For nearly two years now, Mattel and MGA Ent. have been locked in a heated battle over copyright infringement claims filed by the maker of the iconic Barbie line of toys and animated features. A jury has finally ruled in favor of Mattel, though the damages to be paid are still unclear. Reports of $100 million came in yesterday, but MGA claims that Mattel was only awarded $20 million in the ruling. Barbie sales have reportedly dipped 15% since the Bratz came onto the scene.
MGA said that the jury made its award pursuant to a variety of legal claims, each based on the same damages theory, and subject to the court’s instruction not to be concerned about duplicative damages. The company behind the Bratz dolls also pointed out that, during the trial, Mattel even conceded that the damages it sought were overlapping and duplicative.
MGA intends to appeal any amount of awarded damages. Still, the company’s leadership is relieved that the battle is nearing an end.
‘We are pleased to have this trial behind us,’ says MGA Ent. CEO Isaac Larian. ‘We can now concentrate all of our energies on what we do best’providing dolls and other toys that are the consumers’ first choice.’
Headquartered in Van Nuys, California, MGA manufactures toys, games, consumer electronics, home d’cor, stationery, sporting goods and other consumer products based on Bratz and other properties including Yummi-land, Storytime Collection, Rescue Pets, Miuchiz and Little Tikes. It also oversees production on an animated Bratz series and a number of direct-to-video Bratz toon features, which are now being distributed by Lionsgate. Lionsgate has also released a live-action Bratz feature film, and recently picked up MGA’s Little Tykes for North American distribution and initially plans to release four animated movies on home video this fall. More information on MGA is available at www.mgae.com.
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