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See Barbie run. See Barbie surf. See Barbie shop. See Barbie pay for all the things she buys with her MasterCard. That's right, Barbie, the world's most-recognized doll, is now packing a toy MasterCard credit card. And if the marketing experts at MasterCard International have guessed right about riding their brand on Barbie's coattails, millions of little girls will grow up with a powerful allegiance to MasterCard, thanks to the doll's influence.
Since last September, the MasterCard brand has been featured in Mattel Inc.'s "Cool Shoppin' Barbie" set. In addition to a MasterCard card, the association logo is prominently displayed on the set's toy cash register.
The promotion, which is exclusive to MasterCard, is the first time Mattel has created a toy that features a credit card brand and the first time MasterCard has lent its brand to a globally marketed toy. Mattel, which debuted the toy in September, says it contacted MasterCard about including its brand in the product to create a stronger sense of realism.
Although it will be years, if ever, before MasterCard begins reaping any payoff from creating such realism in a toy, the card...