Barbie Branded: The Wins & Fails Of Nicki Minaj Endorsement Deals

There aren’t too many musicians in the music industry today that can claim, boast about or even dream of having the success of self-proclaimed queen of rap, Nicki Minaj. Entering the world of hip-hop in 2003 by way of a forgettable rap group that included ex-boyfriend Safaree Samuels, Nicki soon rose to fame on her own as a solo emcee during the mixtape boom of the late 2000s. By 2010 she was signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money collective, and her debut album Pink Friday proved to be the start of a very successful career in not just rap but pop music overall. Jump to just over a decade later, the Queen femcee has extended her brand well outside of music to include major endorsement deals with some of the biggest companies across the globe.

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Her latest biz deal with Rap Snacks unfortunately got the Barbz’ head honcho in trouble with the real Mattel, who said in their recently-filed lawsuit, “Mattel encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to talk about and share their Barbie experiences, and to celebrate their enthusiasm for Barbie. Occasionally, however, some put profits ahead of play and seek commercial gain by manufacturing, promoting and selling Barbie-branded products without Mattel’s permission….This is such a case.” The lawsuit went on to add, “Rap Snacks made the deliberate and calculated choice to launch a new product line using Mattel’s famous BARBIE trademark. That choice, made without any prior notice to Mattel, was unlawful.” We’ll get more into that later — no worries though, Barbz; your queen wasn’t listed as a defendant on the case! However, the news did reminds of how deep the Minaj brand goes when it comes to partnering up for profit.

From moscato to M.A.C., streaming services to sports betting, take a look at some of the wins and losses that Nicki Minaj has faced in 10 of her recent brand partnerships:

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1. WIN: FENDI

Any Black musician doing a brand collab with a high-end fashion label will always be a huge success. Nicki’s limited edition “FENDI Prints On” collection proved to be no different.

2. WIN: M.A.C Cosmetics

Nicki Minaj spent the first half of her career experimenting with personal style, and a huge part of that was in her cosmetic looks at premiere events and live shows. The M.A.C. collab was simply a match made in heaven.

3. WIN: MYX Fusions

You can still get yourself some of Nicki Lewinski’s latest libations by MYX, which she serves as co-owner of alongside Mona Scott-Young and CEO Peter Reaske. Now that’s a win!

4. FAIL: Diesel

While the message was on point, unfortunately Diesel received major pushback for including Nicki in an anti-bullying campaign when she and her diehard loyal Barbz are notoriously known for using bullying tactics when anyone comes for the queen. 

5. WIN: Apple / Beats 1; AMP

Whether the show is airing on Beats 1 by way of Apple or at its new home on AMP, Queen Radio continues to be a viral hit amongst fans and those who simply want to get the scoop straight from the source. 

6. WIN: BlueStacks

Nicki Minaj: The Empire, a mobile game that allows you to record raps and live in a Sims-style version of Nicki’s real life, is actually really fun if you have some time to kill. Curing boredom, FTW!

7. FAIL: Luxe Brands

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLtbXgxFbm8/

Although it was made with respectable vision, Nicki Minaj Fragrances in partnership with Luxe Brands proved to be just another celebrity perfume that contributed to a decline in sales sparked by a saturated market. At least it came in a creative bottle, which you can get right now for under $30 on Amazon or at Walmart. 

8. WIN: TIDAL

The epic #TIDALforALL event of 2015 that helped launch Jay-Z’s streaming service, while also announcing artists themselves would have equity in the company, prominently included Nicki in the business plan. Almost a decade later and it’s still proving to be a huge win for all.

9. FAIL: Rap Snacks

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfkQ6tovUeI/

It’s a shame — “Barbie-Que Honey Truffle” sure has a ring to it! Always remember though: cross your t’s, dot your i’s and double check your copyrights when it comes to these business deals. Sorry Nikster!

10. TBD: Maxim BET 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeOol5vLklp/

Just announced at the beginning of summer, Minaj being the new brand ambassador of MaximBET seems to be a major bonus for all parties involved. However, Kanye West’s infamous rant about Lady GaGa and Kodak Cameras could easily be applied here. In short, what does Nicki Minaj know about sports betting?!

We guess only time will tell..