Opinion Forum

No More Bratz Dolls!

January 1st, 2009

Do you know that the company that makes Barbies has sued the company that makes Bratz, and now they can’t sell Bratz dolls anymore? Only Barbie dolls! You can read the details here. Just a little of the article says:

… a federal judge banned MGA from making and selling its popular Bratz dolls. “It’s a pretty sweeping victory,” Mattel attorney Michael Zeller said. “They have no right to use Bratz for any goods or services at all.” … U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson rocked the toy industry with his order that MGA must immediately stop manufacturing Bratz. He allowed MGA to wait until the holiday season ends to remove the toys from store shelves. … The same jury later awarded Mattel $10 million for copyright infringement and $90 million for breach of contract after a lengthy trial stemming from Mattel’s 2004 lawsuit ended in August. … During trial, Mattel attorneys said MGA made nearly $778 million on the Bratz dolls since 7 years ago when it was introduced, but MGA insisted the profits were much less.

I think that judge made a bad decision. They have made a lot of money but could have made much more in the future because so many people like Bratz dolls.

I really liked Bratz when I was a little younger. My sister and I always played with Bratz until last year, when we stopped playing with them. But my sister started playing with them again with her friends. She has lots of Bratz in her room. She still loves them. We always would dress them in pretty clothes and brush their hair. I bet there’s going to be a lot of girls upset about not having Bratz. But I guess they can play with the ones they already have. If you have any Bratz that are still in the package, then they’re probably going to be worth a lot of money some day. My sister just recently got three Bratz dolls for Christmas. If you go in her room, there are Bratz everywhere and a huge dollhouse with an elevator and furniture inside.

Bratz dolls also had Bratz kids and pets with clothes. To me, Bratz were just the same as Barbies, but shorter, bigger heads, bigger lips, and their feet come off. The feet coming off is actually very weird. But you can change them, like you change shoes.

Some people thought that Bratz were too “sexy” because of their looks. But really I don’t think that the age group that actually plays with them would ever think of that. When I played with them I didn’t really understand that. And now I just disagree. They are just dolls. And they are wearing normal clothes, not anything too revealing. I think it’s sad that they can’t be made anymore, for the little girls who like them.

Well, that’s a wrap!

Articles written by Amber
Tags: Barbie, Bratz, Law
Categories: Life, News | Comments (11) | Home

11 Responses to “No More Bratz Dolls!”

Daisy | January 1st, 2009 at 5:57 pm

Aww… I love these dolls! Some years ago I got one from my uncle and I still have it. Now time to get one in a box then have it in mint condition until the time they become only a collector’s item.

Happy New Year!

Passin by from BE…

Tom | January 2nd, 2009 at 6:02 am

Amber, I heard there was some kind of fight going on between Bratz and Barbie. I thought it was just normal competition between two companies that make a similar product. Sometimes the law is stupid, and it sure is in this case. That really was a bad decision.

Tell your sister to keep those three Bratz dolls she got for Christmas in their original boxes and put them in a very safe place. Maybe they’ll pay her way through college in 15 years!

Your thoughts in the last paragraph about the appearance of Barbie and Bratz dolls was very interesting. Usually the only things we hear about that are from adults who are more concerned about their own issues and ideas. I think you’re exactly right–from a kid’s point of view, these are just dolls that they really enjoy playing with! It’s too bad that the choice is now limited to just Barbie.

Amber | June 3rd, 2009 at 12:54 pm

I noticed that they are still in stores. I wonder what happened….

Tom | June 3rd, 2009 at 1:50 pm

Well, the case is being appealed, so I guess they’ll continue selling them until the appeal is decided. The court that will make the appeal decision is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, and it’s known for strange rulings. So, anything can happen, I guess. Maybe Bratz is still alive!

Lauren | June 22nd, 2009 at 6:05 am

They continued selling them until the end of the Holiday season. Many girls will be devastated. I know some girls who don’t even know Bratz will not be sold next year. They still are putting Bratz on their wish lists and things. I don’t have the heart to tell them otherwise because they’ve been wanting Bratz since their oldest sister got one when she turned 8. Now they are looking forward to it. Mattel is a big bully company. They don’t like competition. It seems they planned the whole set up.

Tom | June 22nd, 2009 at 8:45 am

I agree with Lauren. These huge companies that make children’s products, especially toys, talk all the time about how much they’re interested in children and want to do the best thing for them. The real truth, though, is they’re businesses and are interested in making a profit. I know it has to be that way, in reality, but sometimes it’s pretty clear that they don’t much care what kids really think or want.

Bratz Games | July 7th, 2009 at 11:45 am

This is going to make some horrible publicity for Mattel.

bratz spiele | September 2nd, 2010 at 5:40 pm

Gret Article!

amanda | October 10th, 2010 at 6:10 pm

i totally agree! i loved bratz dolls my whole room was literally bratz only! i had them right were i wanted them all organized. then when my mother told me i was very upset, ever since then i hated the barbies! i never really paid attention to them or cared about them. now i have no idea what to do with all of my bratz dolls. because i lost some of there clothes, and i have them forever and played with em alot so a little bit bad condition, although at that x-mas, i got some dolls and decides to keep em in the box 🙂

Emily | August 27th, 2011 at 1:36 pm

Well To Me I Think That The Barbie dolls are
Jealous Of The Bratz dolls

Calli Berquist | May 27th, 2012 at 2:08 pm

Well, I still see Bratz at Walmart, and elsewhere, but there is a new choice: (which I love) Monster Hogh.:)