Mattel To Be Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Wicked Dolls.

Mattel recently came under fire for selling dolls for the new movie “Wicked” with a URL for a porn site. Instead of using the WickedMovie.com link, it directed people to Wicked.com, which is for adults. By the time people figured out the error, the dolls had been out on the shelves for at least a month or longer. When the media began reporting on the situation, Mattel recalled the dolls and issued an apology.

Holly Ricketson, who is being represented by a Charleston, NC law firm, Poulin Willey Anastopoulo, is filing a lawsuit against the toy manufacturer. The law firm wants to elevate the suit to class action status in excess of $5 million for “unspecified damages.”

While I think Mattel’s error was significant, I’m not sure that a class action lawsuit, other than refunding people for the dolls, is necessary.

In my opinion, Ricketson’s story had convenient timing.

According to the filing via Deadline,

” On or about November 11, 2024, Plaintiff purchased a Wicked Doll for her minor daughter.”

After opening the box that contained the Wicked Doll, Plaintiff’s minor daughter used an iPhone to visit the website shown on Defendant’s packaging. To her absolute shock, the website, ‘Wicked.com’, had nothing to do with the Wicked Doll. Rather, Wicked.com pasted scenes of pornographic advertisements across her phone screen.”

“These scenes were hardcore, full on nude pornographic images depicting actual intercourse, and can be available for an in-camera review by the court as necessary,” the jury trial-seeking action spotlighting Mattel adds. “Plaintiff’s minor daughter immediately showed her mother the photographs and both were horrified by what they say. If Plaintiff had been aware of such an inappropriate defect in the Product, she would not have purchased it.”

I want to point out a couple of things about these claims.

1. The timing. 
   The media heavily covered the error on the box starting on November 9 or November 10, 2024. I got to it later and I covered it on this blog the evening of November 10. It was all over the news so it raises eyebrows with the timing.
   Mattel put out a public apology and recall on November 11, 2024, which is the day she claims the doll was purchased.
2. Wicked.com is an adult website, and they have a portal restricting access
   On November 10, I visited the Wicked.com website to confirm the error in my blog. I had to get past a big screen, which instructed me that I could only enter the site if I were an adult.
   

   From there, I could see images at the top of the page that were not graphic, but as I scrolled down, the images became graphic.
   Not long after the error was discovered, the Wicked.com website removed the graphic images on the page, likely to protect curious children.

It’s also important to note that these dolls were out for weeks before anyone noticed the error. If the alleged incident had occurred a few days or a couple of weeks sooner, I wouldn’t question it, but the “incident” occurred the day after the media widely publicized it, and the same day, Mattel apologized and initiated a recall.

Since a sticking point for her is said to be the lack of refund for those who purchased the dolls, I will assume she simply wanted to be refunded, which is a valid resolution. Somehow, this has gone from no refund for a $20-$40 doll to a potential class action lawsuit—unless the suit is for doll refunds. Asking for a refund or replacement seems reasonable.

Mattel has issued another statement as of Monday, December 4, 2024, saying,

“The Wicked Dolls have returned for sale with correct packaging at retailers online and in stores to meet the strong consumer demand for the products. The previous misprint on the packaging in no way impacts the value or play experience provided by the product itself in the limited number of units sold before the correction.

“We express our gratitude to our consumers and retailers for their understanding and patience while we worked to remedy the issue.”

While it is completely possible that the mother just happened not to see the news coverage and opened the doll on the exact day that Mattel apologized, the timing is raising eyebrows.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!