Due to Kens 50th anniversary and his 7 year absence from the toy shelves, Ken wanted to celebrate his ultimate comeback and reunion with Barbie. After an intensive media relation it became apparent that the major challenge was, no one knew that “he was gone” and who would care that a figure the size of 30.5 cm returns to the toy shelves!As a result, for a long term repositioning as the ultimate dream date, a comprehensive PR storytelling and provocative engaging campaign with fun elements for Ken had to be developed. With national awareness and with weekly report coverage throughout all media categories (February & March 2011), a positive image transfer of Ken should reconnect young and old fans.The solution bring Ken to real life - hot “Kens”, great outfits and even more fun occasions: • Charming Ken with roses at the editorial offices.

• 5 Kens representing each decade and first unveiling of the new Ken 2011 at the International Nuremberg toy fair.

• Ultimate emotional staging of the reunion with Barbie on Valentine’s day.Sensational interest of media and fantastic press coverage within 6 weeks:Reach: 161.2 Million peopleMedia equivalent value: 4.5 Million EuroBarbie segment up: 35,4%.

Following an intensive preparation-phase, the "quiet-countdown" started with different long-term and short-term media partners via personal relations. Exclusive press-kits with different storyboards and fun gadgets have been developed to engage and communicate with the different media outlets.

Bringing Ken to real life, hot "Kens" had to be found, great outfits sewed, dozens of roses all girls to be bought and more fun occasions designed, such as:- an ultimate charm-campaign with personal visits of Ken at key media partners (December 2010).

- a journey through 5 decades and the official unveil of the new Ken in front of the world press at the International Nuremberg Toy Fair (2nd February 2011),- celebration of the reunion from Barbie and Ken at the most luxury department store in Germany. While in the meantime "messengers of love" brought personalised love-cards, press material and the toy "She said yes" to key media partners. (14th February 2011).

The positive repositioning and his comeback has been achieved by 100%, beyond national borders. The key messages have been leveraged extensively. The coverage has been 330% higher than in the previous month.Live blogs on Kens media tour, Calls from magazines "I am dating Ken now", full page coverage on Kens comeback in newspapers, massive TV coverage on Nuremberg toy fair and live interviews, Radio stations asking their audience to support Ken, live voting on Facebook if Barbie should take Ken back etc. 6 weeks of coverage in numbers (Germany only):Reach 161.2 Million people (every other German.)Mediavalue: 4.5 Million EuroROI: 1:61Barbie segment up: 35.4 %Highlights: RTL, Pro7, ARD Tagesthemen, ZDF Morgenmagazin & Mittagsmagazin, NTV, Sat1, Pro7, GQ (10pages), Bild, Jolie, Handelsblatt, Cosmopolitan, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Welt, SüddeutscheHighlights International: Wall Street Journal, Hello, BBC, Reuters, Sky, Bloomberg, Asia One, JimTV (Belgium), RTL4 (Holland), TV2 (Denmark)