Watch Mattel's adorable new 'Dads Who Play Barbie' campaign

"Time spent in her imaginary world is an investment in her real world."
 By 
Laura Vitto
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Mattel's new campaign is all about the dads who forgo football Sunday to play Barbie with their kids.

CNET reports Mattel debuted its "Dads Who Play Barbie" campaign during Sunday's AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The clips show dads using Barbies to play the roles of patients and students to their daughters' doctors and teachers.

There are five spots in total, each ending with the same ad copy: "Time spent in her imaginary world is an investment in her real world."

On Twitter, the spot inspired parents to share their own stories.

See all the spots here:

Mashable Image
Laura Vitto

Laura Vitto was Mashable's Deputy Culture Editor.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Mattel reveals first autistic Barbie, complete with fidget spinner
Autistic Barbie.

It was tough, but we found the best movies on HBO Max
"Sinners," "Barbie," "I Saw the TV Glow," and "Grey Gardens" are just a few of the great movies now streaming on HBO Max.


Lego debuts Smart Brick and Smart Play system that reacts as you play. Here's how it works.
A glowing lego brick.


Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 3, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!