Barbie is everything: a doctor, an astronaut, a chef, a dancer, an Olympian, a zoologist and even the president -- but what about a member of the United States Coast Guard?
Since 1960, Mattel has given its iconic doll a lengthy resume of over 200 different careers, including serving in every branch of the U.S. military -- except for the Coast Guard.
Now, WGHN-FM morning host Mary Ellen Murphy is looking to change that with her campaign called "The Barbie Project," which she hopes will push Mattel to release a Coast Guard Barbie.
The campaign started when Murphy found a Barbie Beach House while browsing through a Goodwill after an oncology appointment in Grand Rapids. She explained that she bought the house for herself and her two granddaughters to play with, and over time found more dolls and furniture pieces to add to her collection. When this year's Coast Guard Festival was growing closer, Murphy began looking for a Coast Guard doll to bring to the beach house.
"I went to Google and there's no Coast Guard Barbie," Murphy said. "I went to Mattel, I went on some doll websites, I even googled 'Coast Guard Barbie outfits" -- nothing. Then I came across an article in Military Times about the fact that there is no Coast Guard Barbie.
"In the early '90s, Barbie came out with a military line. There is a Navy Barbie, an Army Barbie, an Air Force Barbie and a Marine Barbie, but there was no Coast Guard Barbie and Mattel didn't respond to their request for an answer."
After doing some more research and planning, Murphy decided to get the community involved with a poll to "vote yes" for Mattel to give Barbie a career in the US Coast Guard.
"If anyone's going to do it, it would be the first Coast Guard City in the United States, which is Grand Haven, to do a Coast Guard Barbie," Murphy said. "It was really scary putting this out there. I'm on the radio (and) I can execute anything someone gives me to do, but with my own idea like this, I was like 'What am I doing? What if this fails?' ... and it's been the exact opposite."
With 1,500 votes and counting, the online poll continues to gather support from both local community members and people visiting Grand Haven for the 100th annual Coast Guard Festival.
While many are shocked to hear that there isn't a Coast Guard version of the doll, Murphy said that everyone she has spoken to loves the idea. She has even gotten support from active-duty Coast Guard members she met while on the Coast Guard Cutter Spar, including some of the servicemen on board who said they would want to buy one for their daughters.
Murphy can be found in front of the station along the Grand Haven waterfront and at events during the festival week, such as the Grande Parade, campaigning for Coast Guard Barbie. Her ultimate goal is to send the poll results to Mattel to show the level of interest in this addition to further expand on their "You Can Be Anything" slogan that continues to inspire young women and girls.
"I didn't realize how much she meant to people," Murphy said. "She's real, she's a movement and she's here to stay. She's always been there for me, I've always played with Barbie, so how cool would that be if there was a Coast Guard Barbie and every store in Grand Haven could sell it?
"I originally did this for my granddaughters, but now it's gone so far beyond that,' she added. "It's for every girl everywhere, and that means everything to me."
To cast your vote, visit wghn.com/voteyes.
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