CARU Recommends MGA Entertainment Modify Packaging for Bratz Party Dolls

New York, NY – June 29, 2012 –The Children’s Advertising Review Unit  has determined that product packaging for Bratz Party Dolls, manufactured by MGA Entertainment, may mislead children about the characteristics of toys.

Product packaging for the dolls came to the attention of CARU, the children’s advertising industry’s self-regulatory forum, through CARU’s routine monitoring practices.

Packaging for the dolls featured the statement: “Now with 100s of poses,” accompanied by photographs of three different Bratz dolls posed without assistance in various positions:

• Yasmin, standing on one leg with her right knee bent at an angle of approximately 30 degrees, and her arms outstretched.
• Sasha in a dance pose, with both knees bent gently, her heels off the ground and her arms outstretched.
• Chloe in a seated position with her right arm rested on her bent right knee and her left folded beneath her body.

The package also featured a small disclosure:  “Contents, including specifications and colors, may vary from photos depicted on package.”

CARU was concerned that children viewing the packaging might believe that they could make the dolls duplicate the poses featured on the packaging, when, in fact, they could not do so.

Following its review of the evidence in the record, CARU determined that one reasonable take-away message was that the dolls could be made to duplicate the poses shown on the packaging. CARU recommended MGA Entertainment modify its packaging.