Britney Spears doll

The Britney Spears doll is a celebrity doll made in the likeness of pop singer Britney Spears. Several versions of the doll were released. Each doll is dressed in costumes that resemble the clothing Spears had worn in concerts, appearances, and music videos. The Britney Spears doll was the first doll produced by Play Along Toys.[1]

History

The doll

Jay Foreman and Charlie Emby, the founders of Play Along Toys, spent millions of dollars to license, advertise, and distribute the Britney Spears dolls.[2] In 1999, Play Along Toys released the Britney Spears Fashion Doll; the Britney Doll was notable, as it was the first product Play Along Toys ever released.[3] The dolls feature Spears in different outfits, make-up, and hairstyles from her concerts, appearances, photoshoots and music videos.[4] The packaging the dolls were sold in often contained DVDs of music videos, stickers, and other accessories.[5]

A couple of years after Play Along Toys released the first Britney Doll, Yaboom Toys released their own version of the popular toy. The Singing Character, fashioned as Spears, plays a full-length version of one of Spear's popular songs when a button on the doll's stomach is pressed. The doll arrived on toy store shelves just in time for the holidays in 2000.[1]

A porcelain version of the Britney Doll was also released. The doll wears the classic outfit worn by Spears in the "...Baby One More Time" music video and is accompanied by a stand for easy display.[1]

Popularity

On October 15, 1999, the first Britney Spears Doll was released. The initial doll sold over 800,000 units. To date, over 5 million of the assorted Britney Dolls have been sold.[6] According to the Winnipeg Free Press, the doll is the second best-selling celebrity doll of all time, behind only the Spice Girls dolls.[4]

The first time Spears saw the doll she was displeased with its looks. She asked that the doll be changed because she felt it had the appearance of a bulldog chewing a wasp.[7][8] As Spears reasoned, I felt a bit bad about ordering changes but hey, it's my doll.[4] Following the changes to the doll's face, the dolls sold out in the United States in December. In the United Kingdom, three weeks of sales resulted in 60,000 dolls being sold.[7]

Production of the doll was later discontinued sometime in late 2001 or early 2002. Years after the doll’s discontinuation, it has become a collectors item among her fans and doll collectors, usually sold on eBay.

List of Products

Britney Dolls

...Baby One More Time Doll (1999): This collection is composed of four dolls fashioning costumes from music videos from 1999. One wears the clothing from Spears' "...Baby One More Time" music video, two wear ensembles resembling those worn in the "(You Drive Me) Crazy" music video, and the last wears an outfit from the "Sometimes" music video.

Video Performance Collection Doll (2000): This collection contains two dolls in different outfits from Spears' "Born to Make You Happy" music video, along with the outfit from her performance at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.

Live in Concert Doll (1999): This doll wears clothing that Spears wore on stage during her "(You Drive Me) Crazy Tour". The box also contains a CD.

Performing for You Doll (2000): This doll wears the dress Spears wore at the 2000 Grammys. The set includes a CD.

Britney Mini Doll (1999–2000): This collection is composed of 8 dolls; one with clothes from the “Oops!... I Did It Again” music video, one from the “…Baby One More Time” music video, and six wearing costumes that Spears wore during the (You Drive Me) Crazy Tour. Each doll comes with a stand to keep the doll upright.

Singing Character (2000): This set of dolls, produced by Yaboom Toys, plays full length versions of Spears' songs from the early 2000s.

Slave 4 U Doll (2019): Funko produced the doll, inspired by the singer's 2001 MTV Video Music Awards performance. She debuted the song I'm a Slave 4 U", with an albino python wrapped around her neck. The doll includes a snake.[9]

Concert Stage (2000): This toy stage resembles the stage Spears performed on during her 2000 USA tour. The set includes a Britney Mini Doll and plays sound bytes from 5 songs performed during the tour.

Concert Tour Bus (2000): This toy bus resembles the one used by Spears in her 2000 tour. The bus plays sound bytes from the songs “Oops!... I Did It Again” and “…Baby One More Time”.

Cool Convertible (2000): This toy car comes in three colors (red, purple, and turquoise) and is accompanied by a Britney Mini Doll.[10]

References
  1. Leonard, Frank (2014). Britney Spears 169 Success Fact. ISBN 9781488546778. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
  2. "Doll makers wish for big things for Britney Spears". The Gadsden Times. Cox News Service. 1999-08-30. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  3. "Industry Experts Agree…the Britney Spears Doll From Play Along Toys Tops the Charts; the Queen of Teen Pop is Also the Queen of Toy Shelves This Holiday Season". Business Wire. 1999-11-30. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  4. Sanderson, David (2007-06-16). "Beyond Barbie". Winnipeg Free Press. Archived from the original on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  5. Smit, Christopher (2011). The Exile of Britney Spears: A Tale of 21st Century Consumption. Chicago, IL: Intellect Books. ISBN 978-1841504100. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
  6. Traiman, Steve (March 2, 2002). "Music's Popularity Makes Itself Known At Toy Fair". Billboard: 67. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  7. Blandford, James R. (2002). I saw the first ones and . . . London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9419-6. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  8. "Go! Tail Pieces". Coventry Telegraph. 2002-02-01. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  9. "Britney Spears' 'Slave 4 U' Funko Doll (Snake Included) Is Heading Your Way". iHeartRadio. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  10. "Merchography". UK Britney. Retrieved 2015-04-21.
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