Barbie On The Warpath
Nov. 12 2008, Published 12:29 p.m. ET
(L) Various Bratz dolls, (R) Barbie Mattel is fighting tooth and polished nail to put an end to a popular rival.
Bratz, which is a line of fashion dolls created by MGA Entertainment, has reportedly been cutting into Mattel's Barbie profits, causing sales of the classic blonde beauty and her entourage to drop 15%.
A judge recently awarded Mattel $100 million in a copyright infringement suit over the dolls. However, Mattel turned the offer down, insisting that Bratz dolls be discontinued and the existing merchandise destroyed.
Mattel's plastic-thirsty attitude isn't that strange, since Barbie has been its mainstay since 1959. It was created by Ruth Handler and her artist husband Eliot and was allegedly based on dolls handed out at a West Berlin brothel.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
