Barbie and chief beauties make a joint bid to get more women into Web3

Barbie maker Mattel has teamed up with female-led Web3 brand Boss Beauties to debut a series of virtual collectibles at the chain celebrating the iconic toy character’s many careers since the popular toy was launched in 1959.

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

The collectibles, which live on Flowthe NFT-focused blockchain behind NBA top shot, will go for $25 for a four-pack. They are not available for purchase in cryptocurrency.

Per Mattel, the low price point, along with an easy checkout process, will lower the barrier to entry into Web3 for Barbie fans. Boss Beauties has long framed its mission as one of bringing 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 benefits. Each pack will contain two “common” cards and one “uncommon” card; the fourth card can be of any rarity level, including “super rare”, “ultra rare” and “exclusive”.

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

The collection will also feature currently undisclosed benefits, including additional physical merchandise made available to holders, and access to virtual career talks with female leaders in various fields. Early Access buyers will also receive a surprise virtual collectible with an exclusive career move that will be revealed in July, the same month as the upcoming Warner Bros. Barbie The 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 made in collaboration with the French fashion house Balmain. While it seems Mattel’s appetite for integrating blockchain-based products with its brands hasn’t waned since last year, its eagerness to associate these products with Web3-native terms may have: The Boss Beauties x Barbie collection is referred to exclusively as a series of virtual collectibles, not like NFTs.