Mattel honored journalists Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb as role models, or “Sheroes,” for breaking boundaries to inspire the next generation of girls. The pair made history as the first female duo to anchor NBC’s TODAY Show in the franchise’s 66-year history. Guthrie and Kotb will be awarded one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls in their likeness at the Glamour Women of the Year Summit.
This effort is part of the brand’s commitment to show girls more role models through the Dream Gap Project, an ongoing global initiative to raise awareness around limiting factors that prevent girls from reaching their full potential. Research has shown that starting at the age of five, many girls are less likely than boys to view their own gender as smart and begin to lose confidence in their own competence. This is called the “Dream Gap.”
To help close the Dream Gap, Barbie committed to highlight a minimum of 10 role models annually. To date, the brand has surpassed this goal by highlighting more than 20 historical and modern role models this year.
At the Glamour Women of the Year Summit, Barbie will honor Guthrie and Kotb on stage and lead a conversation around supporting girls. This is not the first time Barbie has partnered with Glamour, as the brand honored Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first American Olympian to compete while wearing a hijab, and model and body activist Ashley Graham at past Glamour Women of the Year events.
While the co-hosts will be gifted one-of-a-kind dolls, young fans can imagine themselves in the newsroom with the Barbie TV News Team Doll set.
