👋, I’m Kimberly. I’ve been creating obsession-worthy brands for the past fifteen years. And now, I’m giving away my secrets every week in this newsletter.
Adults frequently ask children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And when I was a kid, I would say, “Barbie.” The adults often reacted in ways that ran the gamut, from the open-mouthed feminist horrified to the panderingly amused. But the reason I gave this answer was precisely what Greta Gerwig worked so hard to celebrate in the Barbie movie: Barbie can be anything she puts her mind to, from a nurse to a rockstar to an astronaut to a Supreme Court judge, simply by changing her outfit. So, to say I was excited to see the Barbie movie and this celebration of the you-can-be-anything spirit is an understatement. But when I watched the actual film, I found myself surprisingly bored by the Barbies and most excited by the character made to be forgotten: Allan.
Why was I so taken in by this character? And what can brands learn from the je ne sais quoi of the singular entity known as Allan?
As a concept, the idea that Barbie can be anything to anyone is incredibly invigorating. It spurs the imagination and is the stuff this little girl’s aspirations were made of. But in practice, watching the Barbies on screen made me see how neatly they each fit into a box — and not the cardboard kind. While they looked diverse in terms of body shapes and ethnicity, each Barbie embodied a stereotype, and Margo Robbie, as the star Barbie of the movie, was literally called "Stereotypical Barbie," the first Barbie ever created.
In the real world, stereotypes tend to have a negative reputation. They purport to let us know a lot about a person very quickly, based on a few markers of groups they belong to. In film and television, if you’re trying to establish a character in a truncated amount of time, using stereotypes is the fastest way to do it. And in branding and marketing, we have another word for stereotypes: We call them Archetypes, and they’re a neat shorthand for what a brand represents to the world.
Archetypes are rooted in Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconscious. Jung suggested that humans share a common reservoir of memories and symbols that are inherited from our ancestors. Archetypes are the fundamental elements of this collective unconscious and represent universal human experiences and emotions. When a brand adopts an Archetype, it essentially assumes a specific personality or character that aligns with one of these universal symbols. This helps the brand convey a consistent and relatable identity to its audience. Some common brand Archetypes include The Hero, The Sage, the Innocent, The Explorer, and The Lover. But while seeming to help brands, Archetypes can be a brand’s biggest betrayers if used too narrowly — forcing them into boxes that might not fit naturally and making them less interesting to watch, just like the lineup of Barbies in the movie.
Watching the film through this lens got me thinking about the relationship between Archetypes and another big word in branding today: Authenticity. In a world where nothing is original, authenticity is a tricky concept. When a brand has “Authenticity” as one of its values, I always wonder—would a brand ever have Inauthenticity as a value? The term Authenticity has become the stuff of jargon, as brands throw it around without dissecting it… but what authenticity represents is increasingly important to brands today as they battle to stand out and connect with consumers. And the best example of Authenticity I’ve seen is Allan.
Multiple publications have praised the character of Allan for what is essentially his Authenticity. Salon wrote, “Allan [shines] as the one genuine fellow in a pleasantly pink and plastic world. Vulture said, “Allan’s not a poser; he’s not pretending to be anyone he’s not. He’s just Allan and that’s okay… Allan isn’t like anyone else. He’s his own, perfectly milquetoast man.” And Mashable called Allan “Barbie's most relatable icon.”
But what exactly makes Allan such a compelling example of Authenticity? To start, Allen does not fit into any of the kinds of boxes that Barbie does. As a character, Allan is based on a real doll created by Mattel and meant to be a friend of Ken. The narrator of Barbie tells us “There are no multiples of Allan. He's just Allan." And this is true of the real Allan doll — no other Allans were ever produced.
The movie version of Allan draws attention from the start, simply because of his genuine Allen-ness.
Allan sticks out in the Barbieland of violent pinks, constant pastels, and high-energy neon colors. He's in a beach ensemble that's a bit bland in comparison: striped top, blue shorts, and matching blue sandals.1
When Allan says hello to Barbie. His greeting is warm, real, and not as loud as everyone else's. When Barbie sees him, she acts just short of surprised, as if he isn't there with everyone else every day. "Oh – hi, Allan!2
He is also the only one in the land of Barbie who hears the voice of the narrator, and he’s more perceptive than the others. Even when the Barbies and Kens appear to be unhappy, they keep smiling. Not so for Allan—the only one who frowns. But through all of this, Allan does not try to be anything he is not.
Where the other dolls dance to Barbie's choreography, Allan cheerily lumbers on and off the beat. When he plays the part of the athletic hero – when he's trying to be like Ken – he's clumsy, awkward, and gets hung up on walls and barricades he's only equipped to go around.3
And when push comes to a literal shove, Allan takes charge of his destiny.
When [Allan] notices his chill wonderland degenerating into a place where all his fellow dudes want to do is rave about "The Godfather" and have their eardrums pounded by Matchbox 20 songs, he reveals himself to be a political outsider. Turns out Allan doesn't vibe with all that "Kenergy," so he tries to bounce. That doesn't make Allan soft. When Gloria and her daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) hit a roadblock to escape a Ken doll junta, Allan pummels the versions of his supposed buddy blocking them… This is an act of desperation and dedication to Barbieland under Barbies, but mainly frustration. Life in the Barbie matriarchy wasn't entirely equal, but it lacked Ken's enthusiasm yen for subjugation . . . and horses.4
So, how can brands be more like Allan—ditching the Barbie-like Archetypes for jargon-free Authenticity?
Practice Self-Awareness
Maintain a clear understanding of your mission, vision, values, and unique selling points while being adaptable and open to evolution. Actively seek feedback and monitor public sentiment to understand how you’re viewed in the market.Be Radically Honest
Embrace a culture of transparency and truthfulness in all aspects of your operations, communications, and interactions with customers and stakeholders. Be open, authentic, and candid in your actions, even when it involves acknowledging your shortcomings or mistakes.Understand Your Brand’s Context and Limitations
Holistically examine the internal and external factors that impact your brand's perception, growth, and sustainability. Be aware of the factors that you can leverage to your advantage and the constraints that you must navigate.Don’t Follow the Trends Simply to Get Followers
Stay true to your core values, even if it means going against popular opinions or trends. Prioritize establishing and maintaining a unique and distinct identity.Stand Up for What You Believe In
Take a clear and public stance on social, political, environmental, and ethical issues that align with your values and principles. Demonstrate your commitment to your core beliefs and engage with your audience on a deeper level.
As a girl who always wanted to be a Barbie, my new brand is Allan. And yours should be too.
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I help founders create the kind of brands that get customers so obsessed, they’ll do your advertising for you. Based on my experience founding my own consumer brand, I developed The Branding Sprint—a uniquely collaborative, streamlined, and agile approach to brand creation. Click here to learn more about The Branding Sprint, shoot me an email at kimberly@brandsthatgetyou.com, or schedule a call.
More About Me
I’ve created indie darling brands (Biossance, Patchology, exa), developed Fortune 500 brands (Netflix, Gap, Wyndham), rebranded global brands (Crabtree & Evelyn, Paula's Choice), founded my own DTC brand (Archer), and run in-house teams for brands (Sephora).
My work has won over 80 awards—including Clios, Addys & 30 Under 30. And I was recently named one of the Forbes Next 1000.
I earned my BA and MA at Stanford, where wrote my thesis on the negative mental effects of gender stereotypes in advertising. And today, I devote 100% of my time to working with founders who are 100% committed to using their brands’ impact for good—developing healthy mental models for a better world.