SUPPLY CHAIN STRATEGIES
“ By showcasing the stories of incredible role models whose confidence has fueled groundbreaking success, we’ re showing girls that the future of sports – or wherever their passion takes them – is theirs to claim, with Team Barbie cheering them on.”
The initiative seeks to challenge gender norms and help young girls overcome barriers like self-doubt by showcasing female athletes whose confidence and groundbreaking achievements demonstrate limitless potential.
In doing so, Mattel is responding directly to consumer demand for diverse and empowering role models, which the company has supported through rigorous research across key markets including the US, UK, France and New Zealand.
The company’ s research reveals that, by age 14, one in three girls disengages from sports due to factors such as body confidence issues, self-doubt and a lack of visible female role models.
Only 53 % of girls feel confident while playing sport and 26 % of parents believe their daughters would be more likely to remain in sport if they had more female role models.
Team sports also positively impact confidence, with 33 % of parents noting improvements in their children’ s self-esteem through sports participation. These insights shape Mattel’ s approach to supply chain demand in the leisure and toy sectors, ensuring that product offerings like Team Barbie are relevant, impactful and priced to address real market needs.
116 January 2026