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Bratz vs. Barbie lawsuit: And the winner is...
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Bratz Fashion doll from MGA
This is part of a two-part series on Bratz and Barbie dolls. To read "Beyond Bratz and Barbie: A doll gift guide that inspires a healthy image for girls" click here.
Have you heard the latest news about the Bratz dolls and their arch-enemy, the Barbie doll? If you aren't up on the history of these two dolls, here is a quick rundown. About 10 years ago, a new doll, Bratz, came on the scene as a competitor to Barbie, that staple of little girlhood. Bratz dolls are basically hyper-sexualized versions of Barbie, with big pouty lips and giant come-hither style eyes. If these dolls had gone to school together, Barbie would be the good girl captain of the cheerleading squad while the Bratz girls were the snotty rich girls seducing the captain of the football team behind Barbie's back.
And when Bratz came on the market, little girls went crazy for them, making Barbie look old and out of touch. Bratz, from toy company MGA started winning market-share away from Barbie, a Mattel-owned toy. Mattel tried to fight back by coming up with their own bad-girl style doll, called Flavas, but the quickly bombed and Mattel was back to square one.
Then something big happened. And article was published in 2003 that revealed that the Bratz dolls had actually been designed by a toy maker AT MATTEL! But when that staff member decided to quit his job at Mattel, he took those designs with him to his new toy company, MGA. They went forward with the plans and the rest was history.
Diamond Castle Princess Alexa Barbie doll
When Mattel figured this out, they weren't too happy. They believed that Bratz rightfully belonged to them, since they had been designed within their own company by their own staff. They believed the concept for Bratz was the intellectual property of Mattel and they sued MGA. This past week, a judge came down on the side of Mattel, essentially giving ownership of Bratz to Mattel . The judge said the toys can stay on the shelves through the holiday season, but after that, no more Bratz.
So what does this mean for doll lovers? Not much, since both Barbie and Bratz will be on the shelf until all the lawsuits and appeals are resolved. Bratz dolls may become collector's items if Mattel decides to kill them off. Or Barbie may discover she has a long lost cousin in the family. If that happens, I recommend she keep an eye on Ken, because the Bratz girls probably have an eye on him, too!
For alternatives to Bratz and Barbie, check out our Dolls for Healthy Girls Gift Guide.
To hear NPR's story Bratz Dolls to Disappear From Toy Shelves, click here.
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