According to Wallstreet Journal, Mattle, the largest toy maker in the world, has begun a makeover of its Barbie brand, doing everything from revamping the unit's corporate structure to changing the way the doll is photographed for advertisements.

 

      The world's largest toymaker wants to make Barbie fashionable again with older girls, who are dropping her for playthings like video games, the paper said.

 

      According to the paper the Barbie franchise will bring in an estimated $1.2 billion in revenue in 2008, about a fifth of Mattel's total sales.

 

      The toymaker cut about 1,000 jobs in November due to the difficult economic environment. It has been hurt by competing product lines from Walt Disney Co and family-owned MGA Entertainment.