The rows of grey cubicles in the fictional Mattel offices of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie are a far cry from the company’s real HQ in El Segundo, California, where staff are greeted by go kart-sized Hot Wheels cars in the foyer and a giant Magic 8 Ball that promises to tell your fortune.
Likewise, Will Ferrell’s slapstick interpretation of a S&P 400 toy company CEO bears little resemblance to Mattel’s real boss Ynon Kreiz. Mattel's representatives are not taking it personally, however. “We are self aware and we can appreciate the jokes,” says Lisa McKnight, the company's chief brand officer. “The minute that [Gerwig] cast Will Ferrell as our CEO and we saw the way she was having fun with Mattel, we were supportive.”
On reflection, it’s unsurprising that Kreiz and his fellow Mattel executives were happy to poke fun at themselves in Barbie. The film was the biggest box office hit of 2023, grossing nearly $1.5bn (£1.18bn) worldwide, has been nominated for nine Golden Globes and propelled the company’s leading product back into the cultural zeitgeist.