The Barbie campaign “Imagine The Possibilities” directed by Slim’s Karen Cunningham has won the 2016 Webby People’s Voice Award in the Advertising and Media — Online Commercial category.
In addition to the Webby win, “Imagine The Possibilities” is also shortlisted for an AICP Show Award for Dialogue and Performance and an AICP Next Award in the Viral Video category. The film has already garnered over 21 million hits on YouTube, and was previously named a winner by VOTD and given the YouTube Ad of the Year Award.
Created in partnership with BBDO San Francisco as part of Mattel’s broader initiative to empower young girls, Cunningham’s online film uses a hidden camera approach to show what happens when five brave girls join the work force and play out situations they imagine in real life, such as being a college lecturer, a veterinarian, a soccer coach, a businesswoman and a museum guide.
Cunningham had to navigate a unique set of challenges in the creation of the winning film, ultimately capturing honest and in-the-moment reactions from adults in the scenes as they interact with each pint-sized expert, with the responses ranging from confusion to disbelief to sheer bemusement. In the end, we see these situations being played out with Barbie dolls, reminding people how play with Barbie helps inspire imagination and confidence.