BRAND COLLABORATIONS

Barbie brand celebrates birthday with a real-life ‘Barbie-cue’ sauce

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Fun collaboration with food-manufacturer sees launch of the limited-edition Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce in selected markets.

As part of the 65^th birthday celebrations of the legendary Barbie doll toy brand, parent company Mattel is in a brand collaboration with the Heinz food company to create a tongue-in-cheek product called Barbiecue sauce (‘Barbie-cue’, rather than ‘barbecue’…get it?).

The limited-edition pink vegan mayo with BBQ sauce, officially called Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce, went on sale this month in the UK and Spain.

Photo: Mattel + Heinz

According to a joint press release from Mattel and Heinz, Heinz last year teased its fans about whether this dream condiment concoction should be made a reality. This was during the so-called ‘Barbiecore craze’ that swept many countries in the wake of the blockbuster Barbie movie.

Realising there was “huge public demand” for such a sauce, Mattel and Heinz created it “because Barbie dreams really do come true”.

Forbes business magazine explains that the Barbiecore trend involves much more than just a splash of pink and a sprinkle of glitter. “The foundation of the trend includes the meshing together of soft and sweet pastels with touches of bright and bold neons tied together with eye-catching metallic accents.”

Perfect addition to the spring or summer menu

In their press release, Mattel and Heinz say: “Whether drizzled over a crisp salad or to brighten up your burger, this smoky ‘sauce of the season’, with beetroot extract to achieve that signature pink colour, is the perfect addition to your spring/summer menu and one you don’t want to miss out on.”

The “spring/summer menu” refers to the upcoming Northern Hemisphere summer.

Adds Mattel spokesperson Ruth Henriquez: “This partnership with Heinz opens up another avenue for Barbie fans to bring home the world of Barbie.

“Last summer, we worked quickly with Heinz to bring to life the prospect of a Heinz Classic Barbiecue Sauce in digital form, so it’s now so exciting to be able to put the physical product into our kitchen cupboards.

“This collaboration embodies the spirit of innovation and fun that both Mattel and Heinz are known for, and we can’t wait for fans to enjoy this delicious and unique product”.

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