Barbie was created in 1959, and when she was 42 years old, in 2001, Bratz entered the scene.
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These new dolls captured about 40% of Barbie’s market share in five years, creating tension between Mattel and MGA.
MGA (Bratz) filed a lawsuit claiming that Mattel (Barbie) had copied the distinctive big-headed and slim-bodied appearance of the Bratz dolls in this new line.
Mattel countersued, arguing that Carter Bryant, the designer of Bratz and a former employee of Mattel, had created the dolls while working for Mattel under a contract that stated all his designs were the property of Mattel, thereby making the Bratz design Mattel’s intellectual property.
Mattel countersued, arguing that Carter Bryant, the designer of Bratz and a former employee of Mattel, had created the dolls while working for Mattel under a contract that stated all his designs were the property of Mattel, thereby making the Bratz design Mattel’s intellectual property.
