What was your favorite toy growing up? #TEDTalks

I grew up in Delaware I grew up in Delaware and all the girls in the neighborhood and all the girls in the neighborhood and all the girls in the neighborhood played Barbie. played Barbie. played Barbie. Barbie was from Malibu, California and Barbie was from Malibu, California and Barbie was from Malibu, California and Wilmington was about as far away from Wilmington was about as far away from Wilmington was about as far away from that as you could get. But in the late that as you could get. But in the late that as you could get. But in the late 1960s, Barbie play all followed 1960s, Barbie play all followed 1960s, Barbie play all followed prescribed cultural path for girls, prescribed cultural path for girls, prescribed cultural path for girls, dating, love, marriage. dating, love, marriage. dating, love, marriage. My nieces and their friends played My nieces and their friends played My nieces and their friends played Barbie very differently. They were Barbie very differently. They were Barbie very differently. They were inspired by the 1985 commercial "We inspired by the 1985 commercial "We inspired by the 1985 commercial "We girls can do anything" that encouraged girls can do anything" that encouraged girls can do anything" that encouraged them to imagine themselves as them to imagine themselves as them to imagine themselves as independent and empowered women. independent and empowered women. independent and empowered women. And that was just the time that more and And that was just the time that more and And that was just the time that more and more professional women were entering more professional women were entering more professional women were entering the workforce. the workforce. the workforce. Today, Barbie's left the beach behind, Today, Barbie's left the beach behind, Today, Barbie's left the beach behind, sort of. She's now every girl and Ken's sort of. She's now every girl and Ken's sort of. She's now every girl and Ken's there, too. Broad cultural there, too. Broad cultural there, too. Broad cultural representation is now baked into the representation is now baked into the representation is now baked into the brand and our conversations with Gen brand and our conversations with Gen brand and our conversations with Gen Alpha kids and their parents indicate Alpha kids and their parents indicate Alpha kids and their parents indicate that this is a core value for them in that this is a core value for them in that this is a core value for them in their play.

their play. their play. Barbie is still relevant because she Barbie is still relevant because she Barbie is still relevant because she reflects the world the players see. reflects the world the players see. reflects the world the players see. And that's really the secret that's kept And that's really the secret that's kept And that's really the secret that's kept Barbie so popular for the past 65 years. Barbie so popular for the past 65 years. Barbie so popular for the past 65 years. She her play is grounded in the present She her play is grounded in the present She her play is grounded in the present while encouraging kids to imagine while encouraging kids to imagine while encouraging kids to imagine possibilities for the future. I truly possibilities for the future. I truly possibilities for the future. I truly think that what when we look back at think that what when we look back at think that what when we look back at what we loved, we can see the seeds of what we loved, we can see the seeds of what we loved, we can see the seeds of who we were going to become personally who we were going to become personally who we were going to become personally and professionally. I believe that each and professionally. I believe that each and professionally. I believe that each of us has an inherent play style that's of us has an inherent play style that's of us has an inherent play style that's as unique as our fingerprints. as unique as our fingerprints. as unique as our fingerprints. So, very often when I meet somebody, I So, very often when I meet somebody, I So, very often when I meet somebody, I will ask them, "What was your favorite will ask them, "What was your favorite will ask them, "What was your favorite toy as a child?"