Bratz facts for kids
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| Type |
|
|---|---|
| Inventor(s) | Carter Bryant |
| Company | MGA Entertainment |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | 2001–present |
| Slogan | "The girls with a passion for fashion" |
Bratz is a popular American brand of fashion dolls that first appeared in 2001. The brand was created by Carter Bryant, who used to work for Mattel, the company that makes Barbie. Bratz dolls are made by the company MGA Entertainment.
The first four Bratz dolls came out on May 21, 2001. Their names were Yasmin, Cloe, Jade, and Sasha. Each doll represented a different ethnicity. They were known for their large, almond-shaped eyes with colorful eyeshadow and big, glossy lips. The dolls quickly became a huge success.
Soon, the Bratz world grew bigger. New dolls like Bratz Boyz and Bratz Babyz were created. The brand also expanded into a media franchise, which means it had its own music, a TV series, a live-action movie, and video games. By 2005, the Bratz brand had earned over $2 billion worldwide.
However, the Bratz dolls also faced some challenges. Some people thought their clothes and makeup were too grown-up for children. MGA Entertainment also had a long legal battle with Mattel over who owned the original idea for the dolls. MGA eventually won the case in 2011.
Over the years, the Bratz brand has been paused and relaunched several times. In 2021, to celebrate their 20th anniversary, Bratz re-released the original 2001 dolls, which made many long-time fans happy. The brand continues to release new dolls and collaborate with famous people and brands.
Contents
The History of Bratz Dolls
When Bratz dolls first launched in 2001, they didn't sell very well. This was mainly because Barbie dolls had been the most popular fashion dolls for a very long time. But by the first Christmas season, Bratz became a huge hit. Within five years, 125 million Bratz products were sold around the world. By 2006, Bratz had captured about 40% of the fashion-doll market.
Major Changes and Comebacks
Over the years, the Bratz brand has gone through many changes.
The 10th Anniversary (2010)
In 2010, to celebrate their 10th anniversary, MGA released new Bratz dolls after a year-long break. They brought back some classic collections and also introduced 10 new characters.
A New Look (2013-2014)
In 2013, Bratz dolls were given a new look. They had taller bodies with arms that could bend, similar to their competitor, Monster High dolls. They kept their unique faces but wore brand-new fashions. The brand also got a new logo. In 2014, MGA decided to take a break from selling Bratz in the United States for a year to plan a big comeback.
The 2015 Relaunch
In 2015, Bratz relaunched with another new look. A new main character named Raya was introduced. The dolls went back to their original 10-inch height but had new head and body shapes. However, many fans did not like this new style. They felt the dolls were made for younger kids instead of the teens and pre-teens who originally loved them. Because of poor sales, the dolls were discontinued again in 2016.
Return of the Classic Bratz (2018-Present)
In 2018, MGA worked with fashion designer Hayden Williams to create a special "Bratz Collector" line. These dolls looked very similar to the original 2001 dolls and were a big hit with fans.
For their 20th anniversary in 2021, Bratz released reproductions of the very first dolls. This was so popular that they have continued to re-release other classic collections. They have also started creating brand-new doll lines, including collaborations with celebrity Kylie Jenner in 2023 and the movie Mean Girls in 2024.
Discussions and Debates
The Bratz dolls have been part of several public discussions since they were created.
Parental Concerns
One of the early Bratz collections was called "Secret Date." The dolls came in a package where a girl doll was matched with a mystery boy doll. A group of parents worried that this theme encouraged girls to go on "blind dates" with strangers. MGA Entertainment listened to the concerns and renamed the collection "Blind Date."
Factory Working Conditions
In 2006, a report claimed that workers in the Chinese factories making Bratz dolls were not being treated fairly. The report said they worked very long hours for very low pay. The CEO of MGA Entertainment, Isaac Larian, stated that this information was false. He said his company used high-quality factories and was not aware of the problems mentioned in the report.
Doll Appearance
In 2007, the American Psychological Association released a report that raised concerns about the Bratz dolls' appearance. The report suggested that the dolls' clothes and makeup might be too "grown-up" for young children.
A spokesperson for Bratz in the UK defended the dolls. They said the dolls were aimed at pre-teens and teenagers, not young children. They also said the brand's main values were friendship and a "passion for fashion." Isaac Larian called the report "a bunch of garbage" and said the authors were being irresponsible.
The Legal Battle with Mattel
For many years, MGA Entertainment was in a major legal fight with Mattel, the company that makes Barbie.
Who Owned the Idea?
The main argument was about who legally owned the idea for Bratz. Mattel claimed that the creator, Carter Bryant, came up with the concept for Bratz while he was still working for them. MGA argued that Bryant created the dolls on his own time, between his jobs at Mattel.
In 2008, a court first sided with Mattel. It seemed like MGA might have to stop selling Bratz dolls completely. However, MGA appealed the decision.
MGA Wins the Case
In 2010, a higher court overturned the original ruling. The court decided that the Bratz franchise rightfully belonged to MGA Entertainment. The legal battles continued for a few more years. In 2011, a court ordered Mattel to pay MGA $310 million for legal fees and other issues. This ended the long fight and secured the future of the Bratz brand under MGA.
Bratz in Media
Bratz is more than just dolls. The brand has a huge media presence with movies, TV shows, music, and games.
Movies
Many animated Bratz movies have been released on DVD. Most of them are computer-animated. There was also a live-action movie released in 2007, simply titled Bratz.
- Animated Films
- Bratz: Starrin' & Stylin' (2004)
- Bratz: Rock Angelz (2005)
- Bratz: Genie Magic (2006)
- Bratz Babyz: The Movie (2006)
- Bratz: Fashion Pixiez (2007)
- Bratz: Girlz Really Rock (2008)
- Bratz: Pampered Petz (2010)
- Live-Action Film
- Bratz (2007)
TV and Web Series
Bratz has had several TV and web series over the years.
- Bratz (TV series) (2005–2008): A computer-animated series that aired on TV and followed the adventures of the four main girls.
- Bratz Design Academy (2008): A reality TV show on Nickelodeon where young girls competed in fashion design challenges.
- Bratz (web series) (2015): A stop-motion series that was released on YouTube.
- Talking Bratz (2021): A web series on TikTok where the Bratz characters were interviewed in a talk-show format.
- Alwayz Bratz (2023–Present): A CGI-animated miniseries on TikTok that follows the Bratz girls as young adults.
Bratz Music and Games
The Bratz franchise has also released music albums and many video games.
Music Albums
- Bratz: Rock Angelz Soundtrack (2005)
- Bratz: Genie Magic Soundtrack (2006)
- Bratz: Forever Diamondz Soundtrack (2006)
- Bratz: The Motion Picture Soundtrack (2007)
- Bratz: Fashion Pixiez Soundtrack (2007)
- Bratz: Girlz Really Rock Soundtrack (2008)
Video Games
There have been many Bratz video games for various consoles and computers, including:
- Bratz (2002)
- Bratz: Rock Angelz (2005)
- Bratz: Forever Diamondz (2006)
- Bratz: 4 Real (2007)
- Bratz: Girlz Really Rock (2008)
- Bratz: Fashion Boutique (2012)
- Bratz: Flaunt Your Fashion (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Bratz para niños
