The Barbie Story

THE BARBIE STORY

With the death of Eliot Handler, husband of Ruth Handler,creator of the Barbie doll, an iconic personality may have been faded into memory, but the creation endures. Barbie was a mother’s gift to her daughter .In the 1950s Handler noticed that her daughter, Barbara, preferred to play with dolls that resembled adults rather than infants. Barbara, and possibly girls her age, played with paper dolls that looked like adults.Realising that there was a huge market potential, Handler suggested the idea of a 3-D adult bodied doll to her husband., Eliot Handler, co-founder of the Mattel Toy Company. He scoffed at the idea and Mattel’s directors told her that it would be impossible to create such a doll.

During a trip to Germany with her daughter, Handler discovered an eleven-half inch plastic doll for grown-ups named Lillie in a shop window. This doll was inspired by a popular character of a comic strip, drawn by Reinhard Beuthin, for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung.Lillie was a fashionable society girl who knew what she wanted. She was the doll that that Handler had in mind. She was able to convince the Mattel executives to acquire the rights to the Lillie doll. A new sculpt was designed (with help from engineer Jack Ryan) the concept was revamped. And the doll was given a new name-Barbie, after Handler’s daughter Barabara.The doll made its debut at the New York International American Toy Fair on 9 March 1959, a date that became Barbie’s official birthday later. Barbie’s fictional biography evolved with tine as her sales continued to rise. She now had a full name –Barbara Millicent Roberts – and a family and friends have been manufactured for her..

Mattel employed innovative marketing strategies to retain Barbie’s premier position in the global market. The company has also been employing what is now known as 360 degree marketing-print, danglers, television, and internet, radio, out-door advertising-you name it and they have it. The secret of Barbie’s eternal appeal as a brand is its reinvention. Mattel has dedicated itself to promoting Barbie as a lifestyle, not just a toy.

Mattel’s exceptionally innovative strategy was to license Barbie in 30 different product categories-from furniture to make-up. Today, a girl can sleep in Barbie pyjamas, under a Barbie duvet cover, her head on a Barbie pillowcase, surrounded by Barbie wallpaper and so on. Mattel has also created real-life events around her like the Barbie conventions, fan clubs, websites, magazines and collectors’ events.

When an icon carries that much weight in a society, it becomes so present, so commonplace that it is taken for granted. And, it becomes a part of the collective consciousness. Since her creation in 1959 as a paper-doll inspired friend, the Barbie doll has firmly established herself as the most popular fashion doll ever. The brand has ossified in the public mind to such an extent that Barbie is called the collective sub consciousness of America. The Barbie doll m is now some 3 billion dollar industry. Mattel, the company which created it, claims that approximately three Barbie dolls are sold every second.

Is making coffee a rocket science?

A barista competition is an event at which people compete to produce the best espresso-based coffee drinks. Baristas, the bartenders of the coffee world, have to achieve a high level of skill in order to attend a competition. Several nations hold regional competitions yearly, with a World Barista Competition taking place annually since 2000. For people who enjoy coffee and barista culture, such a competition can be a very interesting event to attend.

In their working life, baristas make a range of espresso-based drinks, and may produce other coffee drinks as well, depending on where they work. In some communities, the term "barista" is reserved for someone who has demonstrated skills, while others refer to all workers in coffee bars as baristas, whether or not they have mastered the profession. While making coffee may not seem like rocket science, making good coffee is actually very challenging, and baristas are justifiably proud of their experience and skills.
The format of a barista competition can vary. As a general rule, each competitor is expected to make an espresso, a cappuccino, and a signature drink. He or she may be required to narrate each stage, explaining what is being done and why, to demonstrate competence and an understanding of the techniques which underlie the production of espresso. Competitors may be allowed to work with coffee they bring to the competition, or they may be obliged to utilize supplies furnished by contest organizers.

Judges evaluate the drinks using a number of criteria. Presentation is important, with many competitions awarding extra points to baristas who make their drinks into works of art. The taste of the finished drink is critical, as is the mouthfeel. Points are also awarded for originality with signature drinks, and overall levels of professionalism and skill. Multiple judges evaluate each competitor to generate a balanced overall rating.

People who wish to compete in a barista competition are given a list of rules ahead of time so that they can prepare and familiarize themselves with the requirements and procedures of the competition. In some cases, it may be necessary to attend qualifying events to be admitted into a competition. Winning a competition usually entitles a barista to a cash prize in addition to formal recognition of his or her skills. People who win or place tend to be sought after as employees by coffeehouses around the world, which are eager to have their skills behind the coffee bar.


PS: Barista has a chain of espresso bars in India. Headquartered in Noida, Barista Lavazza currently has espresso bars across India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Middle East. It was founded in 1997 by Amit Judge and was part of his group of companies. He sold part of the equity to first Tata Coffee.Then after he and Tata Coffee fell apart, Sterling Sivasankaran then bought over the firm. In 2007, Sterling divested their entire stake to Lavazza. Barista Lavazza is currently owned by Lavazza, Italy’s largest coffee company. Coffee is supplied by the Indian roaster Fresh and Honest, headquartered in Chennai. The latter is also owned by Lavazza. [ The chain has some 300 stores in India, with estimated annual revenue of Rs 300 crores. Barista was the fastest brand to make it to the list of super brands and is ranked among the top 50 phenomena that changed India