The “Barbie” marketing campaign offers a case study in how to make your brand unmissable.
The summer event film seems to be everywhere — from social media to TV commercials to press interviews. And it’s working. Roku searches for “Barbie” during the week of June 25 spiked 4x higher than average query volumes over the preceding four weeks, demonstrating that streamers are excited about all things “Barbie” well ahead of the film’s July 21 release.¹
Warner Bros. Pictures and Mattel have made advertising on Roku a major part of their marketing strategies. Roku built an immersive campaign to maximize “Barbie's” reach and engagement, featuring Barbie's Dream House in Roku City and implementing a home screen takeover.
Leveraging these creative opportunities will grow fandom and make “Barbie” unmissable among Roku’s 70+ million active accounts, whether they are actively streaming or simply enjoying Roku’s beloved screensaver. Considering that Roku users see over 3,200 TV ads monthly and a fleeting 15-second ad may not resonate, these innovative ad experiences will help “Barbie” cut through the clutter and engage viewers unavailable on traditional TV.²
Let’s take a close look at how Warner Bros. and Mattel are owning the streamer’s journey – from power on to purchase complete.
Barbie and Ken greet streamers as they power on their Roku devices
On July 20th, Roku’s marquee entrance, or the home screen, will display a “Barbie”-themed placement featuring Barbie and Ken alongside the tiles for TV channels and streaming services. When viewers power on their devices, they will see the couple lounging on a large “B” with a backdrop featuring Barbie Land and the Barbie Dream House.
This strategic placement guarantees immediate exposure to a broad audience on the largest creative canvas in the living room. Roku's 70+ million active accounts will encounter the takeover upon turning on their devices, allowing Warner Bros to maximize film’s awareness in a short period of time. That's greater reach than the Oscars last year.³
Roku City welcomes Barbie when streamers “pause” for a break
When streamers pause or take a break from watching on Roku, imagery from “Barbie” will grace Roku City — our vibrant digital cityscape screensaver — in hues of pink, blue, and purple. Viewers will encounter Barbie's extravagant three-story Dream House equipped with a dance floor, hot pink slide, and extensive shoe closet. A “Barbie”-branded Roku Movie Theater will remind viewers of the film's July 21 release. And “Barbie” billboards will encourage users to watch the trailer.
These innovative elements aim to surprise and entertain viewers, even when users step away from their TV. Remarkably, 85% of Roku users have sat and watched Roku City scroll by, and two-thirds say they would love to visit if given the opportunity.⁴ Roku City is also a buzzy topic on social media, getting mentioned every 11 minutes on average on Twitter.⁵
Completing the streamer’s journey with “Barbie” ticket purchases
From the moment they power on their Roku devices, this activation helps “Barbie” own the streamer’s journey.
To drive users down the funnel, see how Roku users will be able to click on the “Barbie” banner to watch the movie trailer and scan a QR code to purchase movie tickets from a nearby movie theater.
This “Barbie” campaign marks the first time a movie studio and a brand have worked with Roku to execute both a Roku City and Theme Takeover to promote a film release. We believe this initiative will redefine how Roku can help advertisers stand out and drive results at every stage of the streaming journey.
Are you interested in leveraging these activations for your brand? We’d be glad to talk.
Check out Roku City and Home Screen takeover in July — and be sure to watch the new Barbie movie!
¹ Roku Internal Data, May-June 2023
² Roku internal data. US Roku Households, Streaming and Linear TV viewership, April 2023
³ Deadline
⁴ Internal Roku research: Roku City Research via Qualtrics feb ‘23; n=487 Roku users
⁵ Pack Your Bags, We’re Moving to ‘Roku City’ November 2022, New York Times
