If you recently saw “Barbie” and were wondering if the Mattel headquarters in the movie is anything like the real one, a recently shared TikTok video holds the answer. Is it really dark and mostly gray with lots of cubicles and no windows? Not even close.
A TikTok creator named Coco recently shared a day in the life as a Mattel employee to show just what it’s like to work for the toy giant. And we’re not going to lie – it looks like so much fun and not quite like the movie’s portrayal.
TikTok Creator Coco Shared Her Day In The Life Of A Mattel Employee
Coco begins her video saying, “In case you were planning on watching the ‘Barbie’ movie, this is what a day in my life at Mattel looks like.”
Her video walks viewers through the building that was portrayed in a very different way on the big screen. The actual headquarters looks like a super fun place to work at with lots of cool decor.
“So, we’ve got some outdoor activities, and then you go to the front, and we’ve got a huge car,” she said as she showed everyone what the outside looks like. “And right now, we’ve got a little Barbie exhibit, which is also super cool. And then the rest of our lobby is also really cute.”
The lobby is colorful with lots of cool things to take in while walking through. One really cool thing in the lobby is a giant Magic 8 Ball where employees and visitors can stop to ask it a question. Coco wasn’t too excited about the answer to her question on this day – “cannot predict now.”
Then Coco took her audience upstairs to her desk that’s completely decked out in cool toys and decorations.
“I added my new Matchbox cars and my bucket from the ‘Barbie’ movie,” she continued. “My favorite toy is my personal UNO cards.”
@cocolicious12345Its not the barbie dreamhouse but its pretty cool♬ original sound – COCO
And of course, she had some Barbie dolls on her desk, because how can you work at Mattel right now and not have some Barbie themed items on your desk to show your support for the box office smash?
There’s A Life Size Barbie Box In The Cafeteria!
She then took her viewers downstairs before she started to work. That’s where the cafe is located, and it’s just as amazing as you may be thinking. It’s decorated with all of Mattel’s brands and has FREE coffee! There’s also an American Girl Volkswagen in the cafe that sets the vibe perfectly.
Then she went on the Barbie painted elevators to go back to the floor where her cubicle is located. On the way to her desk, there were some cool children’s sized cars.
“Then I went and got lunch later that day, and I got some green and grains bowl, and I met up with my friend Claire,” she continued as she showed the cafeteria. “Our cafeteria is super cute, and we’ve got the box there, too.”
The box she is talking about is the infamous life-size Barbie box! What fun! Coco ended her day in the life video by saying she had a meeting with an influencer team and showed the Barbie necklace from Kendra Scott that she got.
One viewer wrote in the comments what we’re all thinking, “I want toys at work 🥺😱.” Another viewer added, “Super cool. 😁 it seems like an exciting job. I have never thought of working there until now 💭🤔.”
The Mattel Headquarters In The Movie Was Designed A Specific Way
According to House Beautiful, the Mattel headquarters in the film was created to look like it belongs in both the real world as well as Barbie Land.
“[Director Greta Gerwig] felt that the Mattel office has kind of got a foot in Barbie Land and a foot in the real world,” production designer Sarah Greenwood told House Beautiful. “In the script, [Greta] described the Mattel boardroom as like looking at a six-year-old girl’s pink and fluffy heart.”
The boardroom in the movie was where all the pink and girlie stuff could be found, including a life-size Barbie doll box and a big pink heart-shaped desk.
It wasn’t that inviting in other parts of the office in the film. Everything else is black, white and gray and boring looking. Even the Mattel logo was changed from red to black.
So, what did the actual Mattel CEO have to say about the movie? Ynon Kreiz had nothing but positive thoughts on the movie.
“It took 64 years to bring it to today. It’s an important moment for Barbie,” Kreiz told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street. “It’s a milestone moment for Mattel, and it’s a historical moment for cinema in bringing together for thefirst time to big screen one of the most iconic brands in modern culture.”
Kriez also said they “set out to create a cultural event.”
“This is more than making a movie. Barbie is a pop culture icon that is both timeless and timely,” Kreiz explained. “And we always believe that this will be something very special, not conventional that will create a real societal event.”