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Mattel, amid a splashy announcement of new, more anatomically responsible Barbie dolls, introduced a Barbie doll modeled after soccer superstar Abby Wambach last week. Abby Wambach (at  left), by Harvardton (Own work)  [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons Most media in western New York -- Wambach's hometown is suburban Rochester -- gushed over the big toymaker's announcement. Picking up on Wambach's Twitter posts, reporters marveled at Mattel's recognition of her sports accomplishments by creating an Abby doll.  Not one reporter, however, asked if Mattel's celebration of Wambach would include some corporate support of U.S. Women's Soccer , the team her heroics helped build. It's a fair question. At least as viewed through my current Sudafed-affected head congestion. One an insightful reporter should have asked, but apparently didn't. In fact, Mattel's corporate philanthropy track record speaks well of its support of play, both...

A few weeks ago, I chided pen make Bic for its sexist ads. I'm not the only one.  Here's an amusing take on what others did with the Bic ad campaign:  http://magazine.good.is/articles/bad-ad-backfires?utm_source=TSE&utm_medium=FB&utm_campaign=pd&ts_pid=2

Two companies recently took steps to change how they approach the female demographic. Target took a step forward. BIC took a step backward. Target announced it would remove in-store signs that categorize products as gender-specific. Good move; it should be up to the parents and their kids to determine which toys sons and daughters prefer. While a minor issue -- no one had filed a lawsuit over the "girls' building sets" signs -- it's a simple change that shows the big retailer's listening to its customers. The company earned positive media coverage for it. BIC's faux pas was a hastily launched and withdrawn online ad tied to Women's Day in South Africa. You can read about it here.  Bad form, BIC. Objectifying women and telling them to "think like a man" insults every woman who's ever had her suggestions batted down by a lame-brained male executive.  BIC, you'll recall, launched a line of pink and purple "BIC for Her...