The Company Behind Barbie Also Owns Another Major Doll Brand

Even though it may feel like toy aisles were always dominated by bright pink Barbie boxes, these dolls were a revolutionary addition when they first appeared in stores in 1959. Although the boxes weren't typically pink in the beginning, one thing that's remained a constant fixture is the Mattel brand. The company gets its name from a combination of two of its three founders' names: Harold "Matt" Matson and Elliot Handler. The other founder, Elliot's wife, Ruth Handler, may not have gotten her name incorporated in the brand, but she created her own legacy by masterminding the development of Barbie. 

Mattel doesn't always expand its products on internal ideas alone, however — in other cases, the company has taken over already-successful toy lines, like American Girl. Originally made by Pleasant Rowland's Pleasant Company, the beloved dolls all came from different eras, and each character had her own series of books. In 1998, 12 years after American Girl was launched, it was so successful that Mattel purchased it for a massive $700 million. Rowland also maintained an active role, transitioning into a leadership position at Mattel.

Besides Pleasant Company's booming business, Mattel's decision also made sense from a marketing standpoint. Since Barbie and American Girl's flagship line of historic dolls have different target audiences, it was an ideal opportunity to keep customers longer. In addition, both types of dolls have clothes, furniture, and other accessories, which means shoppers will continue to spend money long after the original doll purchase is made.

While Barbie has a history of helping kids imagine their adult lives, American Girls emphasized the importance of childhood. "Now it seems a whole generation of young girls is being rushed headlong into adolescence. They are overwhelmed by media messages that glamorize 'growing up' at the expense of growing," Pleasant Rowland asserted in Pleasant Company's 1992 catalog (via Changnon Family Museum of Toys and Collectibles).

Now that Mattel's tenure has been significantly longer than Rowland's independent operation, some fans have grown up and witnessed dismaying changes. "I got my AG Dolls when I was around 6 or 7, right before Samantha was retired, and to go to the AG store with my cousin and see how plastic everything feels ... it's sad," remarked one poster on Reddit. Barbie fans have also been inclined to see the past through rose-tinted glasses. "After about 1998 the line went down hill and all mattel makes is trash," one Barbie collector complained on Facebook. Some people have noted Mattel-era American Girl's vinyl isn't the best for long-term collecting, since skin tones can change with wear and tear. Over time, Barbies have had their own share of vinyl difficulties, from green ears to sticky plastic. Then again, Pleasant Company's original dolls aren't immune to age-related issues, like heat-related eye color changes. 

However, by 2026, Mattel was trying hard to please all American Girl fans by offering authentic reproductions of the historic dolls as well as updated 21st-century versions. The company has been following a similar strategy with Barbie: reissues of old favorites, like Barbie and the Rockers, as well as a range of newer body styles.