With the highly anticipated Barbie movie coming out tomorrow and the color pink being absolutely everywhere online, what better time to talk about pink than now?

Earlier this week, I attended a webinar in which speakers Laurie Pressman (VP of Pantone Color Institute), Alessio Vannetti (Valentino Chief Brand Officer), and Kim Rasmussen (Copenhagen Design CEO) discussed the creation of Valentino PP Pink. Let’s talk about this vivid pink hue that practically borders on magenta, and how it came to be chosen.

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Perhaps you’ve heard of the Barbie movie which plans to come out end of July, featuring actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling who will play Barbie and Ken.

Well, reports state that there is now a pink paint shortage which was triggered by the development of the highly anticipated Barbie movie. According to the Architectural Digest, production designers used so much fuchsia paint that it led to a global shortage. Sarah Greenwood, the film’s production designer, even said “the world ran out of pink.”

Paint company Rosco aided in the film’s set production and development, providing the large quantities of signature Barbie pink that contributed to the global shortage. Vice president of marketing and digital experience for the paint company, Lauren Proud, reports that “the sets were being developed during a time when we were still experiencing the global supply chain issues, and the paint supply was hit particularly hard”. On which note, it’s clear that ongoing supply chain issues have continued creating obstacles to full recovery for companies such as Rosco, especially since the pandemic.

History of Barbie Pink & Marketing

Now, let’s talk about the role of pink in Barbie’s brand history and marketing. Though the brand launched back in 1959, the color pink actually started getting introduced in their doll products during the late 1970s. From that time forward, Barbie has remained pretty much synonymous with pink. The color pink’s association with femininity, charm, and playfulness has unquestionably helped create a distinct visual identity for the brand that is immediately recognizable by many.

In my opinion, the iconic doll brand serves as an example of success when it comes to the role of color strategy in effective marketing. Barbie has been able to continuously maintain visual consistency throughout their pink products and campaigns, and has done so for several decades. Not to say that pink is the main reason behind the brand’s massive success, but their signature color has undoubtedly aided in establishing overall aesthetic brand appeal, which has in turn led to the sale of over one billion Barbie dolls since the brand first launched.

Not to mention, the Barbie movie is currently going viral for two things: excitement over the doll brand (which has been a vibrant source of inspiration and fun since childhood for many) being brought to life, and this global pink paint shortage.

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A fascinating partnership between the color and entertainment industries that has recently caught my attention is that of Pantone and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”1. The show’s costume designer, Donna Zakowska, and the color matching company worked together in the creation of not only the iconic “Mrs. Maisel Pink”, but a…

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