This is so meta. The Mad Men brand is about to entwine itself with the Barbie brand in a mutually beneficial marketing deal, as Mattel launches four collectible dolls patterned after Mad Men characters. As the series kicks off its fourth season this July, Betty Draper Barbie, made from a porcelain-like material called Silkstone, will become available at a suggested retail price of $74.95, as will her husband Don Draper, Don’s Sterling Cooper colleague Roger Sterling, and of course, office bombshell Joan Holloway. This new licensed line will be available in specialty stores and online at amctv.com and barbiecollector.com. Limited runs—7,000-10,000 of each—are planned, and they'll come packaged with such period accessories as hats, overcoats, pearls, and padded undergarments; however, according to a New York Times article, Mad Men’s two most distinctive accessories—cigarettes and cocktails—will not be included. Barbie keeps it wholesome.
The Mad Men: Season Three DVD is available Tuesday, March 23 and will include character sketches of the upcoming doll line.