Enlisting a Localization Firm Might Have Averted the Ban on the Barbie Movie

The $1.03 billion in ticket sales* at the global box office confirms that the new Barbie movie has done a lot of things right to please its audiences. Higher ticket sales in the United States were anticipated because of the multi-generational appeal of the 60⁺-year-old toy, but to the surprise of some movie critics, it has generated mass interest worldwide. Several of the movie’s themes translated cross-culturally, such as the role of men v. women in the modern world – as well as “ordinary,” real-life struggles women have – resulting in high ticket sales in Mexico, China, Australia, and the U.K.

One item that did not translate well, however, was a seemingly avoidable one – and one likely remedied with video-editing. The offensive film clips caught the attention of the Vietnamese government, specifically the head of the Department of Cinema. This organization oversees licensing and censoring of foreign films.

The administrators were not offended by the references to the objectification of Barbie, Ken's role or the inclusion of Asian actors, feminist themes or that the 'Ordinary' Barbie in Vietnam may look different than what was presented in Barbieland. Instead, it was something visually simpler with more complex interpretation.

Their statement, presented in Vietnam's state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper, said that the Barbie movie would not be released – in fact was barred – because of this: “We do not grant license for the American movie 'Barbie' to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,” says CBS news.

Within the movie’s plotline, Barbieland is separated from real-life land of the rest of the world. On the map the audience sees repeatedly water separates various countries and islands, with dotted lines indicating some borders between them. In this fictional film, the countries are not drawn to shape or scale, yet they were close enough to have the censors take notice and raise their sensitivities.

The Department of Cinema was referencing “the nine-dash line” which China has promoted as a delineation of its territory but contested by Vietnam, who claims more of these lands in the South China Sea are its territory. This line is not officially drawn, but China presents it as “Off the coast of China's Hainan Island, and runs close to the coast of Vietnam, deep into the South China Sea, enclosing the Spratly Islands. North of Borneo, near the coasts of Malaysia and Brunei, the line turns and runs to the west of the Philippines and ends just to the south of Taiwan,” defines CBS news.

The sensitivity of this border conflict is well-justified, with many decades of dispute between the countries, and not to be taken lightly. Indeed, this is a prime example where a localization firm could have been consulted to use their knowledge of localization and cultural nuances to avoid provoking ill will. In the case of these maps, had the image been drawn another way, it may have easily passed the censors and enabled more interested movie-goers the chance to enjoy Barbie’s iconic pink world, her friends, and goodwill. With international releases, using cultural experts should be a regular step in that process of release to avoid challenges like these.

*According to official Warner Bros. estimates as reported by Barrons.