Doll:Talkin' Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse

Introduced by Mattel, Inc., in 1959, Barbie dominates the doll world like no other doll. Today, annual sales for Barbie reach into the billions of dollars. Barbie's popularity since her introduction, however, has not been consistent. In the 1970s, many mothers and feminists condemned Barbie for encouraging little girls to think of themselves as manikins, sex objects, and housekeepers. By the early 1980s, Mattel had refocused Barbie from the ultimate consumer and party girl to a more career-oriented and culturally inclusive figure. Mattel issued more Barbies as astronauts, pilots, engineers, race car drivers, doctors, and dentists with the slogan, "We girls can do anything."

In 2013, Mattel released a line of dolls based on the online web series Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. In addition to recording and playing back short phrases spoken in real time, this Barbie doll comes programmed to speak common dialogue from the series, such as "There is no substitute for glitter!" and "To the salon!" The doll generated controversy when a mother from North Wales claimed one of the programmed lines included an expletive. After launching an investigation, a spokesman from Mattel reported that Barbie was repeating the catchphrase "Off the hook!" instead of cursing.