Barbie won't settle for $100 million, wants complete destruction of Bratz
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Extracurriculars, Shopping
Toy Wishes Hot Dozen
Every year, Toy Wishes magazine names the "Hot Dozen" -- toys that the trade magazine predicts will be the hottest sellers that holiday season. On this year's list: Toy: Kota the Triceratops Manufacturer: Hasbro Playskool | Price: $300
Hasbro / AP
Toy: Ultimate Wall-E Manufacturer: Thinkway Toys | Price: $249.99
Thinkway Toys / AP
Toy: U-Dance Manufacturer: Hasbro | Price: $74.99
Hasbro / AP
Toy: Bakugan Battle Brawlers Manufacturer: Spin Master | Price: $12.99
SPIN MASTER LTD / AP
Toy: Disney Clickables Fairy Charms Starter Set Manufacturer: Techno Source | Price: $29.99
Toy: Animal Scramble Manufacturer: Wild Planet | Price: $29.99
Wild Planet / AP
Toy: Bratz Really Rock! Jade Manufacturer: MGA Entertainment | Price: $19.99
Toy: Crayola Glow Station Manufacturer: Crayola | Price: $29.99
Crayola / AP
Toy: Pacific Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker Manufacturer: Jakks | Price: $29.99
Toy: Lego Angents Mission 6: Mobile Command Center Manufacturer: Lego | Price: $89.99
www.shop.lego.com
Can you hear millions of little girls around the country crying into their sippy cups? This is the result of the harsh world of branding -- you have to protect your products at all costs. Mattel, being the world's largest toymaker, has the most at stake and also the biggest war chest for carrying out a fight like this. But these sorts of battles play out across the business world every day at all sorts of levels, right down to one of your co-workers presenting one of your ideas as his own.
This particular case is probably more common that you'd think, given the millions involved. The dispute was over whether or not Bratz doll designer Carter Bryant came up with the concept for the dolls while he was working for Mattel, and then quit to make the dolls with another company. A federal jury found that this was the case. But the new wranglings are about whether or not MGA Entertainment can continue with the line, which has more than 40 characters and a ton of spin-off products. Is it only first-generation dolls, which spawned from Bryant's design? Or the whole she-bang? If Mattel wins, will county sheriff's be breaking into people's homes to collect their illegal dolls, or will they issue a lead-paint-style recall, where people are asked to destroy them?
It would seem, in cases like this, that the cat (or rather, the brat) is out of the bag. This is why these cases are so hard to settle and hinge on cash penalties. The same thing in going on at dozens of companies right now -- RIM Blackberry faces this dilemma, as does Vonage, to name just two -- and when the whole company's business is based on a "stolen" design, it can spell huge trouble.
Mattel has been so fierce in fighting this case because sales of rival Barbie dolls have slid since Bratz came on the scene in 2001, and were down 15% in 2007. Mattel as a whole isn't doing so great either, with the economy, toy recalls and other problems weighing down the company. It recently announced it was laying off 1,000 employees.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 23)
11-11-2008 @ 3:32PM
Makimaus said...
How strange that Mattel would complain that their doll isn't as popular as before. After all, their latest model, 'Caribou Barbie', came very close to becoming Vice President this year.
Reply
11-11-2008 @ 4:40PM
Heather said...
HAHAHA! I've spent the whole day at work sick with a sinus infection (don't worry, I work with my husband so I'm not sneezing on any unsuspecting coworkers) and your comment was the only thing this whole day that has made me smile! Thanks!
11-11-2008 @ 5:10PM
No Tears said...
I have no sympathy for Mattel. I sent them a prottype drawing of a sports car oufitted with seatbelts, they wrote me a letter saying that they were not interested in the idea and about a year or so later, guess what the cars have?
11-11-2008 @ 5:39PM
Ragina said...
I'm 14, and me and my sister do own our share of Bratz dolls. But of course I don't play with them anymore; but my sister is counting on this doll we found in a store that was like a winter version of the black doll; problem is she's 10 and demanding and wants it for Christmas. If Mattle wins, there could be a controversey anyway. As for me, growing up in the 90s, all I had was Barbie: workout Barbie, gymnastics Barbie etc. So I really wouldn't care if they didn't have Bratz anymore, but it just goes to show what people will do to take out the competition.
P.S. I do like the clothes on the dolls though, some of them I would wear, but excluding the high heels! : )
11-11-2008 @ 6:15PM
heather said...
seriously, havign two little girls with brown hair....I think Mattel is being a bit "biased" if you catch my drift. They only have two- maybe three barbies of different ethnicity.
11-11-2008 @ 6:22PM
april said...
that was awesome, thanks for the laugh! LOL
11-11-2008 @ 6:40PM
kathi said...
Are you people listening to yourselves? Who cares? Our economy is in the toilet and you are arguing over dolls. People get a grip.
11-11-2008 @ 8:09PM
Chris said...
They should make a Michelle Obama doll...but not sure Mattel wants to spend that much money making dresses for it
11-11-2008 @ 8:15PM
Nuf Sed said...
Why doesn't Mattel take over the line? This way minority little girls can have a choice.
11-11-2008 @ 9:29PM
Jonus said...
Good one. That's funny ;)
11-12-2008 @ 1:52AM
Samantha said...
LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!! GREAT comment. Wish I'd said that!!!
11-11-2008 @ 10:11PM
Sam said...
Took me a moment, but that's funny.
XD
11-11-2008 @ 10:38PM
dorin melinte said...
instead we got ken. good looking on the outside but still fake as hell
11-11-2008 @ 11:59PM
stpatrick said...
after an 11 hr day at work, where i had to pull extra due to payroll cuts, that was one of the funniest comments i've read in a long time. and i normally don't read these comments. thanks makimaus.
11-12-2008 @ 12:52AM
Robert said...
HAHAHA! Makimaus, you made my day with that comment!!!! Here's another one- Quaker Oats should be doing really well now because Aunt Jemima is our first lady! And the watermelon industry is gonna be great the next four years! LOL! In case it flew over your head, I am calling you a sexist. What you said isn't funny- it's offensive and dismissive. Go home and rethink your life.
11-12-2008 @ 4:20AM
Anne said...
If this is your kind of wit, you must be retarded and lonely.
11-12-2008 @ 4:31AM
charlie baker said...
The RNC has a pattent on this doll and her $150,000 wardrobe. Contact me about franchise deals.
11-12-2008 @ 5:08PM
Robt said...
Maki - Your the IDIOT. We sold one of 6 Original Barbie's still in the box for $7500. I wouldn't give you 75 cent for a Bratz doll. Just a dumbing down of your sick society
11-12-2008 @ 10:17AM
Janna said...
I think in general these dolls are a disgrace, and not the type of "roll-model", or generally speaking the "look" we are trying to tell our little girls to follow. I mean seriously, who is the target market for these dolls? What are their ages people? Do we really want our 5-8 year olds thinking "hey, I want to dress like this, and it must be okay b/c Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa got me this doll". We look at society today and the things girls are seeing and exposed to at such an early age, this is just another thing, all-be-it not the most extreme example, but, example enough. I am not old, I am 31, not extremely conservative but I know what I was exposed to as a child and to have dolls on the market that teach girls to dress slutty, wear lots of make-up, and hold seductive glances on their faces, well I guess with everything else we don't have control over this is a no-brainer. Get rid of Bratz dolls, I know Barbie/Mattel has their own reasoning aside from my view here, but now is the time to speak up and help Barbie put the squash on the Bratz.
11-11-2008 @ 4:12PM
gary said...
the bratz dolls look like trallops.
Reply