Barbie and Boss Beauties Make Joint Bid to Bring More Women into Web3

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Barbie maker Mattel has joined forces with women-led Web3 brand Boss Beauties to debut a line of on-chain virtual collectibles that celebrate the many careers undertaken by the iconic toy figure since the popular toy first launched in 1959.

The collection, Boss Beauties x Barbie, features NFTs designed in Boss Beauties’ signature style that pay homage to the 250 careers of Barbie. The first drop will include artists, astronauts, CEOs, doctors, veterinarians, pilots, and more.

The collectibles, which live on Flow, the NFT-focused blockchain behind NBA Top Shot, will go for $25 for a pack of four. They are not available for purchase in cryptocurrency. 

Per Mattel, that low price point, paired with an easy check-out process, will lower the barrier to entry into Web3 for Barbie fans. Boss Beauties has long framed its mission as one to onboard the next 1 million women and girls into a Web3 world. 

“As Barbie continues her journey in the metaverse, we are proud to partner with Boss Beauties to empower women and collectors to explore Web3 through our virtual collection,” Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, said in a statement.

Early access to the collection opens today. The line’s official launch will take place next week at Veecon, on May 18. 

Distributed among the Boss Beauties x Barbie virtual collectible packs will be NFTs of varying rarity, which will unlock certain digital and real-world perks. Each pack will include two “common” cards and one “uncommon” card; the fourth card could be of any rarity level, including “super rare,” “ultra rare,” and “exclusive.”

“Ultra Rare” NFTs, just 0.67% of the supply, unlock a limited-edition Barbie “Career of the Year” doll set; “Exclusive” NFTs, just 0.47% of the cards, grant the holder a ticket to the immersive “World of Barbie” exhibition currently running in Los Angeles. 

The collection will also feature as-of-yet unrevealed benefits, including additional physical goods made available to holders, and access to virtual Career Conversations with women leaders in various professional fields. Early access purchasers will also receive a surprise virtual collectible featuring an exclusive career trait that will be revealed in July, the same month that the upcoming Warner Bros. Barbie film, starring Margot Robbie, is set to premiere. 

This is not Mattel’s first foray into Web3; the company previously released a line of Cryptoys last summer, as well as a line of Barbie NFTs created in collaboration with French fashion house Balmain. While it appears Mattel’s appetite for integrating blockchain-based products with its brands has not diminished since last year, its eagerness to associate those products with Web3-native terms may well have: the Boss Beauties x Barbie collection is referred to exclusively as a series of virtual collectibles, not as NFTs.