Barbie^® Doll's New I Can Be Career Series Inspires Girls With Professional-Themed Role Play

New Series Debuts with "Children's Doctor" Barbie and Kelly and Will Spotlight a New Career Annually

El Segundo, Calif. - More than 40 years and 80 careers culminate this year with the launch of the Barbie^® doll "I Can Be" Career Series. From astronaut to Olympic athlete, pilot to presidential candidate, Barbie doll has been at the forefront of the workforce since her creation in 1959. By spotlighting a new profession each year, the new "I Can Be" Career Series will support Barbie doll's long history of communicating to girls that they can be anything. The series premieres with Children's Doctor Barbie and Kelly and a special section on Barbie.com where girls and moms can learn more about careers.

"Barbie was actually created in 1959 with a career as a teenage fashion model," said Anne Parducci, senior vice president/girls, Mattel. "Since then, Barbie has introduced girls to various professional opportunities through the themes and roles she has adopted. With the new "I Can Be" Career Series, Barbie doll continues to show girls that they can achieve anything and creates a dialogue for parents and daughters to talk about the endless professional opportunities that are possible in their future."

The "I Can Be" Career Series is designed to show young girls careers in various fields - many of which are not traditionally pursued by women. Each "I Can Be" Barbie will come with the appropriate accessories for the career, an informational booklet about the profession and will be supported with additional information on Barbie.com.

"Children's Doctor" Barbie and Kelly come with everything for girls to play out and emulate their own trips to the doctor. The doll set comes with an informational booklet that outlines how to enter the medical profession, what kind of work is involved with being a children's doctor and facts about the career. All of the accessories for Barbie to give Kelly a complete check-up at the doctor's office also come with the dolls including an exam table and medical play pieces: eye and ear checkers, a stethoscope, medicine bottle, tongue depressors and a reflex hammer. One of Kelly's posable legs even kicks when her reflexes are tested! "Children's Doctor" Barbie and Kelly will be sold at retailers nationally in July for a suggested retail price of $17.00.

More information about being a children's doctor and other professions is only a click away at Barbie.com. Parents and daughters can log on and learn more about careers in either the special section designed for girls or the new parents section.

"The Internet is rapidly becoming an integral source of educational information for families - both for adults and children," said Christina DeRosa, vice president of Web site & Media Content, Barbie/Girls' Division. "With Barbie.com receiving four million hits per month and rated the number one Web site for girls ages 2-11, Mattel knows the power of this medium to inspire and influence girls in a very positive way. The 'I Can Be' career sections for girls - and parents - will help provide each with the necessary tools to learn about careers and prepare for the future."

For girls, the "I Can Be" career section on Barbie.com will give more in-depth information about the career Barbie doll is currently playing out - in 2001, "Children's Doctor" Barbie. Expanding on the information booklet included with the doll, this site will outline career specifics and what one would study to become a children's doctor. The site will also highlight a new career each month, profiling real-life women who are notable in their respective careers. Plus, each month girls will be able to respond to a poll about their favorite careers that will ultimately help shape the future of the "I Can Be" career series.

For mom and dad, a "parents" section will feature adult-directed information on how to communicate with their daughters about various career options available to them today. It is designed to help parents open up discussions with their daughters about their future, hopes and dreams - and how to achieve them. And, like the girl's section, there will be a poll to determine what careers parents think their daughters are interested in - giving interesting feedback on how different generations view professions and possibilities.

ABOUT MATTEL GIRLS DIVISION
Since the Barbie^® doll's creation in 1959 as a paper-doll-inspired friend, she has firmly established herself as the most popular fashion doll ever. For more than four decades, Mattel has maintained that title by adapting Barbie doll's look, lifestyle and fashions to meet the changing times while evolving her world into an overall lifestyle Brand for girls. While the Barbie Brand represents Mattel's initial roots in girls' toys, the Girls Division now dominates the market with several best-selling Brands including American Girl^®, Diva Starz^TM, Polly Pocket!^® and Cabbage Patch Kids^®. Headquartered in El Segundo, California, Mattel has offices and facilities in 36 countries and markets its products in more than 150 nations throughout the world.