Abstract
This case study is about the global marketing strategy employed by Mattel Inc to market the Barbie doll around the world. It specifically focuses on Latin America, Middle East and Japan where the doll did not experience the same level of success. The case helps students understand the cultural (and to some extent religious) intricacies of developing and marketing a doll such as Barbie. The case also highlights the competitive challenges faced by Mattel in Latin America as well as the distribution and licensing issues in Japan. Finally the case invites the students to think of the cultural and religious influences on children's toy preferences. This case has been designed for undergraduate, MBA and other graduate students studying international marketing or cross-cultural management. The case has been intended for classroom discussions only.