For 55 years, Barbie has been the only doll that lets girls imagine themselves as everything from pop star to president. Critics have overpowered her message, saying she’s too perfect. A detriment to body image. Increasingly irrelevant.

We set out to prove them wrong. To spark a discussion about women and beauty that would be disruptive, opinionated, empowering. And get people to rethink Barbie.

We gave her a rallying cry—#Unapologetic—to engage society with a point of view: that women can be capable AND captivating. We gave her a moment — an opportunity true to her DNA, with reach that rivaled the Super Bowl: Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition. And we gave her a voice – a full-page letter in The New York Times.

Barbie made her debut in a swimsuit before embarking on 150+ careers. And in this 50th Anniversary Swimsuit issue, she appeared alongside legendary women—for whom a swimsuit was also the first step in building successful brands and businesses.

The results? Amazing. 3.5 billion impressions. 2,000 unique stories. And coverage virtually everywhere, including The New York Times, Good Morning America, The Colbert Report and TODAY.

During the crowded Sochi Olympics media landscape, Barbie stood out as one of the most talked-about brands, garnering greater share of voice than Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, The Lego Movie and even the Swimsuit Edition itself.

Not to mention a 13 percent sales increase – for the first time in 33 weeks. And the limited edition Barbie Swimsuit doll sold out in its first week.

The 50th Anniversary Swimsuit issue mirrored Barbie’s presence in culture. And the campaign placed her within editorial and ads celebrating the accomplishments of legendary models, who -- like Barbie -- were introduced to the world in a swimsuit, but went on to have accomplished and multifaceted careers.

An in-depth article in the NY Times reminded us who Barbie is, and a full-page manifesto (also in the NY Times) crystallized her point -of-view. A live event provided a venue for trade and media to experience a Barbie beach house where five of the legendary swimsuit models gathered to share the positive influence Barbie had on them. Social content on Twitter spread the message even further.

A series of videos on Swim Daily added a light-hearted wink, reminding us that Barbie, after all, is a doll. And provided more context about her contributions.

Playing it safe would never have moved the needle – this campaign was about thinking differently and driving impassioned conversation. The risk paid off. The content got noticed, sparking debate in business, trade and lifestyle media.

Barbie’s share of voice eclipsed all other brands in the Swimsuit issue, saw more mentions than the Swimsuit issue alone, and eclipsed all brand sponsorships of the same week--from the Sochi Winter Olympics to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

Importantly, Barbie’s appearance in the Swimsuit issue corresponded with New York Toy Fair--where a custom copy was distributed with Barbie on the cover. The buzz around her inclusion sent a strong message to the trade that this toy was still relevant, and a powerful influence in culture. It overwhelmed discussion of the Lego movie, which was released at the same time.

Sales, while not a goal, went up 13% after 33 flat weeks. And the limited edition Sports Illustrated Swimsuit doll sold out in its first week. Barbie products performed well at key retailers Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us – and Barbie Dream House sales tripled.