After splitting up this year with her longtime boyfriend, Ken, she has sought refuge in shopping, surfing and partying with a crew of trendy pals on the beach in Jamaica. And at 45 years old, she even made a bid for the White House. Then there was the makeover. She had a new set of Paul Frank fashions, in addition to a new fragrance, a new musical and a new man, Blaine, a spiked-hair California surfer.
But she's going through a crisis nonetheless, one that started at the cash register. Though the Barbie brand generated $3.6 billion in global retail sales this year, according to manufacturer Mattel Inc., Barbie has seen sales slide over the last seven quarters. In the last few years, rivals like the edgy Bratz dolls have upstaged her.
To re-energize its flagship brand, the world's largest toymaker set out to cast Barbie and her pals in a series of books, magazines and animated films, hoping the story lines would drive sales of the doll and her accessories.
For girls 6 to 9 years old, Mattel crafted stories with preteen scenarios - dance parties, dating and shopping. Barbie's look better reflects today's fashion trends. Mattel signed preteen diva Hillary Duff to promote the brand. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)