• by Sarah Mahoney , 2 hours ago

 
While Mattel is no stranger to celebrity Barbie Signature dolls, the latest one comes with a branding twist: WNBA star Angel Reese isn't just showing off her Atlanta Dream affiliation — the doll is also sporting a pair of Angel Reese 1 basketball shoes from the player's just-launched collection with Reebok.

Mattel launched the doll during WNBA All-Star weekend, at Target and online at Walmart, Amazon, and Mattel.com. It quickly sold out.

"Barbie honors role models who inspire girls to imagine what's possible. From her on-court achievements and entrepreneurial leadership to her tireless advocacy for girls, Angel Reese is helping children see that confidence, ambition, and resilience can open countless doors," said Nathan Baynard, vice president and head of Barbie, in the release. "We're proud to honor her through our Barbie Signature doll and collaboration with Reebok, giving fans new ways to celebrate Angel and all she represents."

She is the first Black WNBA player to get the Barbie treatment, and only the second WNBA player overall.

The Angel Reese 1 Barbie shoes feature pink color accents and co-branded elements on the tongue, selling at $160 for adults and $130 for kids. Reese also worked with Mattel to create a limited-edition apparel capsule, including a custom jersey and Barbie x Angel-inspired tees and headwear.

Reese, 24, is rapidly emerging as one of the league's leading entrepreneurs. She is also co-owner of TogethXr, a women's sports media company co-founded with sports media veteran Jessica Robertson and athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird (the first WNBA player to get a Barbie of her own). TogethXr develops scripted and unscripted content focused on lifestyle and youth culture.

Keeping close tabs on culture appears to be paying off for Mattel's bottom line, too. The company, based in El Segundo, California, reported that second-quarter sales rose 10% to $1.13 billion compared with the same period last year, including a 12% jump in North America.

"We continued to execute our multiyear strategy to grow our IP-driven play and family entertainment business in the second quarter with strong growth," said Ynon Kreiz, chairman and CEO, in the announcement. "Our world-class brand portfolio and product offering, driven by our brand-centric operating model and global capabilities, position us well for the second half of the year."

Last week, in a related move, the company promoted chief global brand officer Roberto Stanichi to president, chief marketing and brand officer, a newly created role, citing the outsized performance of its brands. Stanichi now oversees Mattel's Hot Wheels (one of the quarter's highest performers), Barbie, Fisher-Price, and Uno, and also leads brand and business strategy, marketing, consumer insights, and product design.

Stanichi, a 20-year Mattel veteran, "has made significant progress establishing Mattel's brand-centric organization and operating model," Kreiz said in the announcement. "We have further aligned our brands, marketing, and demand creation capabilities to manage our portfolio more holistically and advance our strategy to grow our IP-driven play and family entertainment business."