Fact Check Explorer is one of Google’s latest initiatives to combat fake news online. In addition to this, Google and YouTube announced a groundbreaking $13.2-million grant to the International Fact-Checking Network to establish the Global Fact Check Fund, which aims to support fact-checking organizations worldwide.