Woods Workbench

I just completed my online application to join Prodos' Solid Vox internet radio network.

One the the exercises was to do show prep for an interview about Barbies.  Below is my thoughts on the subject:

The theme of this show will be Barbie as a tool; related to Lee Sandstead's lecture regarding on the "Use Value of Art."

Explore how Barbie is used to improve lives with focus on "a value to whom for what."

The link between the history of Barbie and life is how does Barbie add value to her real life friends.

How does this relate to me and my experiences? I have two daughters, so I have played with Barbie.

Some possible questions....

I remember as a child my mother who was pre-Barbie giving her dolls to my sisters. Those product lines were extinct, so why does Barbie survive as a brand?

Barbie demonstrated that girls can be anything (Dr. Barbie, Army Barbie, etc.), how is that still Barbie's role and has Barbie moved beyond that?

Many women today played with Barbie, so how is Barbie relevant to her children today?

Just as my mother shared her dolls with my sisters, how is the Barbie experience relevant to the mother-child relationship today?

If Barbie' niche is role-playing, how does that enhance the development of today's kids?

Unfortunately, sometimes even a kid's life can be tough, as an icon, how can Barbie be used in therapic situations to help kids communicate and resolve psychological issues?

Barbie has not been immune to contravesy, particularly about her figure. How relevant is that today? Is there any real data about eat disorders and unrealistically proportioned Barbies? How does Barbie as a brand promote healthy living through diet and exercise?

The Barbie brand is about more than dolls today. How do other media such a books, videos, and computer games relate to advancing child development?

From a business perspective, the demographics in the US appear to have Barbie against the ropes on a downward slide. What is Barbie doing in potentially growing overseas markets from a financial perspective? How does this relate to advancing individual rights on a world stage? Will what Barbie did for women in the US translate to individual empowerment around the world?

In summary, if my niece's birthday is coming up, how can a Barbie gift be meaningful in her life?

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