It’s no secret that Warner Bros.’s Barbie was one of the biggest movie releases of 2023 with one of the most memorable marketing campaigns in recent history. It also culminated an eight-year effort by Weber Shandwick, the global PR giant, to make Barbie the brand it is today. To support the film’s release—and ultimately sell more Barbies—the firm helped the toy brand launch two different Mattel product collections inspired by the film to spread the message that Barbie is more than just a doll. It focused on making sure that Mattel’s story was part of the Barbie story and helped amplify the Airbnb-Barbie Dreamhouse partnership in June 2023, which became Airbnb’s most successful collaboration ever, earning 13,000 stories worldwide.
All of Weber’s efforts contributed to Barbie’s 25% sales bump. Apropos of its Barbie-related success in garnering earned media, Weber Shandwick formally unveiled its Earned Impact Value Tool in November 2023 to enable clients to make the connection between racking up a lot of press mentions and new business. The tool uses AI to try to assess just how much of a company’s sales can be traced back to media coverage, giving Weber Shandwick’s clients a clearer picture of their return on investment.
Explore the full 2024 list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, 606 organizations that are reshaping industries and culture. We’ve selected the firms making the biggest impact across 58 categories, including advertising, artificial intelligence, design, sustainability, and more.
