Mattel apologizes for printing adult website on doll packaging

The toy giant accidentally printed the URL for an adult website on packaging for special edition dolls produced for the upcoming movie-musical, Wicked, Mattel told WORLD in a Monday statement. The company aimed to include the movie’s website on the packaging, but the address was misprinted and now leads consumers to a website inappropriate for children, the statement explained. The company has taken immediate action to fix the error, the statement added.

How is the company fixing the issue? Mattel advised parents to throw away the product’s packaging or cross out the link, according to the company’s statement. The company did not say whether it intended to recall the product or compensate affected customers in any way.

How many dolls are affected? The company did not specify which dolls in Mattel’s Wicked collection have inappropriate packaging. The collection currently includes nearly a dozen dolls depicting the main and supporting characters from the film in costumes from various scenes. Only Glinda, Elphaba, and Elphaba’s sister have been released for purchase. The dolls are modeled after actors in the movie adaptation of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s Broadway musical, Wicked, inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire’s best-seller gave a backstory to the infamous Wicked Witch of the West from L. Frank Baum’s 1900 classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Dig deeper: From the archives, read Janie B. Cheaney’s 2009 report in WORLD Magazine about Maguire criticizing C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia.