The Barbie vs. Oppenheimer craze has presented to audiences two cinematic pursuits that couldn’t be more drastically different from each other. Yet, these two intricately designed narratives have evolved into a phenomenon in popular culture that remains unparalleled. There have undoubtedly been significant box office clashes throughout film history. However, you can tell this time, that it’s a step beyond the ordinary.
The phenomenon has birthed an entire sub-culture of online memes, a brand-new term that has entered social media jargon, and an outstanding example of a counterprogramming marketing technique. The impact is simply undeniable. The marketing strategy utilized has only worked in favor of the two films. So much so that, as per recently found data, audiences who were left to lament over sold-out Barbie tickets simply opted to seek entertainment from Oppenheimer instead. Take a look.
Sold Out Barbie Tickets Have Proven Advantageous To Oppenheimer’s Success
The Quorum, a film-data research company, found out that 6% of U.S. audiences who saw Oppenheimer on the weekend following its release were compelled to do so due to the non-availability of Barbie tickets. The masterwork directed by Christopher Nolan made $83 million in its weekend domestic gross. As a result, the extra $4.98 million of what Oppenheimer has earned out of that total can be explained by the tickets to Greta Gerwig’s magnum opus being sold out.
This information was obtained from a survey that the research company did of Oppenheimer watchers on Sunday. Here, the audiences were asked the reason behind their viewing of the biopic. As per claims made by the founder of The Quorum, David Herrin, “Bought ticket because ‘Barbie’ was sold out” was one of the options in the survey presented to the respondents.
Box office experts may have been mistaken in their earlier assumption that the two separate endeavors would impede each other’s growth. The two features, both of which were scheduled for a 21st July 2023 release, are performing remarkably well, both on the critical and commercial front. On its opening weekend, the Greta Gerwig-helmed Margot Robbie starrer managed to amass a whopping $162 million in ticket sales at the domestic box office.
There are many reasons—mostly obvious ones—as to why the pink-tinged endeavor has managed to rake in such extraordinary numbers, in comparison to Nolan’s Oppenheimer which deals with a more thematically heavy subject, is 3 hours long, and rated R for “some s*xuality, nudity and language.” However, this is not to imply that the Cillian Murphy starrer is not doing well. The reality points to, in fact, the opposite.
Analysts had predicted that the grand biographical movie would only make between $40-50 million domestically over the weekend, but it has surpassed those initial projections. The film has garnered and continues to garner a worldwide appeal like no other, with many cinephiles ecstatic to witness the brilliance that is the mind of Christopher Nolan. The word-of-mouth effect is also working remarkably in its favor.
The Reasons Behind Barbie‘s Mind-Boggling Success
At the time of writing this, Barbie has grossed $408.3 million at the worldwide box office. The non-availability of tickets in theatres further emphasizes the popularity of Gerwig’s masterpiece. Barbie’s tremendous success can be specifically attributed to its lighthearted but nonetheless significant premise; a commentary on prevalent social issues that is digestible for all viewers, including the young and impressionable ones. The movie’s decision to cater to a universal audience was a smart choice, as the film has garnered a favorable response and is enjoying a sizable viewership among grown-ups too.
Secondly, Barbie, as a fashion doll, has been an integral part of popular culture for decades. Everyone, including the current generation of adults and elderly who were once children, has seen a Barbie doll, if not played with it. The movie excels at tapping into themes of nostalgia, and most crucially, it does so subtly.
Thirdly, the extent of the marketing and promotional techniques used to get people’s attention was ludicrous, in the best way possible. A bookable real-life Barbie Dreamhouse in Malibu reopened its doors. A Burger King Barbie-themed combo meal was invented in Brazil. Crocs has dropped Barbie-inspired pink shoes. The list is endless. Pink has become the new black. The Barbiecore aesthetic is taking the world by storm. We would be pleasantly surprised if by winter the entire world hasn’t grown tired of the color.
A fourth (and underrated) reason might also just be annotated to Greta Gerwig’s brilliance, who proved her worth to cinema-loving audiences before with pursuits like Lady Bird and Little Women. What has particularly amazed the movie-going population is that the 2023 film refuses to look at the world through rose-tinted glasses. It holds Mattel accountable. It holds people accountable. It is effective in its portrayal of social norms and standards that have effectively governed women’s lives for ages. And it certainly does not exclude from its narrative the societal expectations that men have often been burdened with.
The project’s strength has turned out to be its sophisticated representations of such significant issues. With people only having praise to offer, we may have a few hints as to why the film has received such tremendous popularity and love at the box office.
Both Barbie and Oppenheimer are out in theatres now.
Source: IndieWire
