Mattel Sued After Pornographic Website Address Printed on Wicked Doll Packaging

Toy manufacturer Mattel is facing a lawsuit initiated by a mother from South Carolina, following the erroneous printing of a pornographic website’s address on the packaging of one of its dolls. These singing dolls were introduced by the company last month, preceding the debut of the film Wicked, which features Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Mattel issued an apology, characterizing the incident as an “unfortunate error,” and subsequently recalled the affected dolls. However, Holly Ricketson initiated a civil lawsuit on Tuesday, asserting that she purchased the doll for her minor daughter. The daughter subsequently accessed the adult entertainment website found on the packaging. According to the lawsuit, her daughter promptly showed her the site, which displayed “hardcore, full-on nude pornographic images.” Her legal representatives further stated that both were “horrified” by the content and experienced emotional distress. The court documents specify that the inclusion of the pornographic website constituted an “inexcusable error,” rendering the dolls “unfit for their intended purpose.” Additionally, the documents allege that the company has failed to provide any refunds, notwithstanding the acknowledged error. Ms. Ricketson stated that she would not have purchased the doll if she had known about the mistake. The class action lawsuit seeks $5 million (£3.94 million) in damages for all individuals in the United States who acquired the dolls with the packaging error. Furthermore, it accuses Mattel of negligence, marketing products unsuitable for sale, and contravening California consumer protection statutes. The musical Wicked, which is based on a book that creates the backstory for the Wicked Witch of the West, debuted on Broadway in 2003 and has been performed on the West End for twenty years. The cinematic adaptation, featuring Ariana Grande as Galinda and British actor Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on November 22. As reported by Box Office Mojo, since its release last month, the film has generated $263.2 million in revenue within the United States and $360.3 million globally. Mattel has been contacted for a statement. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.