Barbie VS Bratz: December 2007

Barbie
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For other uses, see Barbie (disambiguation).
Barbie
First appearance March 9, 1959
Created by Ruth Handler
Information
Occupation See: Barbie's careers
Family See: List of Barbie's friends and family
Barbie is a best-selling fashion doll launched in 1959. The doll is produced by Mattel, Inc., and is a major source of revenue for the company. The American businesswoman Ruth Handler (1916-2002) is regarded as the creator of Barbie, and the doll's design was inspired by a German doll called Bild Lilli.

Barbie has been an important part of the toy fashion doll market for nearly fifty years, and has been the subject of numerous controversies and lawsuits, often involving parody of the doll and her lifestyle. In recent years, Barbie has faced increasing competition from the Bratz range of dolls.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Biography
3 Controversies
4 Parodies and lawsuits
5 Collecting
6 Barbie versus Bratz
7 Barbie product recalls
8 See also
9 Further reading
10 References
11 External links

History

The original Barbie was launched in March 1959Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara at play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors.

During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli.[1] The adult-figured Lilli doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel. The Lilli doll was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955, and although it was initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing her up in outfits that were available separately.

Upon her return to the United States, Handler reworked the design of the doll (with help from engineer Jack Ryan) and the doll was given a new name, Barbie, after Handler's daughter Barbara. The doll made its debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959. This date is also used as Barbie's official birthday. Mattel acquired the rights to the Bild Lilli doll in 1964 and production of Lilli was stopped. The first Barbie doll wore a black and white zebra striped swimsuit and signature topknot ponytail, and was available as either a blonde or brunette. The doll was marketed as a "Teen-age Fashion Model," with her clothes created by Mattel fashion designer Charlotte Johnson. The first Barbie dolls were manufactured in Japan, with their clothes hand-stitched by Japanese homeworkers. Around 350,000 Barbie dolls were sold during the first year of production.

Ruth Handler believed that it was important for Barbie to have an adult appearance, and early market research showed that some parents were unhappy about the doll's chest, which had distinct breasts. Barbie's appearance has been changed many times, most notably in 1971 when the doll's eyes were adjusted to look forwards rather than having the demure sideways glance of the original model.

Barbie was one of the first toys to have a marketing strategy based extensively on television advertising, which has been copied widely by other toys. It is estimated that over a billion Barbie dolls have been sold worldwide in over 150 countries, with Mattel claiming that three Barbie dolls are sold every second.[2]

The standard range of Barbie dolls and related accessories are manufactured to approximately 1/6th scale, which is also known as playscale.[3] Barbie products include not only the range of dolls with their clothes and accessories, but also a huge range of Barbie branded goods such as books, fashion items and video games. Barbie has appeared in a series of animated films and makes a brief guest appearance in the 1999 film Toy Story 2.

Almost uniquely for a toy fashion doll, Barbie has become a cultural icon and has been given honors that are rare in the toy world. In 1974 a section of Times Square in New York City was renamed Barbie Boulevard for a week, while in 1985 the artist Andy Warhol created a painting of Barbie.[4][5]

Biography

Barbara Millicent RobertsBarbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. In a series of novels published by Random House in the 1960s, her parents' names are given as George and Margaret Roberts from the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. Barbie has been said to attend Willows High School and Manhattan International High School in New York City, based on the real-life Stuyvesant High School. She has an on-off romantic relationship with her beau Ken (Ken Carson), who first appeared in 1961. Like Barbie, Ken shares his name with one of Ruth Handler's children. A news release from Mattel in February 2004 announced that Barbie and Ken had decided to split up, but in February 2006 they were back together again.[6][7]

Barbie has had over forty pets including cats and dogs, horses, a panda, a lion cub, and a zebra. She has owned a wide range of vehicles, including pink convertibles, trailers and jeeps. She also holds a pilot's license, and operates commercial airliners in addition to serving as a flight attendant. Barbie's careers are designed to show that women can take on a variety of roles in life, and the doll has been sold with a wide range of titles including Miss Astronaut Barbie (1965), Doctor Barbie (1988) and Nascar Barbie (1998).[8]

Mattel has created a range of companions for Barbie, including Hispanic Teresa, Midge, African American Christie and Steven (Christie's boyfriend). For more details, see the List of Barbie's friends and family.

Controversies

Fulla is marketed as an alternative to Barbie in Middle Eastern countriesBarbie's popularity ensures that her effect on the play of Western children attracts a high degree of scrutiny. The criticisms leveled at her are often based on the assumption that children consider Barbie a role model and will attempt to emulate her.

In September 2003 the Middle Eastern country of Saudi Arabia outlawed the sale of Barbie dolls, saying that she did not conform to the ideals of Islam. The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice stated "Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful."[9] In Middle Eastern countries there is an alternative doll called Fulla who is similar to Barbie but is designed to be more acceptable to an Islamic market. Fulla is not made by the Mattel Corporation, and Barbie is still available in other Middle Eastern countries including Egypt.[10] In Iran, Sara and Dara dolls are available as an alternative to Barbie.[11]
The word Barbie has come to be used as a derogatory slang term for a girl or woman who is considered shallow, most notably in the 1997 pop song Barbie Girl (see Parodies and lawsuits below).
In July 1992 Mattel released Teen Talk Barbie, which spoke a number of phrases including "Will we ever have enough clothes?", "I love shopping!", and "Wanna have a pizza party?" Each doll was programmed to say four out of 270 possible phrases, so that no two dolls were likely to be the same. One of these 270 phrases was "Math class is tough!" Although only about 1.5% of all the dolls sold said the phrase, it led to criticism from the American Association of University Women. In October 1992 Mattel announced that Teen Talk Barbie would no longer say the phrase, and offered a swap to anyone who owned the doll.[12]

Barbie's waist has been widened in more recent versions of the dollOne of the most common criticisms of Barbie is that she promotes an unrealistic idea of body image for a woman, leading to a risk that women who attempt to emulate her will become anorexic. A standard Barbie doll is 11.5 inches tall, giving a height of 5 feet 9 inches at 1/6 scale. Barbie's vital statistics have been estimated at 36 inches (chest), 18 inches (waist) and 33 inches (hips). According to research by the University Central Hospital in Helsinki, Finland, she would lack the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for a woman to menstruate.[13] In 1965 Slumber Party Barbie came with a book entitled How to Lose Weight which advised: "Don't eat." The doll also came with pink bathroom scales reading 110lb, which would be around 35lbs underweight for a woman 5 feet 9 inches tall. In 1997 Barbie's body mold was redesigned and given a wider waist, with Mattel saying that this would make the doll better suited to contemporary fashion designs.[14]

Oreo Fun Barbie from 1997 became controversial due to a negative interpretation of the doll's name

"Colored Francie" made her debut in 1967, and she is sometimes described as the first African American Barbie doll. However, she was produced using the existing head molds for the white Francie doll and lacked African characteristics other than a dark skin. The first African American doll in the Barbie range is usually regarded as Christie, who made her debut in 1968.[15][16] Black Barbie and Hispanic Barbie were launched in 1980.
In 1997 Mattel joined forces with Nabisco to launch a cross-promotion of Barbie with Oreo cookies. Oreo Fun Barbie was marketed as someone with whom little girls could play after class and share "America's favorite cookie." As had become the custom, Mattel manufactured both a white and a black version. Critics argued that in the African American community Oreo is a derogatory term for a person like the chocolate sandwich cookie itself, meaning that the person is black on the outside and white on the inside. The doll was unsuccessful and Mattel recalled the unsold stock, making it sought after by collectors.[17]
In May 1997 Mattel introduced Share a Smile Becky, a doll in a pink wheelchair. Kjersti Johnson, a 17-year-old high school student in Tacoma, Washington with cerebral palsy, pointed out that the doll would not fit into the elevator of Barbie's $100 Dream House. Mattel announced that it would redesign the house in the future to accommodate the doll.[18][19]
In March 2000 stories appeared in the media claiming that the hard vinyl used in vintage Barbie dolls could leak toxic chemicals, causing danger to children playing with them. The claim was rejected as false by technical experts. A modern Barbie doll has a body made from ABS plastic, while the head is made from soft PVC.[20][21]
In December 2005 Dr. Agnes Nairn at the University of Bath in England published research suggesting that girls often go through a stage where they hate their Barbie dolls and subject them to a range of punishments, including decapitation and placing the doll in a microwave oven. Dr. Nairn said: "It's as though disavowing Barbie is a rite of passage and a rejection of their past."[22][23]

Parodies and lawsuits

The 1997 song Barbie Girl by Aqua led to a five year lawsuitBarbie has often been referenced in popular culture and is frequently the target of parody. Some of these occasions include:

In 1997, the Danish pop-dance group Aqua released a song called Barbie Girl. It contained lyrics such as "You can brush my hair / Undress me everywhere" and used graphics similar to the pink Barbie logo. Mattel argued that this constituted a trademark infringement and filed a defamation lawsuit against MCA Records on September 11, 1997. In July 2002, Judge Alex Kozinski ruled that the song was protected as a parody under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[24][25]
Aqua - Barbie Girl

listen to a clip from the song.
Problems listening to the file? See media help.

A commercial by automobile company Nissan featuring dolls similar to Barbie and Ken was the subject of another lawsuit in 1997. In the commercial, a female doll is lured into a car by a doll resembling GI Joe to the dismay of a Ken-like doll, accompanied by Van Halen's version of the song You Really Got Me. According to the makers of the commercial, the dolls' names were Roxanne, Nick and Tad. Mattel claimed that the commercial had done "irreparable damage" to its products, but lost the copyright infringement lawsuit.[26]
Saturday Night Live aired a parody of Barbie commercials featuring the fictional "Gangsta Bitch Barbie" doll and a "Tupac Ken" doll.[27]
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno displayed a fictional "Barbie Crystal Meth Lab" which mocked how Barbie usually has a career that is "in keeping with the times or in this case, in keeping with society's current problems."
Malibu Stacy is a parody of Barbie in the cartoon series The Simpsons. In the 1994 episode Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy, a talking Stacy doll is introduced, speaking phrases such as "let's buy make-up so the boys will like us". Lisa is disgusted by the "sexist drivel spouted by Malibu Stacy," leading her to market an alternative "Lisa Lionheart". The episode is based loosely on the controversy surrounding Teen Talk Barbie from 1992.
In 1999 Mattel sued the Utah artist Tom Forsythe over a series of photographs called Food Chain Barbie, which included a photograph of a Barbie doll in a blender. Mattel lost the lawsuit and was ordered to pay $1.8 million in costs to Mr. Forsythe.[28][29][30]
In November 2002 a New York judge refused an injunction against the British-based artist Susanne Pitt, who had produced a doll called Dungeon Barbie in bondage clothing. Judge Laura Taylor Swain stated: "To the court's knowledge, there is no Mattel line of S&M Barbie."[31]

Collecting

Vintage #7 Ponytail Barbie doll from 1964-66. The doll's hair has been restyled and she is wearing a different outfit from the red swimsuit of the original.Mattel estimates that there are well over 100,000 avid Barbie collectors. Ninety percent are women, at an average age of 40, purchasing more than twenty Barbie dolls each year. Forty-five percent of them spend upwards of $1000 a year.

Vintage Barbie dolls from the early years are the most valuable at auction, and while the original Barbie was sold for $3.00 in 1959, a mint boxed Barbie from 1959 sold for $3552.50 on eBay in October 2004.[32] On September 26, 2006, a Barbie doll set a world record at auction of £9,000 sterling (US $17,000) at Christie's in London. The doll was a Barbie in Midnight Red from 1965 and was part of a private collection of 4,000 Barbie dolls being sold by two Dutch women, Ietje Raebel and her daughter Marina.[33]

In recent years Mattel has sold a wide range of Barbie dolls aimed specifically at collectors, including porcelain versions and depictions of Barbie as a range of characters from television series such as The Munsters and Star Trek.[34][35] There are also collector's edition dolls depicting Barbie dolls with a range of different ethnic identities.[36] In 2004 Mattel introduced the Color Tier system for its collector's edition Barbie dolls, ranging through pink, silver, gold and platinum depending on how many of the dolls are produced.[37]

Barbie versus Bratz
In June 2001 MGA Entertainment launched the Bratz range of dolls, a move that would give Barbie her first serious competition in the fashion doll market. In 2004 sales figures showed that Bratz dolls were outselling Barbie dolls in the United Kingdom, although Mattel maintained that in terms of the number of dolls, clothes and accessories sold, Barbie remained the leading brand.[38] In 2005 figures showed that sales of Barbie dolls had fallen by 30% in the United States, and by 18% worldwide, with much of the drop being attributed to the popularity of Bratz dolls.[39]

In April 2005, MGA Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Mattel, claiming that the My Scene range of Barbie dolls had copied the doe-eyed look of Bratz dolls. The lawsuit is currently pending in the court system of California.[40]

Mattel is also suing MGA Entertainment and Carter Bryant, a former doll designer for Mattel, claiming that company secrets were stolen by MGA.[41][42]

Barbie product recalls
On August 14, 2007 Mattel announced a recall of more than 9 million toys made in China due to safety concerns. This included 683,000 Barbie and Tanner playsets due to a possible choking hazard caused by loose magnets. The toy consisted of a Barbie doll and her dog Tanner.[43]

On September 5, 2007, Mattel announced the recall of a range of Barbie doll accessories due to the presence of high levels of lead in the paint.[44] The chairman and CEO of Mattel, Robert Eckert, made a statement in an online video about the recall and the media coverage that it had generated.[45] Eckert is expected to visit China, where around 65 percent of Mattel's toys are manufactured, to see that new guidelines on toy safety are being enforced.[46]

Bratz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Brat. For the Norwegian politician, see Jens-Halvard Bratz.

The Bratz Pack cartoon on the box of the first Bratz dolls in 2001 from left to right:Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha and JadeBratz is a 2001 childrens and teens doll franchise produced by MGA Entertainment. The 254mm (10 inch) dolls characterized by large heads with wide eyes, full lips, very small noses, short torsos, and shoes that can be snapped on and off. The popularity of the four primary dolls; Cloe, Sasha, Jade and Yasmin eventually encouraged development of additional friends, spinoffs, feature films, games, and music albums.

Bratz was created by toy designer Carter Bryant. In 2000, he met with Isaac Larian the CEO of Micro-Games America Entertainment (MGA Entertainment).[1] There, Mr. Bryant presented his pictures to Mr. Larian, who found that the concept sketches enthralled his daughter, Jasmin, who was visiting the office at the time.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 2002
1.2 2004
1.3 2005
1.4 2006
1.5 2007
2 Bratz Lines
2.1 Lil' Bratz
2.2 Bratz Boyz
2.3 Bratz Babyz
2.4 Bratz Petz
2.5 Bratz Kidz
2.6 Be-Bratz
3 Criticisms and controversies
3.1 Labor conditions
3.2 APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls
3.3 Lawsuit by Mattel
3.4 Language
4 Bratz versus Barbie
5 See also
5.1 Bratz DVD movies
5.2 Bratz Theatrical Releases
5.3 Bratz Music Albums
5.4 Bratz Video Games
6 References
7 External links

[edit] History
In June 2001, the first four Bratz dolls, Jade, Cloe, Sasha, and Yasmin, were released to market, each attired in urban-styled fashions. The Bratz quickly gained strong popularity, becoming the number one doll brand in several countries like France, Spain, and Italy, and the number two doll in the United Kingdom. The dolls won Family Fun's Toy of the Year award and TIA People's Choice Toy of the Year Award for 2001.

[edit] 2002
In 2002, the Bratz became the Girls' Toy of the Year in the United Kingdom, later making a serious competition for a long-time #1 fashion doll, Barbie, and became the phenomenon worldwide. In addition to the dolls, the Bratz line includes playsets, vehicles, accessories, Lil Bratz, the Bratz Babyz, plush Petz, ("Catz", "Dogz" and "Foxz"), collectible posters and a series of video games developed by Blitz Games.

[edit] 2004
In January 2004, Lil Bratz took over the #1 spot of mini-dolls by Polly Pocket in the United Kingdom.[2]

In August 2004, a straight-to-video animated movie, Bratz: Starrin & Stylin', was released.

In fall 2004, Bratz dolls outsold their rival, Barbie dolls, and became #1 in the United Kingdom.[3]

[edit] 2005
In 2005, the Bratz' fashion style moved away from urban themes and towards more everyday styles. This was the year the Play Sportz line debuted, in which each Bratz girl was dressed for a different sporting activity, with coordinating accessories. Other collections included I-Candyz, Live In Concert/ Space Angelz Pop Stars , Treasures!, DynaMite Rock It! (boys only), Step Out! (celebrating the Bratz 5th anniversary), Step Off!, Birthday Bash (80s inspired), Campfire (warm winter camping gear and furry boots), Midnight Dance (a goth-esque collection with capes and detailed masks), Hollywood Style (dressed for a Hollywood premiere in repeat Bratz formal fashions), Wild Wild West, and Rock Angelz (70s rocker style), which was the Bratz flagship collection for that year.

As the Rock Angelz, Bratz Cloe, Sasha, Jade, Yasmin, Roxxi, and Meygan- their #1 fan club president (sold exclusively at K-mart) were dressed in 70s inspired rock attire, and each girl, except Meygan, had a guitar and a mini CD single including 2 songs. Many tie-in products were also released, including boomboxes, CD towers, guitars, fashion accessories, the CD, the single "So Good", the UK bestselling, and 2005's #1 girl-targeted videogame[4] published by THQ and the DVD, which showcased the Bratz in a computer-animated adventure as they started up their own fashion magazine.

At the end of 2005, MGA Entertainment entered the lucrative mobile phone market by introducing Bratz Mobile. The lone offering for Bratz Mobile was a Sony Ericsson T290a candybar style mobile phone pre-loaded with exclusive Bratz-themed wallpapers, ringtones, games, and screensavers.

[edit] 2006
Following the success of the Bratz Rock Angelz collection, MGA Entertainment released their flagship collection for 2006, Bratz Genie Magic. The collection included Cloe, Sasha, Jade, Meygan, and Yasmin dressed in extravagant and elaborate Moroccan/Egyptian/Bohemian-style fashions. Also included in the Bratz Genie Magic collection is Katia, who was released with a Genie Magic bottle playset that converted itself into a late night lounge, and like Rock Angelz, Genie Magic had accompanying tie-in lifestyle products. Genie Magic would prove to be one of the biggest selling Bratz collections in the company's history. Highlighting the release of the Bratz Genie Magic collection was the release of the Bratz Genie Magic DVD and CD in April 2006, which also won the Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award.

In May 2006, MGA Entertainment announced that legal issues forced the company to remove Kiana, introduced in the Wild Wild West collection, from the Bratz Pack, because Mattel, Inc. claimed that they owned a trademark to the name "Kianna" with their Teen Trends doll line and that MGA Entertainment's Wild Wild West Kiana doll infringed upon their trademark. MGA Entertainment thus ceased further usage of the name "Kiana" and will not produce any more Bratz dolls bearing the name. This would be the first of several cancellations for MGA in 2006; plans to release Leah and Roxxi in a second wave of the Midnight Dance collection were scrapped, as were plans for Nevra and Jade for the Play Sportz collection. To date, no reason has been given for the cancellations.

In August 2006, MGA Entertainment released the kid version of Bratz Kidz and its platinum vintage Bratz collection, Bratz Forever Diamondz, which is one of the most expensive Bratz doll collections ever released with only one fashion. The characters featured in the Forever Diamondz collection are Jade, Cloe, Sasha, Yasmin, and a new character named Sharidan. Included with each doll in the Forever Diamondz collection is a diamond gem with a certificate of authentication. Also included with each doll in the collection is a code that girls enter on the Bratz official website, where they have a chance to win a one carat (200 mg) diamond. Also included with the Bratz Forever Diamondz collection is a "Fashion Show On The Go" rolling runway playset, a Fashion Design Kit Studio, the RC Cruiser, and Funky Fashion Makeover styling heads. Fianna, Katia, and Vinessa were later releases in the Forever Diamondz collection; they retailed for $19.99 each and were packaged not with a real diamond, but with a coordinating T-shirt and denim skirt and an array of simulated gems with which to decorate the second outfit.

Even before the formal release of Bratz Forever Diamondz, the collection had apparently already won the Australian Girls Toy of the Year award. On September 26, 2006, a new DVD released with the same title. The CD with the same name released on September 19, 2006. THQ released a videogame on September 18, 2006. THQ hopes for the same or greater success for Bratz Forever Diamondz, just like the same success that they achieved with the Bratz Rock Angelz video game, which has sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide since the release and became the #1 girl video game in 2005.

MGA, along with Canadian based fashion designer Marie Saint Pierre, teamed up to create an exclusive line of French-Canadian Bratz called, Haute Couture en Coulisse, featuring three new exclusive characterse. The line debuted in Sensation Mode, part of Montreal Fashion Week on October 16, 2006. The line is exclusive to Wal-Mart in Canada and only 30,000 were made.[5]

[edit] 2007
In 2007, MGA presented Bratz Adventure Girlz (hip camouflaged camping clothes and gear), Fashion Pixiez (fairy themed dolls with a direct-to-DVD and a music CD), and second waves of the Passion 4 Fashion and Birthday collections. Other collections included Pampered Pupz (stylized dolls with matching dogs and dog outfits), and Magic Hair (5-in-1 hairstyling 10 inch dolls with real memory hair).

MGA Entertainment, Avi Arad Productions and Crystal Sky Pictures announced that they were to jointly produce a Bratz live action movie to be released on August 3, 2007.[6].

On February 6, 2007 according to NPD Group, the Bratz became the #1 fashion themed dolls in the USA in the fourth Quarter of 2006.[7][8]

The Bratz also had a live concert tour with the title Passion 4 Fashion World Tour from March 30 - April 25 exclusively in the UK.[9]

The Australian distributor of Bratz dolls held a design competition across multiple age groups with the task to design outfits for various categories. The entries closed at the end of July 2007.

In October 2007, SKECHERS USA, Inc. will release the Official Bratz: The Movie collection of shoes at Sketchers stores and online at [1] Bratz fans can wear the same shoes featured in the Bratz: The Movie[2]

[edit] Bratz Lines

[edit] Lil' Bratz
Lil' Bratz (discontinued, 2002-2006): The miniature versions, were originally created for a cheaper solution to buying Bratz. They were very popular to begin with, simply being miniature versions of the original four characters. But, in 2005, the four characters were given new names and slightly different appearances (eye color, etc.) Only a few lines were created. A final attempt to keep the brand was made. The line Funk House was popular because the dolls were designed to look more like their cartoon counterparts. The line was dropped shortly after the release of Funk House. Lil' Bratz also featured Lil' Boyz who were sold briefly as original and new characters like the girls. In 2006, the line was discontinued and was replaced with Bratz Kidz line. In 2007, they released a clothing line called Lil' Bratz Couture. However, the popular dolls are still discontinued.

[edit] Bratz Boyz
Bratz Boyz (2002-present): These are the male counterparts of the Bratz. They are less popular than the girls and have only a third of the amount of characters. The original Bratz Boyz were Cameron and Dylan, who became popular after the release and even attracted male fans. More characters were added which only made them more popular. But with the recent lack of new characters, the popularity of these dolls has declined. New releases were less frequent in the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2006 leading to an impression that the Boyz were no longer being designed. The first Quarter of 2007 is showing increased activity from MGAE with the long-awaited release of the Bratz Boyz Twiins, all-new character Wayne as part of the Rodeo line, a new Adventure Boyz Cameron, Bryce as part of the Hot Summer Dayz line, and Cade (now a blonde) as part of the Play Sportz line. More recently, Eitan was released as part of the Winter line, Bryce in the Movie line, and Cameron in the Play Sportz line.

[edit] Bratz Babyz
Bratz Babyz (2004-present): The Babyz were originally released with molded hair, one outfit and infant accessories (bottle, blanket, soft toy and other items) At first the Bratz Babyz were not popular because of their "disproportioned heads (compared to normal Bratz) and especially the molded hair. They became more popular as fans warmed to them. When Bratz Babyz with long, "real" hair (Hair Flair) were released, the popularity grew. More characters from the regular Bratz are being added to The Bratz Babyz line making the Bratz Babyz grow in popularity to this day.

Bratz Big Babyz (2005-present): As its name says: a bigger version of the Bratz Babyz.

Bratz Lil' Angelz (2007) are the newborn, collectable version of Bratz Babyz. They are smaller than regular Bratz Babyz and come with their own newborn pets.

Main article: Bratz Babyz

[edit] Bratz Petz
Bratz Petz (discontinued, 2004-2006): Bratz Petz are the plush toys that resemble foxes, cats and dogs. They were not for the dolls, they were the size of an average teddy bear, making them awkward in the Bratz universe. They came with bags, clothes and other accessories which made them fit into the Bratz fashion theme. They were not popular, and disappeared totally from the market in 2006. Bratz Petz have been re-released recently in Australia and the UK as completely different toys. They are plastic and come with bobble heads, and are sized to fit with the Big Bratz Babys are the best Each Petz comes with several accessories that are more appropriate than the old Bratz Petz. This new form of Bratz Petz are popular in Australia and the UK, months after their initial release.

[edit] Bratz Kidz
Bratz Kidz (2006-present): Bratz Kidz are the child equivalent to the popular Bratz doll line. The dolls are 6 inches tall and are proportioned to be shorter than the normal Bratz. In the Fall 2007 season, Bratz Boyz Kidz were introduced, featuring the four main Boyz.

Bratz Big Kidz (2007-present): As its name says: a bigger version of the Bratz Kidz.

Main article: Bratz Kidz

[edit] Be-Bratz
Be-Bratz (2007-present): Be-Bratz dolls are similar to regular Bratz dolls, but without their own individual names, as they are designed for the owner to name and customise themselves. They also come with a mini metallic pink USB mouse, a Be-Bratz mousepad, a Be-Bratz USB Key necklace, and a mini-pet. When the USB key is inserted into the PC, the owner can then take their Be-Bratz doll online, name it, and create an online social homepage for it. Games can be played with your Be-Bratz account to win more points, which can then be spent on clothing, furniture, and food for your online Be-Bratz doll.

Main article: Be-Bratz

[edit] Criticisms and controversies

[edit] Labor conditions
On December 21, 2006, the National Labor Committee announced that the factory workers in China, who make Bratz dolls, labor for 94½ hours a week, while the factory pays only 17 cents an hour, $4.13 a day- much less than the Bratz dolls actually cost (from $20 to $30).

The allegations in the report describe practices found at many Chinese factories producing name-brand products for export. They include required overtime exceeding the legal maximum of 36 hours a month, forcing workers to stay on the job to meet stringent production quotas and the denial of paid sick leave and other benefits.[10] The report shows copies of what it says are "cheat sheets" distributed to workers before auditors from Wal-Mart or other customers arrive to make sure the factory passes inspections intended to ensure the supplier meets labor standards. It said workers at the factory intended to go on strike soon on January 2007 to protest plans by factory managers to put all employees on temporary contracts, denying them legal protection required for long-term employees.[11]

After the announcement, the CEO of MGA Entertainment, Isaac Larian sent a statement on 12/24/06 via e-mail to a fan site of the doll line, Bratz World, and another two days later to Playthings Magazine stating that the information is false and the company is not familiar with the company named in the report and MGA uses first rate factories in "the orient" to make its goods, like Mattel and Hasbro does. Larian said that he never heard about the news or of 'the organization who is behind this negative and false campaign immediately prior to the last holiday shopping weekend.'"[12]

Verified full text of statement:[13]

MGA is not familiar with the company named in the report. MGA uses first rate factories in the orient to make its goods. The same factories make products for the world's biggest toy manufacturers including Mattel and Hasbro. I personally have not seen this alleged video in regards to the circumstances, as well as ever heard of the organization who behind this negative and false campaign immediately prior to the last holiday shopping weekend.

– Isaac Larian, CEO, MGA Entertainment, e-mail to Bratz World

[edit] APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls
Fresh concerns over the body image and lifestyle the Bratz dolls allegedly promote were raised by the American Psychological Association when they established their "Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls" in February, 2007. In the report that was published in accompaniment to the Task Force's founding they cited concern over sexuality the Bratz dolls allegedly portray.[14]

Bratz dolls come dressed in sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and feather boas. Although these dolls may present no more sexualization of girls or women than is seen in MTV videos, it is worrisome when dolls designed specifically for 4- to 8-year-olds are associated with an objectified adult sexuality

– APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls[14]

Bratz were not the only dolls to be criticized in this report,[14] which highlighted not only toys but also other products and the wider media; including the Bratz animated series.[14] In the United Kingdom a spokesman for Bratz defended the toyline by saying that Bratz are purchased by over-eights and are directed to the preteen and teen market,[15] and that the focus on the dolls while on looks was not on sexualization and that friendship was also a key focus of Bratz dolls.[15]

The Bratz brand, which has remained number one in the UK market for 23 consecutive months focuses core values on friendship, hair play and a 'passion for fashion'.

– Bratz spokesman, The Daily Telegraph[15]

The spokesman quoted Dr Bryan Young of Exeter University as saying "parents may feel awkward but I don't think children see the dolls as sexy. They just think they're pretty".[15] Isaac Larian, in comments given to the BBC, voiced the opinion that the report was a "bunch of garbage" and that the people who wrote it were acting irresponsibly.[16]

Dr.Phil stated on the Late Show that the bratz dolls looked like hookers. He expressed concern since many young girls dressed up as brats for trick or treat.

[edit] Lawsuit by Mattel
Mattel sued MGA Entertainment for 500 million dollars alleging that Bryant came up with the idea of developing Bratz dolls, when he was working for Mattel. [17][18]

[edit] Language
In the summer of 2006 a brand of Bratz dolls was released that used several cuss words. MGA was sued by the father of the daughter it was bought for.

[edit] Bratz versus Barbie
In June 2001, MGA Entertainment launched the Bratz range of dolls, a move that would give Barbie her first serious competition in the fashion doll market. In 2004, sales figures showed that Bratz dolls were outselling Barbie dolls in the United Kingdom, although Mattel maintained that in terms of the number of dolls, clothes and accessories sold, Barbie remained the leading brand.[19] In 2005, figures showed that sales of Barbie dolls had fallen by 30% in the United States, and by 18% worldwide, with much of the drop being attributed to the popularity of Bratz dolls.[20]

In April 2005, MGA Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Mattel, claiming that the My Scene range of Barbie dolls had copied the doe-eyed look of Bratz dolls. The lawsuit is currently pending in the court system of California.[21]

Mattel is also suing MGA Entertainment and Carter Bryant, a former doll designer for Mattel, claiming that company secrets were stolen by MGA.[22][23]

[edit]

Barbie VS Bratz

Saturday, December 29, 2007

What do you yhink

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Barbie or Bratz Who Is Better?

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