Barbie is in no way anatomically correct or realistic.

Her waist is unnaturally

small and there is no way her frame can support the structure of her height. Barbie is
almost always blonde, blue eyes, perfect white smile, tan, and cosmetically complete.
The exception? Mattel launched a Barbie in the late 1990s that was essentially believed
to combat the unrealistic body dimensions. She was brunette, darker skin tone, and
shorter. However, her dimensions were still just as unrealistic as the traditional Barbie.
Barbie is problematic for various reasons and individuals can contend that Mattels
Barbie is just a toy, but there is much to be said about their continual success and why
Barbie remains culturally popular. Barbie always meets the cultural ideal and sets the
standard in many ways.
My desired effect is to bring attention to Barbies unrealistic depiction and replace
it with a new normal. I want to challenge this notion that what is primarily important for a
girl is to be pretty, get Ken, and drive a pink convertible. These subvertisements of
Barbie walking her dog, working-out, needing a nap, and being successful in a career are
designed to juxtapose Barbie and realistic circumstances.
I designed each focal point to center on the logo and the action. By doing so, it
emphasizes the argument being made. The pathway moves vertically from top to bottom
while reading the short description provided. I utilized the margins of the page in a
cohesive way, making the image symmetrical. The proximity of each form is consistent
and organized so that the audience may clearly identify the message. There is very little
separation within the subvertisements as a strategy to make each image flow well. My
goal is to visually link each subvertisement aesthetically, rhetorically, and distinguishing
the opposing message through intentional grouping.
In the subvertisement Im Trying to Take a Nap, the actor of the vector is
Barbie and the goal is the text. In the other three ads, the actor (Barbie) is looking at the
audience, which subconsciously evokes a response to the goal from the audience. Each
image is relatively close up as a visual tactic to identify how these ads are different from
the original. The social distance allows the audience to see the physical modifications in
her size, facial expressions, and actions in contrast to conventional Mattel Barbie
advertisements. The angle is straight on so that these images take on a more personal
appeal that the audience is able to identify with.
The visual ethos is designed to utilize the Barbie logo and similar colors that
identify with Barbie (pink, purple, white). The objective is for the audience to identify
with the brand, what is different, and what the message is conveying. Pathos works to
relate to the audience, especially females. Individuals can clearly identify that the social
conventions of Mattel are being challenged to see Barbie in a more credible perspective.
Logos is built by the universal understanding that Barbie is an inaccurate representation
of females and their role socially as well as physically.
In conclusion, my objective is to depict how Barbie reinforces problematic
notions in relation to gender and social expectations from society at large. Barbie can and
should be designed to reflect real women and place them in social situations where they
establish credibility and empowerment.