Barbie Australis: The Commercial Reinvention of National Culture

Abstract

While the marketing of commodities is certainly being globalised, the goods themselves are slanted towards specific aspects of particular cultures, mainly domi nated by commercially drivenNorth American mainstream culture. The irony is that, in this skewed homogenisationprocess, the idea is conveyed that a variety of cultures is represented as is the case, purportedly with lDolls of the World Collection Barbies. But, as Australian Barbie demonstrates, on closer examination, only the ambiance of other cultures is there. The design of such commodities is driven by commercial interests and stereotypes, with a view to what is attractive, marketable and fits prevailing perceptions, misguided or otherwise. In the case of Australian Barbie, the doll must first be true to the image that is Barbie. It need not be true to what is Australian, which is after all much more problematic and contested. Thus, instead of offering girls a range of positive identities, Barbie simply collapses all identities into her own, robbing children of the breadth of cultural links and understanding of their own cultures and appreciation of other cultures which, ar guably, should be open to them.