The Barbie Movie Is A Masterfully Disguised General Motors Commercial

Disclaimer: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.

I'll get this right out of the way: I loved Barbie. It made for an incredibly fun moviegoing experience mixed with a really wonderful message. I won't say too much else about the movie's plot, since it was just released to theaters and many of you probably haven't seen it yet!

Anyway, while I did really enjoy Barbie, I couldn't help but notice the intense and in-your-face product placement of General Motors vehicles. Most folks seeing the movie probably won't think much of it, but we're different. We're car people. We notice this sort of stuff, and it was honestly a bit distracting for me.

There are no fewer than five General Motors products (and the goddamn logo) featured prominently throughout the movie.

That being said, I will give GM some credit for a couple things. First of all, their vehicles aren't just for the good guys. The bad guys drive 'em too. We also get to see GM poke fun at itself for the perception of some of it's cars, but more on that later.

For now, why don't we take a look at how Barbie may be the best GM commercial of all time. Before we go any further, I should probably let you know there are some light Barbie spoilers in this article.

This right here is the hero car of Barbie. It's a modified pre-facelift C1 Corvette that we've covered extensively in the past. Along with being sick as hell, it's also the first step in getting from Barbie Land to the real world. Just make sure you're listing to Indigo Girls when you're driving it.

Other than the C1 Corvette, the Blazer SS EV is probably the second-most featured vehicle in the movie. Barbie really seems to like it, and so does her friend, America Ferrera. It's also probably the most egregious example of product placement in the whole movie. I'm sure the Blazer SS is going to be a fine EV when the public gets their hands on it, but the things it does in this movie are, I think, a little outside the realm of possibility.

Usually when an automaker supplies a hero car, the heel vehicle isn't also from that brand. The company knows how the world looks at a blacked out Suburban, and it's playing into that perception. Points for GM.

The Hummer EV is the real winner of the movie if you ask me. It starts out as a toxic masculinity status symbol when Ken first sees it in the real world. That notion, of being aggressive and a man, continues with the Hummer EV in Barbie Land. But, when the Barbies get together they reclaim the Hummer for them! Good on ya, Barbies. It looks better in pink anyway.

Again, I appreicate that GM knows what sort of vibes the Hummer EV gives off, and they aren't afraid to make fun of it. I just sort of wish they were too afraid to build it in the first place, but it is what it is.

(Sorry for the fact this is a screenshot from Forza Horizon 5. I couldn't find the truck anywhere else, so it'll have to do.)

There was no reason the chase scene in the middle of Barbie had to go this hard, but it was awesome. You just have to look past the fact its between three fairly meh vehicles doing things they literally could not do in real life. That's the magic of movies, baby.

Wait... this isn't a General Motors product! What gives, GM? Have you lost your edge? Why isn't this a Chevy Express Van with a camper conversion???

I'm going to assume that the plane we see here is Taylor Swift's private jet. She really does go everywhere. I don't really know why there would be a plane in Barbie Land. I mean, the whole thing is sort of self-contained, isn't it? Plus, you don't even use a plane to get to the Real World. Please explain, Great Gerwig.

(Ed. Note: Andy appears to have forgotten, or wasn't old enough to know, that there was indeed a Barbie airplane, so of course there is going to be one in the film!- LC)

I want a little pink sailor outfit now. I'd be the cutest lil' guy in the whole world. I also really want a boat. Barbie Land seems great, doesn't it?

That's more like it. Tie those goddamn products in, baby. This ad went up on YouTube a few days ago, and you can expect to see it no fewer than 1,00,000,000 times on television and streaming in the next few months.

Do you see that big pink arrow? Of course you do. In the actual movie, that building has the GM logo on it. Unfortunately, marketing material does not. I love it, and I need to know how much money General Motors spent on this movie. I cannot imagine it wasn't anything less than A LOT.