Ken was introduced on March 11, 1961, and initially presented as a fashion doll and Barbie’s boyfriend (Heljakka & Harviainen, 2019). Ken’s introduction was related to consumer demand as consumers wrote to Mattel that they wanted Barbie to have a boyfriend (Pearson & Mullins, 1999, p. 236).
When Mattel introduced Ken in 1961, he was presented as Barbie’s boyfriend and a fashion doll (Heljakka & Harviainen, 2019). According to their creators, Barbie and Ken met when they were both shooting for a television commercial and fell in love at first sight (Barbie Media, n.d.). However, the introduction of Ken into Barbie’s female-only world faced criticism from feminist groups (Roberts, 2020). Mattel insists that the introduction of the character reflected the 1960s American society’s typical expectations of a nuclear family unit (Bengtson, 2001; Roberts, 2020).
Indeed, Ken was created as a clean-cut image of the normal boy from next door so that he would complement Barbie and fit all of Barbie’s scenarios (Pearson & Mullins, 1999; Kerr, 2021). As a result, since his creation the public has considered Ken as Barbie’s ultimate accessory (Heljakka & Harviainen, 2019). This is visible in a number of ways, firstly, Ken had a limited wardrobe compared to Barbie (Pearson & Mullins, 1999). In his debut year he only had nine outfits and a pair of swim trunks (Pearson & Mullins, 1999). Secondly, Ken showed no signs of having a career or being domestically involved before 1963 (Pearson & Mullins, 1999). After that, Ken was no longer just a sport guy, he now has more identities, such as doctor, sailor, or veterinarian (Pearson & Mullins, 1999).
Today, Mattel focuses more on inclusivity, as such the images of Ken have become more diverse. More recent Ken’s have different body sizes, skin colours, exist with vitiligo and represent disabilities such as sitting in a wheelchair (Ahmed et al., 2020).