Mattel loses Bratz battle, must pay millions

MSN ^ | 4/21/11 | Kim Peterson

[mgstarr]

My ex wife worked in marketing on the Barbie line when this all started. Mattel was beyond ruthless.

[SIDENET]

"This is war and sides must be taken: Barbie stands for good. All others stand for evil,"

I've pretty much lived my life by this motto.

[Jack Black]

Bratz dolls = Disgusting trash. Think I'm exagerating? Look at them - it's like training girls to want to grow up to be hookers, or at least dress like strippers. How cute! NOT !!!

[mgstarr]

Oh I agree about them being trashy. But that wasn’t what the suit was about.

[Hardraade]

Too many corporations think that everything in the world is theirs for the stealing.

I think business schools are doing a tremendous disfavor, letting in basically a stream of leftwing and other wannabe mobsters.

[nerdwithagun]

Agreed, if I had daughters I wouldn't let them have those things. However, the makers shouldn't be legally punished because they sorta kinda look like a different sleazy doll made by another toy company. Mattel is acting unethically and trying to rub out the competition via suing until the other side can't pay for it. I know it is hard sympathizing with people who sell teenage hooker dolls to children. However, today it is teenage hooker dolls and tomarrow it is a new maker of G rated, harmless toy cars that bare a small resemblance to Hot Wheels. It wouldn't matter if the suit has any real credibility, just push hard until the competition folds.

[Hardraade]

So what’s the difference about? Big heads versus unnatural legs?

Start building huge philosophical and ethical significance into dolls, and you’ll be joining the hottentot with the o-bongos next :).

[Tainan]

I've pretty much lived my life by this motto.

You can tell its Mattel....IT'S SWELL!

[Charlespg]

Bratz=crack whore in a box

[PGR88]

They could just have easily have called them “Whorz” or “Slutz”

[Jack Black]

Good point. I wasn’t suggesting that they should loose nor that the government should ban them. I really like the American Girls dolls and so did my daughter when she was nine.

[Raven6]

I saw a whole section of these dolls in a large department store one time, while taking my son through the toy department... They really went beyond just promoting "trashy" as the "in" thing... There were even cars that went with the dolls that had the big rims and "pimped out" paint jobs. My first thought (that I kept to myself) was of "ho's in the 'hood" and the episodes of COPS where the trashy white girls are speaking ebonics when they get picked up for prostitution...

It is sad that many parents now look at dolls like this and say "Oh how cute!", but at the same time they wouldn't dream of letting their child have a G.I. Joe figure because of what he represents - you know: duty, honor, country... I have 5 of those G.I. Joes in the top of my closet waiting for my little guy to get just a little bit older so he can play with them. All branches are represented...

Regards,
Raven6

[douginthearmy]

The makers of Bratz should be hung in the streets not winning millions.

[goat granny]

When Barbie’s first came out they were thought to be sleezy and no one had ever made a doll that looked like a Barbie for little girls...they were always baby dolls...

[garandgal]

When Barbie’s first came out they were thought to be sleezy and no one had ever made a doll that looked like a Barbie for little girls...they were always baby dolls...

First Barbie w/black & white swimsuit, sunglasses, red nail polish, big hoop earrings, etc...very risque...LOL! And now, VERY expensive.

[goat granny]

If still in box, they go for thousands. My neice about 12 years ago sold her Barbie with a lot of clothes still in the boxes for 700 dollars, she was happy as white on rice..She was one of those rare children that took good care of everything she had, even the box was in good shape. The woman that bought the stuff got a deal....Hers was the first barbie out like the picture...Her Barbie has a better wardrobe than I did...I was jealous of that darn doll...:O)

[Lancey Howard]

My grandaughter plays with my wife's old Barbie car (circa '60s). It's actually still in pretty good shape, although one of the wheels pops off from time to time. It looks just like this one:

[garandgal]

The woman that bought the stuff got a deal

I'd say so! We just sold one, completely naked, no earrings, no sunglasses, most nail polish and lipstick gone, rayon hair completely frizzled out...for over twice that!

I had lots of Barbie dolls as a girl, and my Grandma made exquisite clothing for them (she was a seamstress)...but I was just always certain that Barbie would look SO much better with a different haircut...you can imagine the results...LOL!

[garandgal]

She should play very, very, carefully...LOL! That reminded me of one of the "toys" that I played with at my Grandparent's house back in the early 70's.

It was just the coolest 50's era convertible. Of course, we ran it across the floor and used it for the little dolls that went with the 50's era dollhouse that had belonged to my Aunt. A few years ago, I thought about that car, and realized that it was a (now collectible) dealer promo car.

[antceecee]

Can’t stand these dolls and would not buy them for any little girl... they are HOE dolls...