Barbie identified a new Shero, Ibtihaj Muhammad, because she embraced what made her stand out. Selecting Muhammad was a purposeful decision to further the cultural conversation around beauty and what it looks like in this modern world.

As the first American Olympian to compete while wearing a hijab, Muhammad is an inspiration for countless girls who never see themselves represented in sports and culture. One of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2016, Muhammad is also an author, designer and entrepreneur. She recently launched Louella, a vibrant yet conservative clothing line.

Mattel’s decision to honor Muhammad with a one-of-a-kind Barbie meant creating its first doll in 58 years to wear a hijab—another ground-breaking milestone—as it continues to evolve the diversity of its line to be even more reflective of the changing face of beauty.

We knew it was the right thing to do.

On November 13, 2017, Muhammad attended the WOTY Summit to be honored as a Shero and presented with her one-of-a-kind doll by past Shero recipient, Ashley Graham, model and activist. The two trailblazing women shared an inspiring on-stage moment.

The Glamour sponsorship/Summit fueled massive media coverage.

Glamour.com published an exclusive article with special behind-the-scenes video content chronicling Muhammad’s visit to the Mattel Design Center and the creation of her Barbie.

Pre-planned/embargoed stories appeared in the Associated Press, Billboard, ESPNW, HuffPost, The New Yorker, SHAPE and PEOPLE.

But in a year of division, even a doll can spark hate.

Death threats were sent to Mattel board members and bomb threats forced the closing of Mattel’s France headquarters. But Mattel stood its ground.

We mobilized a global response unit and analyzed worldwide social sentiment – among the most polarizing in Barbie history. And we provided counsel on the best path forward.

In the end, Mattel let the doll speak for itself. And shifted into mass production of this one-of-a-kind doll.

• Media coverage was overwhelming positive

• 600+ stories and 1.62 billion+ impressions in the U.S.

• 1 billion+ impressions in the Middle East

• 86% mentioned Barbie’s Sheroes program and 63% included diversity messages

• In the week of the launch, we generated more than 90K social impressions

• Notable celebrities praised Barbie for its decision to honor Muhammad: Chelsea Clinton, Kerry Washington, Ellen DeGeneres, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Chastain and more.

• Included in “2017 Best of” lists by the Washington Post and Cosmopolitan

• Oxford Dictionaries added “Shero” to its definitions