Royal dreams? Mattel markets the Dreamtopia Barbie and Prince Ken. A fan of Jurassic World movies? Buy a Claire Barbie or an Owen Barbie. Got a pocket? Barbie on the Go is sized to go with you to school or play or anywhere (see photo above). Want to try on different hair colours? Try the Barbie Colour Surprise Doll, with hair that changes colour when sprayed with water.
As these products demonstrate, segmentation is not just a matter of age and gender. Mattel segments the market for dolls according to factors such as lifestyle ("on the go" for instance), desire for variety or novelty (Barbie Colour Surprise), interest in a blockbuster movie (like Jurassic World) and royalty fantasy (both prince and princess).
Not that Barbie is alone in the doll world. Bratz, for instance, is a direct competitor. And Barbie also competes with other types of playthings, not just dolls--including videogames and other digital play possibilities. Barbie and Ken have had mixed sales results in recent years. Will further market segmentation have a positive effect on consumer behaviour?
