Barbie launches diverse 2020 campaign collection

Barbie is joining the heated 2020 presidential race and she's doing so in all the ways we wish our actual candidates would. While America's dream for a female President remains unfulfilled yet again, Mattel is passing on the dream to future generations in the hopes of it coming true in the not so distant future. The popular brand just debuted the Barbie 2020 Campaign Team set featuring four diverse dolls fulfilling the roles of a candidate, campaign manager, fundraiser, and voter. The newly launched line aims to inspire young girls to take on leadership roles and elevate their interest in shaping the future.

"Since 1959, Barbie has championed girls and encouraged them to be leaders whether in the classroom, community, or someday, of the country," Lisa McKnight, SVP and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls, Mattel, said in a statement. "With less than a third of elected leaders in the U.S. being women, and Black women being even less represented in these positions, we designed the Barbie Campaign Team with a diverse set of dolls to show all girls they can raise their voices. Our goal is to remove barriers to leadership by giving girls the tools to imagine and play out their future roles."

The brand explained that by including a full campaign team in the collection, it hopes to impress upon the next generation of leaders "the importance of voting and taking a stand and showing girls how to run a campaign." To further this effort, Barbie has also teamed up with She Should Run — a non-partisan non-profit that provides guidance and support to women considering political bids — to encourage girls to use their voices to advocate for what matters to them while equipping them with tools to help them get involved and effect change.

"With the upcoming elections and the current push for equality and representation, 2020 is an incredible time for us to inspire young women and girls to lead," said Erin Loos Cutraro, founder and CEO of She Should Run in a statement. "Understanding the role we play in empowering our daughters is the first step—we have to have healthy conversations at home and encourage curiosity. By getting them excited today, we’re giving them the confidence to raise their voices and run for office tomorrow." She Should Run is also a recipient of funds from the Barbie Dream Gap Project, a global initiative that gives girls the resources and support they need to continue believing in themselves.

The non-profit has "dedicated resources in part to Help Her Lead, a course designed to support young girls, particularly girls of color, in their pathway to political leadership by giving adult role models the resources and guidance to engage and inspire them early in life. To effectively build political leadership ambition, role models can host intentional conversations about why it’s important to lead, demonstrate their own involvement through fundraising or volunteer efforts and role-play leadership activities, like giving a speech," the brand announced.

The Barbie Campaign Team—which is sold as a set for $39.99—comes with additional educational resources of the likes of play ballots, printable activities, and prompts for girls to write their own campaign speeches. The product description reads: When a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines everything she can become, and if you love being part of a campaign team, you can be a candidate, campaign manager, campaign fundraiser, and voter! The Barbie Campaign Team giftset features 4 dolls capturing life on the campaign trail with Barbie doll and her campaign team who will help make this candidate a success! Do you like to take the lead and drive change? You can be a candidate! Candidate Barbie doll dressed in a chic pink jacket and black pants and comes with a microphone and cell phone and is excited for the campaign and to communicate her agenda!

Do you like to set goals and motivate? You can be a campaign manager! Campaign manager Barbie doll is dressed in a black-and-white print dress and comes with a computer, file folder, and cell phone for organizing and setting priorities! Do you like working toward a fundraising goal and volunteering? You can be a campaign fundraiser! Campaign fundraiser Barbie doll wears a blue denim dress and comes with information sheets, a cell phone and is working hard to raise funds for the campaign. Do you like making your voice heard? You can be a voter! Voter Barbie doll is dressed in a white tee and jeans with ballot and cell phone and rallies for her candidate by voting!