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Mattel, the largest US toymaker, said on Monday that a further sharp fall in sales of its Barbie dolls had contributed to a disappointing third quarter, while its rival Hasbro said it had been boosted by strong sales of Star Wars toys.

Mattel said sales of Barbie - still the world's biggest selling doll - had fallen by 18 per cent during the quarter, despite the toy manufacturer's strategic push to reinvigorate the brand.
Financial Times October 17, 2005


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Barbie Slump Drags Down Mattel
By: Pete Kendall, October 17, 2005

The bear market psychology will ultimately see [Barbie] as hopelessly outmoded.
The Elliott Wave Theorist, January 1994

Barbie's nosedive is the flip side of the rise of "masculine," "liberated" women, a bear market trait that was covered in the the September issue of The Elliott Wave Financial Forecast. With her hourglass shape and long-term uptrend through the course of the bull market, Barbie is clearly an icon of the long advance. Due to her waning popularity, Mattel topped out in March 1998, heralding the end of the bull market in 2000. With the recent plunge in Barbie sales, Mattel is in full retreat, down 28% since March. Once again, a wavering demand for the "the quintessential all-American, all-purpose female icon," signals the direction of the unfolding move in social mood. 
Additional References

Conquer the Crash
Rock ’n’ roll memorabilia and other baby-boomer collectibles are probably at an all-time top. Baby boomers who covet reminders of their youth will die off in the next 30 years, and most of their collectibles will be considered little more than curios. Barbie dolls still have some value. If you want to sell your pedestrian collectibles, few venues are better than Ebay on the web, at www.ebay.com.

The Elliott Wave Theorist, March 1999
On March 9, the NYSE will present one more symbol of the stock market’s complete integration into every corner of American life. Barbie will celebrate her 40th birthday by ringing the bell to start trading. Wall Street will be renamed Barbie Street for the day and traders will sport pink vests.

The Elliott Wave Theorist, January 1994
Barbie is the Mattel doll beauty that has represented pre-teen girls' ideal since her debut in 1959.  Whatever your opinion of Barbie, you cannot deny that she is a U.S. cultural icon. My guess is that Barbie's days of high and/or increasing popularity (a Barbie doll is sold every two seconds) are numbered. The bear market psychology will ultimately see her as hopelessly outmoded.


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