Holy Megalophobia: This Brilliant CGI Barbie Ad is Terrifying
Rip her out of plastic; Barbie’s acting brand new
Note: for those confused about the subtitle, it’s a social media trend.
I have to admit, the marketing campaign for the Barbie movie is brilliant. They are simultaneously tapping into the nostalgia of adults while creating an immersive experience for children who are falling in love with the brand right now.
Clearly, a campaign crafted by seasoned vets, over the past few weeks, elements of the Barbie brand were strategically peppered throughout our real lives. They've created everything from Barbie Boat Cruises to the ability to rent a real-life version of Barbie's Dream House and much more. For the most part, I've really been enjoying it. It's like a scavenger hunt or a Pokémon Go reboot.
Nevertheless, I’ve officially seen enough. The marketing is cute and all, but I have to get off the train once they start doing giant 3-D ads. Life-size ads are one thing, but larger-than-life ads are a tad too much for me. This new ad is petrifying — it feels like I’m staring at a giant (although pretty) Godzilla, and I can’t help but imagine how the world will change when more conglomerates use immersive marketing to peddle their products.
*Edit: Calling it 3-D was actually marketing as well. It’s actually CGI. Nevertheless, my original reaction to this humongous ad still stands. This is also an even bigger testament to how epic this marketing campaign truly is.
Feeling like another shrimp on the Barbie
In case you missed it, Dubai has a massive Barbie ad that consists of a giant Barbie who rips through the plastic and takes a couple of steps before placing her hand on her hip to behold her puny humanoid audience. Located in front of the world's tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, this humongous projection triggered my anxiety through my computer screen.
If you haven't seen it, here's the video:
Sure, I might be somewhat exaggerating, but only slightly. Seeing this structure actually made me do some research, and, wouldn't you know it, there's actually a real name for a fear of large objects — It's called megalophobia. And I just might have it!
Definition time!
According to Cleveland Clinic, megalophobia is defined as
A type of anxiety disorder in which a person experiences intense fear of large objects. A person with megalophobia experiences intense fear and anxiety when they think of or are around large objects such as large buildings, statues, animals, and vehicles. They often avoid situations or places that have large objects.
I've previously mentioned my struggles with anxiety, and I guess I will have to add this brand of it to my list of ridiculous conditions. I'm not joking; I immediately felt anxious when I clicked on the video after it appeared on my Twitter timeline. I was all but covering my eyes after realizing the Barbie actually moves; I also thought about how mortified I would be to stumble across such a display in my town without knowing about it beforehand. I would literally run for cover.
Side note: Do y’all remember the Simpson’s episode where all the giant company mascots terrorized the town? This is precisely what the Barbie ad reminds me of. How long before some of us sing this same mantra just to stay sane? How long, huh?!
What I found even more troubling is that I'm certain others feel the same way I do. I'm pretty sure nobody considered this when designing this thing and dropping it off in one of the most prominent tourist spots in the world. The only thing that saves them is the fact that those who fear the ad probably also fear the skyscraper sitting behind it. So, I guess they could argue that if you suffer from megalophobia, you probably shouldn't be there in the first place. *Eye roll*
The terrifying future of marketing
Despite my criticism, the future of marketing will likely look more like what we've seen with the Barbie movie than those ancient, basic ad campaigns we were subjected to in the past.
This is yet another reason this experience triggers my anxiety. I'm positive that 3-D, augmented, and virtual reality ads will soon be the rule rather than the exception. The thought of random interactive ads popping up worldwide sounds like a dystopian nightmare.
Immersive marketing can be cool, but I think it's the type of thing that should require consent beforehand. It should also be contained to specific spaces and not simply allowed to run amuck like real-life Godzillas terrorizing the villagers.
Moreover, it can totally change the world as we know it; If we get too comfortable with such types of marketing, our collective culture could be akin to The Matrix, where we are so focused on these cyber projections that we ignore our own reality. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer my ads on my phone or my TV screen rather than towering over me like a Kaiju monster.
I'm still a Barbie girl…
To be clear, I'm still going to see the Barbie movie; I have been planning to go ever since I saw the trailer. The plot is brilliant, I love all the cameos, and I have literally loved the Barbie brand since childhood. So, for people like me, the campaign was a waste of capital; you had me at Barbie! Either way, I sincerely hope no more larger-than-life ads are popping up any time soon. I've had enough excitement for the year.
Does the new Barbie ad trigger you?
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