Week 8 EOC: Mattel Vs. Bratz

The Mattel vs. Bratz dolls case has been going on for what seems like years on end now, and the brawl continues to unravel to this day. According to time.com, “The initial suit began in 2005 over the rights to a particular aspect of the Bratz design, when MGA filed against Mattel for allegedly copying the distinct Bratz eye feature in its new line of Barbies. (That case is still pending.) Later that year, Mattel countersued for $500 million, claiming that designer Carter Bryant, who created the racier, trendier Bratz dolls for MGA, had come up with the idea while he was employed by Mattel to design the more demure Barbies. Bryant joined MGA in 2000, and the company launched Bratz one year later.” (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2067001,00.html) This whole dispute relies heavily on intellectual property rights with Mattel claiming that they may claim entitlement to Bryant’s initial drawings of the Bratz Dolls. But according to MGA, the company that produces the Bratz Dolls, they claim that Bryant was not working for Mattel when the sketches were produced, giving MGA rights to the images. Again, Time.com states, “According to records, Bryant worked for Mattel from September 1995 to April 1998, returned in January 1999 and left again in October 2000 before joining MGA.” (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2067001,00.html) However, this feud has been going back and forth between both companies with judges giving one company rights to Mattel for the images, yet another judge allowing MGA to continue to produce the Bratz Dolls. It seems as if  start of this battle created one of the messiest law suits in recent years and will continue to progress forward, but in what direction? That’s still to be determined. However, Time.com has an idea. They state, “So instead of bleeding money in courts, the companies would be better off spending every dime on market research, as the real winner of the doll-vs.-doll battle will be decided by their customers. "The consumers who are buying dolls don't know anything about a lawsuit," Silver said. "Ninety-nine percent don't know or don't care. They just want to buy the doll their kid is asking for." (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2067001,00.html) Sounds like a fair way to look at it. Personally, I think the dispute is getting way out of hand and that each company is money hungry for the revenue of the Bratz Dolls. I, too, don't personally care for the dolls themselves because I think they give little girls a bad image of what a real woman look like, but that's just me. However, the customers do have the final say on these dolls. In other words, may the best doll win!