I know I haven’t talked about the Bratz in eons. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been keeping up with my Girls with a Passion for Fashion!
In fact, I have been hard at work preparing for their return. I intend to have a strong hand in the comeback this year. Why? Because I see that the Bratz dolls still have the potential to make their mark on the toy industry. I’ve got quite a few things in mind.
Three months ago, I sent MGA’s inventor team a 13-page proposal stating all of the things I feel the Bratz brand needs. That may have been overly-ambitious, and possibly overstepping my boundaries, but I feel better now that I’ve said what I wanted to say.
So, I’ve been busy with Bratz, don’t you worry.
I’ve had some readers ask me if I’ve heard about the Bratz’s comeback in 2018, and I have.
Why have I been silent? Two reasons: 1) I wanted to wait to do a major article on the brand when the comeback officially releases. 2) I didn’t want to repeat rumors and over-hype the brand just to let myself and others down. 3) I have several concerns regarding the comeback, and I didn’t want my negativity to rub off on the hopefuls.
As for number 2, I have this tendency to get super excited about a brand, to place all of my ideas out there, and I try to get others on-board, too. In the end, my expectations soar way too high. In 2015, I was really let-down by the Bratz dolls.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure the Bratz truly WERE going to come back this year. Companies often say one thing, it doesn’t mean that’s what’s going to happen. Delays happen, too. The toy industry has been suffering. Even Toys R ‘Us took a hit. I wasn’t sure if Mr. Larian could make this happen and I didn’t want to recklessly post my thoughts on it too quickly.
What changed my mind now? Well, I’m starting to see some extremely promising little updates happening.
We all should know by now that Isaac Larian has been hinting at the Bratz comeback since last year. He basically said “Bratz are scheduled to release this fall”.
The fall quarter is basically around the corner now.
We’ve also got some teaser Instagram posts lately:
With all of this, I have every reason to be excited… but concerned, too.
I’m excited because it’s time for a doll brand like Bratz to come back to shelves. I’ve been through toy shelves recently to find inspiration, and diversity is seriously lacking. Even Disney’s dolls and brands are so white-washed.
Dolls are so….boring nowadays, too. They don’t have flash. Most come with cheap clothes, one outfit, and no accessories. Everyone is afraid of makeup. They are so busy trying to appeal to feminist social agendas, they fail to actually interest anyone.
The last time Larian said the Bratz were “coming back better than ever”, we got 2015 Bratz, the goo-goo eyed dolls with a sweet touch.
One of my concerns deals with retailers. Since Bratz’s debut, retailers have had so much control, they managed to alter many of the Bratz dolls’ older lines. Carter Bryant, the original designer of the Bratz dolls, mentioned that retailers’ opinions, especially the Market buyers at Walmart, are what led to the alterations of Bratz Fashion Pixiez (and I’m certain other lines as well). They couldn’t handle Bratz being so edgy, sassy, and fierce.
Now, retail chains are suffering. With the closing of Toys R’ Us, and the power of Walmart and Amazon, what will be sold has completely gone into the hands of these major retail giants. Without their approval, Bratz can’t return to the shelves. Does that mean Bratz may have to sacrifice some original ideas in order to be marketable to these giants? And can Mr. Larian sell the Bratz to these “family-friendly” retailers?
I did offer a different suggestion in my 13-page proposal, but I’m not sure they will really consider these ideas, and I’m not expecting them to. I’ve offered different ideas before the release of the last “re-launch” in 2015. None of those ideas were used, though all of my ideas were given a “thumbs up” when I posted them on Facebook. I have no doubt they tried to implement my ideas, but if retailers didn’t like it…Well, that’s that.
Talking to Carter Bryant back in 2015 has given me a lot of insight and has taught me one thing about the doll industry and creative property in general: You can create what you want, it doesn’t mean you have power over what you create.
Carter Bryant has helped me realize how powerful retailers are in the posts he made on my blog:
Carter Bryant has shown us that Walmart buyer Lori was responsible for a lot of the edgiest lines being dumbed down significantly. Walmart is one of the leading supermarket chains in the USA. Their buyers decide what gets sold on their shelves. They buy the product, sell it at their stores, and get a percentage of the profits.
She’s an older lady, and to me, she seems to favor Barbie. I mean, it’s not unexpected. She probably grew up with Barbie. Bratz probably rattled her cage. I’m not sure if she is still a toy merchant with Walmart, but whoever is will decide what happens with Bratz, and if she is still the primary girls’ toy merchant, we are in trouble.
So, despite the fact that Isaac Larian wants to bring out a doll line that’s “like no other”, would he really have the power to do it? I do have one solution to this problem, but will Bratz’s marketing team consider my idea a good one? Will that idea be enough?
Then, there’s the issue with the generation itself. Do girls even play with dolls anymore? Would they even BUY the dolls? Girls today have shown some interest in toys, but far more interest in technology. Children are more sophisticated than they were 10 years ago, and more girls reject traditional femininity than they used to ten years ago. Will they see Bratz as an outdated brand? Will they see Bratz as a brand that promotes superficial values and reject the brand as a whole?
Last, I’m concerned about feminist and mommy bloggers as well. Will they tear the brand down and influence their “soccer mom” supporters to help them?
There’s a lot to be concerned about.
Despite how negative I might sound, I am fairly optimistic about TWO things.
For starters, I’m optimistic about the Bratz brand’s quality. Lately, Mr. Larian seems to have come across some cash, which might be good for the overall quality of the Bratz brand. He offered to buy Toys R’ Us AND he’s offered to merge with Mattel, his original competitor! He seems well-equipped to polish the brand this time.
He’s seen some success from his LOL Surprise brand. Project MC2 seems to have a steady beat. And both of Isaac Larian’s children have invested in their own brand, Cult Gaia, which brings the family more wealth. He seems pretty confident that he will reap even more profits from his planned Bratz return. So, who knows what he has up his sleeve.
Hopefully, this businessman has hired the right team and is ready to bring Bratz into the future full-force! But until then, I won’t be posting some of my ideas or hopes for the brand. I’m literally “cleansing palates of expectations”. For now, I will just sit back and wait until it all unfolds.
Second,I’m also excited to learn that Hayden Williams, a fashion designer and illustrator who was rumored to be hired to assist with the design of Bratz, actually WAS hired. This means MGA is at least considering the fans’ expectations for the brand. Hayden Williams has officially tweeted me to confirm that he is one of the Bratz designers!
At one time before this update, I wasn’t sure Hayden wouldn’t be interested in being a designer for MGA because it might mean he would lose his freedom as a designer.
Turns out, he’s doing a collaboration with MGA, so he will be free to work as he pleases. His dolls will be Amazon collectors’ exclusives available this fall!
I’m excited to know that MGA recognized his talents and vision.
The best part about the release of these dolls is that they will be available ONLINE ONLY (for now). One of my other concerns was that I wasn’t sure Hayden would really be on-board with designing (despite most Bratz fans’ desire to have him design for the dolls) because I was afraid retailers would try to restrict his freedom if the dolls came out too edgy. I was afraid retailers might be skeptical to buy the Bratz because of their reputation, and that Hayden would have to curb the Bratz’s stylishness. One of my suggestions in my 13-page proposal was for Bratz to be sold online if retailers got funky. Glad to know MGA got the same idea.
I don’t think Amazon will restrict the design of the dolls as bad as other retailers (considering they don’t seem to be biased in what they allow to be sold on their website). Hayden said on his own Twitter:
MGA gave him the freedom to really give his all to these dolls. That’s all us Bratz fans really want!
Still, I hope all retailers recognize this brand’s ability to bring back consumers’ interest back to toy aisles and don’t try to change the image of the dolls to get them there.
Now, here’s where I’m uncertain again. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear Hayden Williams is going to be designing all of the Bratz lines. If they do hire others, they better be on par. I believe that Hayden understands the original “Bratz” design best. He said he has been into the Bratz since 2001. We need fans like him that understand what the Bratz were. No offense to fans who came with the TV series, the movies, or when Meygen jumped in ’02, but you have to have known the Bratz their entire career to understand their image and message FULLY. If you believe you can be on par, do thorough research on the brand, backwards and forwards. I believe that’s why the other designers struggled. The TV series and movies changed a lot about the Bratz, which I don’t appreciate (Read or listen to Bratz 2018: What I Want to Return and What I Don’t)…and some of the people who are fans of the brand mostly remember the media entertainment portion of the brand. While it is one part of the brand, there’s more to it.
I really hope they don’t get Project MC2 designers on-board for the Bratz. If they do, we’re going to have another Moxie-Bratz 2010 problem.
Oh, you don’t know? Remember when Cloe’s leggings were recycled from Moxie Teenz? Yes, that problem.
We’ll also get cute, because that’s what Project MC2 is. They’re cute.
The Bratz are not meant to be “cute”. We don’t need designers who think “cute” will make the Bratz better. N-to-the-O.
So far, I have so many mixed feelings about this comeback now. I’m excited, I’m nervous, I’m happy, I’m nervous. I just don’t know what to think anymore!
Readers and fellow Bratz fans, what do you all think of the Bratz’s upcoming “return”? Do you believe the Bratz will deliver this time? Or do you think retailers and critics will find a way to ruin the brand once again? Leave me a comment and let me know!
After a year long hiatus, Bratz returned to the doll scene in 2015. However, MGA decided to take the Bratz in a whole new direction. Thus, the doll line suffered. It’s bad enough that children seldom want to play with toys anymore, especially with tablets around.
MGA tried too hard to appeal to the wrong demographic and took away what made the brand special.
For the past year and a half, the Bratz dolls have been suffering in sales. As a result, MGA confirmed in an email to a fan that they are planning to discontinue the Bratz this year. 😦
The fashion doll industry is dying out due to low funds to support doll lines, lack of inspiration, soccer moms, and vocal online and offline radical feminists (who have been against Barbie’s and Bratz’s “sexualization” , “attitude”, and “materialism” for years now and have been influential when it came to stopping girls from buying these dolls). Apparently, having a passion for fashion is considered “anti-empowering” for women. Further, I guess the soccer moms just couldn’t let these dolls thrive, no matter how hard MGA tried to compromise with them.
The following links show just how many website articles (written by feminists) supported “feminist” makeovers and hated the Bratz:
Among many other articles. Most of the above articles are recent. The Bratz “controversy” has been going on since debut!
As a long-time super crazy Bratz fan, it is the saddest doll news I ever had to tell.
What saddens me most is not the fact that the Bratz will no longer be around, but the fact that they had so much potential. The Bratz dolls had the ability to bring the future of fashion (and a bit of history) to a fashion doll line–In a REALLY fashionable way. When I look back at Bratz Rock Angelz, for example, I remember a time when everyone wanted to be in a rock band. I reminisce on the styles of 2005 through that line. Bratz kept a record of the trends. I loved that about them. No other fashion doll line is doing that right now. None are capturing our generation’s fashions.
MGA mentioned in the email that this won’t be permanent. But I’m done believing they will bring back the awesome Bratz they once had. They got rid of the original designer, the court cases exhausted most of their funds, and social agendas in the world are influencing MGA’s direction. The only way the Bratz could get back on top is if MGA had the money to get them there and a designer who understood the original designer’s vision.
My next best bet is that another company buys out the brand and makes it awesome. The likelihood is slim, considering “rights” issues and all, but it’s a hope of mine.
My other big optional hope is that the original Bratz designer will gain the rights to the dolls once again and take the brand to a company who will really bring the vision to life.
If the Bratz make a return in a couple of years, when people are feeling nostalgic, there are a few things they truly would need to make it successful. Back in 2001, Bratz suffered at debut. A couple of things were needed to help boost the Bratz reputation. Any future designers and producers of the Bratz should take note.
1. Advertisements with Animation, a Tasteful Tune, and with Girls 10 to 14
The best part about the first Bratz commercial was the animation mixing with the real girls. It was very interactive, fun, and funky.
Having older girls in the commercials made it sassier. The Bratz wasn’t written off as something that was just meant for little children when people saw older girls in the commercials. With older girls, it clearly seemed to appeal to the Tween market. If felt like something tweens and teens could relate to.
The Tween market has a lot of power nowadays, especially when dealing with social media and current trends in general. They register the world more than smaller kids do. If you want to bring power to a brand, tweens and teens will more than likely obsess with it before children will. It will help the brand stand out, like it used to.
The new commercial failed to do that, which was why it failed to promote the Bratz very well. The only thing good about it was the song “What’s Up?”
2. Give the Dolls a Glossy Eyed Look with Nice Make-up
Forget what feminists and soccer moms say. Make-up is and always has been ART, since Ancient Egypt. The Bratz used make-up in a very unique and artistic way in EVERY line. The glossy eyes added attitude and sass. They looked fierce and stylish.
The doe eyes make them look like deer who are lost in a forest. It’s bad enough people come after the Bratz for the head and feet. Now they hate the eyes.
Future designers should not let Tree Change Dolls intimidate them. Those dolls are not examples of art or creativity, just something slapped together to push social agendas and make moms feel comfortable with themselves. There was no inspiration behind those dolls. I’m sorry, not sorry. Bratz need to stay away from lines that mirror Tree Change.
Bratz needs to stick with what they do best and they are best a defying expectations when it comes to style.
3. Cut the Girlishness, Bring the EDGE
I’m sorry, but if Bratz is going to be back on top, it also has to appeal to the boys, like it once did. Bratz was for everyone. You won’t believe the number of MALE fans! Why? Because Bratz was not afraid to step over boundaries.
The one thing that annoys me about many doll lines today is that they only come with SKIRTS or DRESSES. Where are the pants? The jeans? The tomboys?
The cool thing about Bratz was that they always came with one skirt or dress and one pair of pants (unless it was a formal line). The mix and match potential was endless.
The line choices were inspiring, too. Bratz had a rock and roll line, a punk line, a gothic line, a spy line, a Tokyo-inspired line, and many other creative lines. They weren’t girlish or babyish or cheesy, like the new lines have been (Yes, that Selfie line was cheesy). They didn’t just borrow from the runways, but from the underground subcultures. It made Bratz seem fun and dangerous yet stylish. I had given suggestions to MGA in 2014, suggestions I knew only the Bratz could pull off. They seemed excited, giving my suggestion a thumbs up on facebook and approving by email. After 2014, MGA seemed to have forgotten my suggestions.
Or perhaps retailers just didn’t approve (I quickly learned how much power retailers have over the doll industry). In this case, Bratz need better marketing strategists.
Finally, Bratz do best in darker shades, not bright colors. It’s fine to add some variety to the color palette, sure, but mostly stay away from bright colors. Color-blocking bright colors with darker colors would be a good idea.
4. Make an Interactive Website
When I first got into Bratz, they weren’t even released yet. None of my friends knew about them when I became a fan. So how did I get them into the brand? Through the super awesome website of course!
The website formats were always so interactive, even the first format. It had music, games, interactive bedrooms that introduced the characters, and other things. As Bratz got bigger, the website got better. It didn’t take a whole lot of money to make a decent website.
With this generation’s obsession with apps, companies have put less value on websites, thinking they don’t matter, thinking that all they have to do is post an app and some news on their websites. NO. Kids who can’t afford apps will appreciate an interactive website where they can play some games. In fact, it will encourage kids to enjoy something OTHER than an app. And who doesn’t like games that are free? It makes the brand look better. It adds quality to the brand.
By reaching out to those kids, you are reaching out to ALL of the target audience, not just the ones that have cool android phones and tablets.
The last Bratz website was so sad and lonely. It had a plain white background, news, and boring apps.
5. Bring Back the Boyz Line
The thing that was always best about this doll brand was that they didn’t treat the boys as just accessories to the girls. The boys had their own lines, their OWN clothing, their OWN unique hairstyles, and their OWN accessories. Even the boys looked stylish and cool! No other brand has mastered this yet! Bratz is the only brand that has catered to the males in this way.
6. Keep the Core FOUR
Bratz started out with four, and were always more successful that way. It’s best to switch out characters for the fifth. Lines do worse when all four girls aren’t in them.
In 2007-2009, MGA made the mistake of focusing on the Closmins (Cloe and Yasmin dolls).
In 2015, MGA made the mistake of adding Raya to the core line, making it difficult to switch dolls out.
7. Maintain Quality
“Quality Over quantity” is a motto that rings true in the doll industry. I would rather high quality dolls than 10 lines a year. If that means coming out with less lines until Bratz is popular again, so be it.
When Bratz first arrived in 2001, they didn’t have a whole lot of lines. But the outfits and hair were amazing to the eye and touch.
In 2012, Bratz lost their quality. The one plus to the 2015 reboot was that most of the lines had decent quality. With enough attention to detail and fine quality materials, the Bratz can be back on the map.
8. Bring Back the Old Bratz Bodies
The original Bratz bodies looked fine. There was never a need to add any extra movement or poses to these dolls. The shorter dolls looked more appealing and the bodies had more of a curve to them. Plus, they would be able to fit all of the old outfits. They should at least bring the old bodies back at debut or for a couple of months, just to test to see whether the fans want the old look back or a newer look. Later, they can decide to try adding more articulation.
In the modern day, some people may like a little more articulation so that the dolls can be posable on social media. However, the classic look gives Bratz their staple appearance, adding value to the brand. It also allows standing to be easier. Bendable arms and legs make standing difficult without a stand.
9. Allow Buying Opportunities On the Company Website or Main Website
I heard the biggest problem came from retailers. Apparently, they have most of the power over Bratz. They have issues with selling edgy dolls to children. I’ll bet most of these retail chains are full of soccer moms and feminists (which is why I’m against female designers for Bratz. I just don’t trust they will deliver.) I was told it was the reason so many prototypes had to be altered.
If retailers won’t accept the edgier dolls in their stores because of feminists and soccer moms, then MGA should be their own store. They should produce competition for retailers.
Sure, actually building a chain of stores would be difficult. It requires a lot of money. So instead, why not allow Bratz to be sold online, at the main website, right from the company? There should be a “shop” section. With so many people online, why not? It’s easier today with everyone connected to internet.
I suppose they want help with promotion and such from large retail chains. Still, if retailers refuse to sell certain “alternative” dolls, MGA should sell the dolls on their own website, just to give people better options. They have to make retailers want the dolls. They can better do that by taking the doll matters into their own hands.
With Bratz’s popular name, gaining someone to promote Bratz wouldn’t have been too difficult if they had just created a fierce doll line. Someone would’ve wanted to fund these dolls.
10. The Packaging
I don’t know what possessed MGA when they decided to put rainbows, ostriches, and emojis on the packaging. Who thought that would be a good idea? It might be the universal “Digital Age”, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to see emojis everywhere. It seemed like whenever and wherever MGA tried to be up-to-date with the new Bratz, they seemed more out-of-touch.
The packaging used to be unique. Each package fit with the theme of the current doll line. Some almost looked like purses, too. For instance, the Pretty N’ Punk line’s packaging had one chain at the top, to make carrying it easier. That became a trademark for Bratz.
The Bratz may not have had a good year, but Bratz had one of the longest runs of any fashion doll line next to Barbie! Bratz have been a successful doll line for more than 10 years! That is a victory in itself.
Enjoy a slideshow full of the Bratz’s doll line creations!
Enjoy all of the commercials that have come out over the years. My, have things changed.
Enjoy the Bratz music!
Want to test your Bratz knowledge? Try my Bratz Quiz!
Well, that about wraps up this discussion. So Bratz fans, what do you think of the news? Are you heartbroken Bratz are leaving? Happy that they won’t look bad anymore? Mixed in your feelings? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. And if you have any more suggestions on what you think would make the brand better, please share!
😦 (2001-2016)
READ NEXT: One brave feminist goes deeper into the “feminist” dislike of Bratz, stating how the Bratz “appearance” relates to black and Latino communities, and how that conflicts with “White feminism”. Check out her article: Brave Feminist
Bratz has revealed their all-new Bratz line: Music Festival Vibes. The new commercial brings back some of the edgy “funk” that was present pre-2007. The dolls have been “spiced” up, bringing the Bratz at least one step forward towards their original glory days. The outfits are a little more original and gaudy than outfits that were released last year.
Bratz fans were given a chance to vote on which voice they felt would fit the new and “funky” Bratz Music Festival Vibe commercial best.
Many fans were shocked to find that the “female voice” was chosen over the male voice.
Controversy
According to most fans, the male voice clearly “won”. They felt that MGA took it upon themselves to choose the female, disregarding the voting. Some fans see this as a sign that the company cares nothing about fans’ viewpoints.
MGA claims on Facebook and Twitter that “voting and research” shows them that the female voice was preferred.
Voting Process
Through some Youtube videos, like this one:
fans had to “like” to vote for a male and “comment” to vote for a female in this video. However, many fans who wanted a male also commented…No one is sure whether that affected the voting process or not.
Fans could also vote on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No one is sure how MGA came to their final decision. Did they just observe how many comments were IN the comments’ section without actually reading the comments? If this is the case, they missed all of the comments that actually said, “Male”. Did they do a vote among the company and included their own votes?Did they read blogs and message boards about it?
The “research” that MGA is talking about remains unknown.
I know I never posted the voting process on this blog, regrettably. After skimming through comments, it seemed like most people chose the male…
Why did fans want a male voice instead of a female voice?
It’s the same reason why people wanted “Nerf” (the company who came up with the Super Soaker) to make “Nerf Rebelle” for girls.
Many people felt that if any doll line could break social-gender boundaries, the Bratz was the group of girls that could. There are many MALE Bratz fans as well. They felt this was the perfect opportunity to show the world that it’s okay for males to like dolls, just as it’s okay for females to like sports. If they had put a male voice in the commercial, it would’ve sounded “edgier”, like the Wild Life Safari commercial. It would’ve been revolutionary because most doll commercials have “female voices” promote the commercials. It would’ve been original.
Now, they are leaving it open for the competition to take the most ingenious idea ever and run with it. This could’ve been an idea that could really promote the Bratz.
But there were some fans that wanted a female voice. After all, females can be “edgy”, too. Many young girls thought it sounded as if the Bratz themselves were singing the song. They also felt it didn’t sound as “creepy” (?). Some fans liked the “sassy” feeling in the girls’ tone of voice.
My thoughts
I’ve given up on the possibility that MGA could make the Bratz the revolutionary line it used to be. I feel that having a male voice, considering how original it is, should’ve been the main choice and shouldn’t even have been up for debate or discussion. If MGA wants to put Bratz on the map, they are going to have to learn to take risks, as they once did. They need to start looking for innovative ways to promote the Bratz and help them stand out.
Nowadays, people are paying attention to things that “break social rules”. People want to see something “new”. Why do they think Frozen is such a big deal? It passes the Bechdel test. This is also why Frozen’s dolls are (arguably) having more success than most of the dolls in toy aisles.
But MGA seems to think (I should say, based on their choices and actions) that has more to do with the fact that they are two strong “female” characters. It’s not just that. The dolls represent something that is RARE in cinema. The Bechdel test suggests that there be “two females, who talk about something, other than a man.” Frozen passes this test.
Among doll commercials, it’s quite common to hear female voices narrate for dolls. Where is the “revolution” in that?
I think too many people shame males who like dolls. That kind of commercial would send a very positive message about accepting people’s differences and it would make male fans feel “included”.
Still, I think the female voice itself sounds really good. It sounds like a “Bratz-y” song. It’s much better than the other commercials for Bratz. I’m actually really impressed. I’m really impressed with the Bratz Music Festival Vibes line itself.
Now, all they need to do is bring back the “glossy eyes” and the Bratz will be back to normal!
So, readers, what do you think? Do you think MGA made the right choice? Do you think MGA should have chosen the male voice? Leave me a comment and let me know! (And no, this won’t go into the voting process. It’s over. XD)
After a year-long hiatus, the Bratz have finally returned with a quirky new look, a hot new theme song, and a fresh new slogan: “It’s Good To Be Yourself”.
For those of you who have forgotten about the Bratz or have been out of the loop and so haven’t really known what happened to the Bratz, last year MGA Entertainment, the creators of the Bratz, decided they would go on a hiatus. MGA made the following statement:
So, here’s the deal with Bratz. We finally got the go-ahead to give it the time and backing to make it awesome. We want to really dig in to the direction of Bratz, what makes the brand awesome, and bring that back full force! In order to do that, and to have the epic come back that the brand really deserves, we are taking a year off. We are giving ourselves and the buyers a chance to cleanse palates of expectations so we can come back in 2015 and deliver something cutting edge, disruptive and awesome.
Many of you may not know what the statement above truly means. Many of you probably didn’t realize the Bratz had even left the scene. Many of you may have thought the Bratz were long gone BEFORE last year and may not understand why they had to take “a year” off. Some of you “kiddies” may have already consumed yourself with smartphones and I-pads and are like, “People still buy dolls?”
For all of you lost individuals, I will be here to give you a brief spill before getting into the actual comeback. Already know the details? Skip to the bottom …
For those of you who didn’t know Bratz left or for those of you who thought the Bratz left a long time ago, I will bring you up to date.
What Happened to the Bratz?
At the Turn of the 21st Century, many doll companies were trying to win “tweens” back into the doll market because so many were distracted by CDs, TV, video games, and anything else but dolls. By the age of 10, many girls were beginning to feel they were too old for dolls. Many people felt girls were growing up too fast and companies suffered from that loss of tween consumers. So, in an attempt to encourage tweens to play with dolls, many companies tried to make toys that would appeal to an older crowd. The only dolls that were successful at this were the Bratz dolls.
Bratz has always been a doll line that has fought through major challenges and has overcome much opposition from critics and competition. When Bratz was first released in May 2001, the Bratz were not received well. It wasn’t until December 2001, the Holiday Season, that kids began to recognize the Bratz dolls. Ever since then, the Bratz slowly began climbing their way into the doll market until they were able to take 40% of the fashion doll market from the biggest fashion doll in the world, Mattel’s Barbie (I’ve collected both by the way, since the 1990s).
That really may not seem like much, considering the doll industry is much larger than “fashion dolls”, but considering at the time fashion dolls were really popular prior to 2001, it was a huge accomplishment. Bratz dolls were the first fashion dolls to rival Barbie in popularity. Mattel was the powerhouse toy company of the 1990s, eating up Hot Wheels, Disney toys, and even American Girl. When Bratz arrived on the scene, Mattel had competition from another growing toy company: MGA Entertainment.
MGA was unique. First off, people of various ethnic backgrounds could relate to the CEO who was not Caucasian. This impressed upon those who disliked “white, blonde” Barbie and her influence. Second, he was not afraid to take risks when it came to dolls. Ever since the 1980s, Barbie had already begun to lose her appeal. When Mattel tried to add more diversity to the Barbie line to compete with the popular Jem dolls in the 1980s, Mattel distinguished Barbie from the group by making her signature color pink, which limited color choices in fashion.  In the 1990s, so that she could appeal to “soccer moms”, Mattel tried to scurry away from her “fashion doll” label and began designing her fashions around various careers and ambitions.
Bratz, on the other hand, wore hip-hop fashions and had a modern urban appeal. They related to real teenagers. Many of the doll clothing was of higher quality than Barbie had been at the time. Many of the Bratz fashion was also trendier and not as…well…PINK.
As the popularity of Bratz grew, word spread about the rebellious dolls. People began to take them seriously and critics began examining the Bratz, especially “soccer moms”. The Bratz wore a lot of make-up, revealing or suggestive clothing, had big heads, glossy eyes, huge lips, and called themselves “Bratz”. Prior to 2004, there were no movies giving the Bratz much depth as far as personality, so kids could make them any way they wanted. If a kid didn’t have a computer, they wouldn’t know who the “sporty one” or the “glam one” was. There was also no particular “message” that parents deemed “positive”. It wasn’t until the movies and TV show arrived that “morals” like friendship, strength, courage, and creativity were implemented. When Bratz began capitalizing on movies and their music albums, the Bratz popularity skyrocketed. Bratz began moving away from their urban roots and started taking advantage of their “edgy” reputation by trying fashion styles that were completely “out-of-the-box”.
Mattel, desperate to keep their hold on the fashion doll market, came up with new doll competitors for the Bratz: Myscene dolls. Myscene took advantage of the current emphasis on New York (since many were still recovering from 9/11), and tried to implement more urban fashions into the Barbie line. Myscene was a “hipper” and “more fashionable” version of Barbie. The lead character was still Barbie, but she took on the glossy-eyed look and bigger lips that the Bratz had. Though Myscene looked a lot like Bratz dolls, Myscene were decidedly prettier and more natural than the Bratz. Their feet were not stubby and their bodies were more realistic. Neither of them had the posable bodies we see today (that came with Liv dolls), but they had fashion any tween could want or dream of. Both fashion doll lines were relatively successful.
However, MGA felt a bit insecure with Myscene looking so much like the Bratz. They were obviously afraid people would confuse the two and give Mattel money for Myscene, not seeing the real difference between the lines (though they were different in many, many ways). MGA filed a lawsuit in April 2005 against Mattel claiming they stole MGA’s doe-eyed look and used it on the Myscene dolls. This was a big mistake. In 2006, Mattel filed a lawsuit against MGA claiming that the main creator of Bratz, Carter Bryant, was working for Mattel while he was designing Bratz, which technically meant Mattel were the true owners of Bratz. Mattel had some good proof. Mattel was awarded money for the Bratz dolls and all dolls were ordered to be removed from store shelves in 2008.
This case was appealed by MGA in 2008 and the recall was halted. During this halted process, Bratz were allowed to return to shelves until it was finalized who truly owned Bratz. In 2009, the companies gained another lawsuit from Bernard “Butch” Belair. He filed a lawsuit against them both because Carter Bryant, the originator of the Bratz, claimed to have been inspired from a Steve Madden shoe ad Belair created for Seventeen magazine. Mattel stepped out of that case. MGA took it on and prevailed, but they still didn’t have complete ownership of Bratz. For the rest of 2008 and 2009, Bratz stepped out of the doll scene. After all of this mess with Bryant, he was let go from MGA, which made them suffer because he was the main creator of the line.
Court battles have been going back and forth between the two companies, MGA and Mattel, ever since. These court cases greatly affected the Bratz dolls. With so much attention in court, it was clearly evident that Bratz were secondary. The Bratz dolls were starting to show less individuality, lower quality, and focus on Cloe and Yasmin rather than the four core Bratz girls.
When Bratz were removed from shelves, that gave other doll lines just the space they needed to shine. Monster High was in the works, playing on the “edgy” success of the Bratz. Basically, Monster High was supposed to be edgier than it turned out being. Monster High eventually formed its own identity, though…
Suddenly, in 2010, MGA announced that Bratz would make their comeback to shelves. Everyone was excited, expecting the edgy Bratz with the amazing quality. Instead, we got dolls that “played it safe”. Most of the dolls wore really “quiet”, normal outfits. Many of their outfits covered them up completely, adding leggings where a skirt was too short and jackets where a top was too cropped. I suppose MGA was trying to appeal to the critics and parents. But it didn’t appeal to tweens or fans any more: the people who matter most. To add, the quality was low. Cheap quality outfits (Painted on leggings), cheap hair, recycled and reused clothing and shoes, one outfit instead of two (as they once had), and hardly any accessories destroyed the doll line. Later, MGA admitted they rushed the new Bratz because they were eager to bring the dolls back to shelves. Still, they tried to make the dolls work, but the quality was just awful.  Finally, in 2014, MGA announced that Bratz would go on hiatus.
They said they wanted to “cleanse palates of expectations” and “deliver something cutting edge, disruptive, and awesome”.
So let’s see how well they did this time.
The NEW Bratz
The Bratz have traded up both their urban and edgy look for one that is absolutely “creative”, eclectic, and quirky. They switched their logo from “The Girls with a Passion for Fashion” to “It’s Good to Be Yourself, It’s Good to Be a Bratz”. MGA is trying to focus all of their attention on promoting the Bratz through technology (Isn’t it obvious with the selfie line?).
The “5th” girl being launched with the all-new core Bratz is Raya. Raya was actually first introduced in 2007 with the Magic Hair line. She came with the Salon. MGA has confirmed that she is the same girl, but they changed her eye color (just like they added freckles to Cloe’s face). Raya isn’t really a new girl.
With every new launch (with the exception of 2010), it has always been tradition for Bratz to add a 5th girl to the core Bratz pack. Meygen was the first to be added as a “core” member, which was initially met with some controversy. I believe that was why she didn’t sell as well as the others in 2002. She was then retired, and Dana replaced her. However, they brought Meygen back later. As Bratz fans began to realize that MGA was just trying to develop the growing Bratz line, they became more accepting of Meygen. Eventually, so many new Bratz were being created to the point that MGA decided to just keep the main core four girls and add “5th characters” according to the makeup of each line. We ended up getting new dolls such as Nevra, Fianna, Felicia, Roxxie, Phoebe, Vanessa, and many others.
Now, as they re-launch a new generation of Bratz, they decided to add Raya as the “5th” girl to the core line, just as they did with Meygen in 2002.
Hello, My Name Is
The Bratz have announced several lines including the “Hello My Name Is”, “Selfie”, and “Study Abroad” lines. Of the three, my favorite is “Study Abroad”.
Selfie Snaps
Study Abroad
So, what do you think of the new Bratz?
Here’s my review, and you are all welcome to agree or disagree.
There are some things that I am very happy with, but the overall presentation of the Bratz is a bit boring for me this time around. There are some major improvements to the line, but the actual content is not as bold as what once impressed upon me when I first fell in love with the Bratz. I think the Study Abroad line is the best line offered because there is so much quality and detail in the line. It brings out the boldness of Bratz more than all the other lines. I feel that with time, the Bratz may get a little more bold, just from judging the Study Abroad line. But the first two lines seem to lack the boldness that I’m craving.
Still, after getting my eyes on Study Abroad, I feel that little glimmer of hope. I believe that this is just the beginning for Bratz. If we get more dolls like Study Abroad, with just a little more edge, I believe I will begin to enjoy this line of dolls.
Though the Bratz’s outfits are of the highest quality right now, and though the Bratz have the Study Abroad line, there’s something about the Bratz that seems a bit off.
I feel that, for a line that has the slogan, “It’s Good to Be Yourself”, they don’t really feel like they are being “themselves”. In fact, it feels like the Bratz are trying to conform to what everyone else wants of them and to the trends around them rather than breaking fashion rules. The new Bratz are just too girly. If they have a female lead designer, Bratz are doomed. Why? Because females tend to want to make dolls that are “safe”, “sweet”, and something they feel girls should play with (even if it’s not truly what girls actually want). I hardly see any female designers who make doll lines disruptive (Tree Change is a good example of that) and hardly any doll lines designed by females appeal to boys like the Bratz once did.
I don’t know whether it’s the eyes, the clothes, or the overall presentation. Something just seems to lack “Bratitude”.
MGA said they were trying to bring something “cutting-edge, disruptive, and awesome”. Study Abroad carries most of those descriptions. The other lines are just way too colorful and sweet. Instead of being bold and edgy, the Selfie Snaps and Hello My Name is dolls look cute and innocent. They almost feel like the second Moxie Girlz, Bratz’s sister line from MGA. These dolls literally look like they are wearing leftover fashions from Moxie Girl design ideas. And all of the dolls’ eyes (even in Study Abroad) are almost exactly like Moxie Girlz’s eyes. For people who like the cute and innocent thing, you may like the cuter Bratz lines. I just can’t really merge myself with the cute and innocent appearance of the newer Bratz dolls. I want the make-up, the dramatic fashions, and the bold line choices. I want to see dolls who break rules.
I really hope that Tree Change dolls haven’t influenced the Bratz dolls in any way, not now or ever.
The “Tree Change” dolls, designed by Sonia Singh, were Bratz dolls that were reconstructed to look more like real girls. I’m here to tell you, the dolls are not interesting. It’s an example of why trying to make dolls into “normal” girls is a bad idea. The more you try to make a doll as boringly realistic as possible, so that they can reflect real girls, the more the girls just want to just well…live life without a doll. Dolls spark the imagination and make girls dream of the impossible. They help girls escape their world and be what they can’t be everyday. If girls are given dolls that reflect their everyday circumstances, they might as well not even imagine it. They won’t have to. They live their everyday circumstances every day.
This is exactly why I disagree with the goal of Tree Change dolls. Not only does it stifle imagination, art, and creativity, it is a poor business tactic, and can never be implemented in the real doll industry. I know I wouldn’t buy a Tree Change doll. I can’t imagine any kid that would even show interest. The reason is because there are more “average” dolls on toy shelves than there are “unique and bold” dolls. The news press pays attention to dolls that do something unique. Business runs on the element of originality. Bank (when the money rolls in) happens when someone sparks an idea that hasn’t been done before and when they find an idea that will be unique to the company. People will give money to the company because this “original product” can only come from that one company. Though nothing in the doll industry is extremely unique, the more unique a product is, with the right timing and promotion, the higher the chances for the doll line to become a hit.
If MGA breaks under the criticism, they may end up sacrificing all of their dolls’ unique qualities. I don’t want that to happen, but I’m a bit worried that MGA might try to conform.
It’s clearly evident that MGA is trying to appeal to parents and critics this time just as they tried last time in 2010 (though at least this time they were more creative). I could tell when they posted this article onto their facebook page that they wanted to appeal to parents, and somehow this article made them “feel good” about their release—–>New Bratz Dolls Tell Girls “It’s Good To Be Yourself”
The article author basically says “they’ve got a look and message that won’t make parents cringe”. That is truly the exact opposite of what made the Bratz so popular. Therefore, if this is the response MGA is getting from parents, they are not disruptive or “earth-shattering”. They are just…any other doll that a child can play with for a day and dump in the closet.
The article is a complete contradiction. While the author claims to enjoy the new message of “being yourself”, they obviously encourage the line to be something that “pleases parents”, the opposite of Bratz being “themselves”. For some reason, make-up is not a part of that self-expression. Dolls have to look “innocent to be “themselves” as well. To me, that doesn’t sound like “being yourself”. That sounds more like “Let People Mold You and Tell You What You Should Be”.
Parents can love and hate what they want, but at the end of the day it really matters what the kids and fans think. Parents aren’t the ones who will play with the dolls and most are not collectors. A parent can choose to buy any toy they want their child to play with, true enough, but if the child doesn’t like it, the child won’t play with it. The child won’t even ask their parent to buy a toy that they don’t want. If a parent buys a child a toy they think the child should have, it could be a waste of money. Therefore, the success of the Bratz is dependent on the new generation and the older fans of the Bratz. Furthermore, Bratz was meant to bring TWEENS back into the doll market, not little children. That goal is clearly being lost with the new Bratz.
MGA said they were trying to give Bratz the epic comeback the line deserved, but this is not exactly what I would call epic. However, it’s good enough, considering it’s just the beginning. It’s better than 2010, but not quite epic. If this is their idea of epic, they are definitely dealing with the wrong dolls here.
Still, there are some promising points I’d like to discuss. Though I don’t feel this comeback was amazing, this comeback wasn’t a total bust. There are some things that tell me that the Bratz have enough juice to fight the declining doll market.
Pros
1) I really like the new theme song the Bratz are promoted with. It’s called “Bratz What’s Up” by Skylar Stecker. It’s way better than the song they had in 2010 (“I Like”). This song carries more sass than the doll line itself. If Bratz come out with more movies and music, I’m certain it will sound good like it once did. I’m a bit relieved about that.
2) As mentioned before, I also like the Study Abroad line. I feel that it could’ve been edgier, like Pretty n Punk and Tokyo A-Go-Go, but I think it suffices. I really miss the Bratz when they weren’t so “girlish” (what’s with all the pinks and pastels, the skirts and floral patterns? Too much like Barbie), but I love the different details in this line. I love how each girl represents a different country. Maybe feminine and girly is in, but I don’t like what’s “in”. Still, Study Abroad has a lot of dramatic flair and the line is promising. Every doll will be coming home with me. The detail is amazing. The quality is impeccable. It really is the best line that has come out with this relaunch.
Berry Bread, a fellow blogger and Bratz collector, has an amazing review on the dolls:
3) I also like Hello My Name is Sasha doll. She seems to carry on the urban roots of the Bratz. Maybe it’s because she’s “Bunny Boo” and loves the “hip-hop thing”. In any case, her doll actually seems to look like a teenager. If any doll from that line comes home with me, it will be Sasha.
4) I also am happy the original “Bratz” logo has returned. The little cute “lips” next to the logo is great.
5) I like the new artwork. It feels more like the original. And the dolls actually look like the artwork! That is one major improvement.
6) They also returned Jade back to who she was in 2001. They made her the girl who likes extreme sports, like surfing and skateboarding. For those of you who don’t remember Bratz in 2001, you probably didn’t know that Jade used to have a skateboard in her room on the original website (the Bratz showed their rooms back then). In fact, she was more of the sporty one. Cloe used to play an acoustic guitar. Yasmin and Sasha were always generally what they are now.
7) I also heard that the quality is good. The hair is silky (saran, the most expensive). And guess what? No painted on leggings! Yay! (If you remember the horror of Style Starz Cloe, then you know what I’m talking about). It seems that the new dolls have more detail in their clothes, particularly in comparison to 2010. From reader Tom, I learned that the Bratz now come with two outfits in each package, tons of accessories, and now fashion/shoe packs are also available. This is excellent news. This shows that the Bratz have at least improved since 2010. They are not on the level they were in 2004/2005, but they are showing potential.
8) And yes, the Bratz individuality is back. We saw a decline in individuality around 2007 and 2008 when the court battles between MGA and Mattel began to affect the Bratz dolls. Thankfully, fans can finally have a desire to collect them ALL because no two girls look the SAME. Fans know what I’m talking about when I mention the lack of individuality. Lines like Fashion Pixiez and Bratz the Movie put the Bratz dolls in the same outfits as one another. Designers thought that giving them a slightly different color would make them pass as “individual”. Sad to say, many fans, such as myself, were satisfied with just ONE Fashion Pixiez doll (though I really was never interested in pixies to begin with) and definitely none of the Bratz the movie dolls (which also lacked details as well). But now, Bratz have shown individuality within each line shown so far.
9) I also like what I see of #SnowKissed which strongly reminds me of Winter Wonderland back in the 2000s. But in Winter Wonderland, the girls came with one skirt and one pair of jeans. Cloe’s doll comes with two skirts. Jade is the only one who comes with one pair of leggings and a skirt. The new winter dolls just seem too girly, like everything else in this comeback. That’s not my thing. To add, the Bratz girls are wearing cropped tops when it’s supposed to be wintry and cold. Â The original Winter Wonderland dolls wore sweaters and tights, like it was actually cold outside…
Their hats don’t seem as individual, but they are noticeably different from one another.
At least #Snowkissed shows some sass and flair very similar to the original winter collection. They are too girlish for my tastes, but they are still really nice.
Bratz Winter Wonderland
10) Bratz #Fierce Fitness isn’t bad either. It’s just something about their eyes…They don’t sit well with me.
Cons
1) The Bratz are way too cute and innocent for my tastes. “Bratz” hardly seems fitting anymore. That may be fine and dandy for some, but I’ve collected enough cute dolls (Mystikats, Liv, American Girl, Lisa Frank, Ever Girl, etc). I don’t want any more. I know a unique doll when I see one and Bratz will literally just fade for me. Is Bratz awfully bland? No. They have more detail and accessories than in 2010. But their wardrobes are just so colorful and they just look too innocent.
They lack a whole lot of sass. Just look at their eyes. The glossy look is completely gone. Really, that’s what is taking away their edgy look. Their eyes are too big. That could be another reason why they look so “sweet and innocent”. It’s funny how a painted face can give so much meaning and personality to a doll. Without the glossy eyes, it just doesn’t feel like they have much “Bratitude”. In 2010, they managed to make the eyes look a bit sassy, even if it wasn’t as glossy as the original. I don’t know why they deviated from the glossy look even further.
Perhaps MGA had to deviate away from the original designs due to the court cases. MGA had to remove all 1st Wave Bratz from shelves and they are no longer allowed to utilize the original look for the Bratz. This could be why there is a change in the eyes (clearly going from being glossy-eyed to being doe-eyed). That loss in the court case really changed the Bratz. MGA may be trying their hardest to make Bratz as similar to how they used to be as possible without stirring another court case battle. From my understanding, they have to be careful using the format given to them by Carter Bryant. It really is a shame because those details make a world of a difference. Still, the only thing they may not be allowed to use are the eyes and original facial structures. This shouldn’t affect their fashion sense. Perhaps we will see more fashion lines like the Study Abroad line in the future.
Even though I know MGA may not be allowed to use the glossy-eyed look they once used in 2001-2002, during the midst of their court battle for the Bratz in 2010 they managed to make the eyes a bit sassy. Now, their faces look like cute little girls rather than sassy, bold teenagers.
Bratz were never the kind of edgy that was just bag-lady tacky. They were edgy because they weren’t afraid to wear chains and leather. They were edgy because they weren’t afraid to wear things most people said were worn by “bad girls”. Their expressions expressed sass and attitude. They dressed in darker colors and wore as many jeans as they did skirts. In fact, when the Bratz debuted, they all debuted in jeans. They were not just appealing to girls, but some boys liked them and collected them, too. I’ve run into so many male fans of Bratz, I began to see Bratz’s wide-ranged appeal. Â These new dolls don’t feel any different from Barbie, Moxie Girlz, Monster High, or Ever After High. I might as well buy those dolls instead.
At this point, Bratz seem to be going in the same direction as Moxie Girlz dolls.
Again, too girlish and too feminine for my tastes. They started getting this way in 2007. Again some fans may like it, and maybe that’s what’s in, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it or buy into it. When Bratz first debuted, they were different from the other prissy dolls. They debuted with skirts, sure, but pants dominated much of their lines. They, at least, had one skirt and one pair of pants each line. Now, some dolls will have two skirts and no pants. Hardly any of the dolls wear pants. I liked the dolls that broke all the rules of femininity. I liked the dolls who weren’t so “soft”. I liked the tough look of the Bratz. No other doll line, not even Monster High, could capture that tough look, considering most doll lines are meant to be appealing to little girls.
2) Bratz’s goal was to focus on the interests of teens and tweens, not little girls. The new Bratz seem to be trying to gather in the interests of little girls. Issac Larian mentioned that he had gotten some of his inspiration from talking to little girls. If you look at their newest “It’s good to be a Bratz” commercial/ad, it’s apparent that younger children will be the focus. Compared to older Bratz commercials, it really doesn’t seem like a doll line people of all ages and genders can relate to. The original inspiration behind the Bratz was from Seventeen magazine, a magazine for teenagers. Â The difference in inspiration will influence how the dolls are marketed and influences what the Bratz are wearing right now. Currently, the Bratz just don’t look like teenagers anymore.
I feel that is the problem. They will only capture the “little girls” and not the older girls as they once did. Bratz easily captured the hearts of tweens and teens (such as myself) back in 2001 because I didn’t feel too lame to own a doll that was “so cool”. Little girls imitated their older cousins and sisters anyway, so they were captured as well. That made Bratz’s popularity huge. With the new lines, I’m not too sure Bratz could capture the tween/teen market. That could be a loss in profits.
Bratz also once captured the interests of many males, even those that didn’t like dolls. That was something hardly any doll line has been able to achieve, as most dolls are geared towards girls. But Bratz were just that cool.
I honestly can’t see too many guys finding the new dolls cool, so that could be a loss as well.
They certainly will have a hard time appealing to as many people as they once did unless older people get the nostalgia “jones” (the disease I have right now 😛 ) and make themselves like it simply because it was a part of their childhood. I can’t see them grabbing a new market of teenagers.
3) What is with the cheesy selfie line? I know people are into selfies, but making it that obvious by putting “selfie” on every shirt in the line makes it obvious the people at MGA aren’t tech savvy. It’s obvious they are not used to catering their doll line to a modern age. They should be more discreet with the line. No one hardly takes “selfies” with “selfie” shirts on. It would be fine if just one doll had it on their shirt. But they should bring some individuality to the selfie line by making them have different words on their shirts instead.
4) I really don’t like the slogan, “It’s Good to be Yourself”, either. It’s cliche and everyone is using it. Even Monster High uses something similar in their slogan (“Be Yourself”) and Moxie Girlz is similar (“Be True! Be You!”) as well. Very few slogans say, “The Girls with a Passion for Fashion”. That slogan also encouraged a great variety in fashion. It’s great we get to see their own individuality, but doesn’t that take away the imagination from the children? How can they make up their dolls’ personalities when their dolls are given personalities? Plus, we fans want to see how far Bratz can go as fashion dolls.
MGA seems to miss the point entirely. Issac Larian, the CEO, seems to think that if he makes the dolls more “techy” it will be more appealing. But actually people are looking for something that stays true to itself despite all obstacles. People are looking for something that’s unique and empowering. They are not looking for something that “fits in”. I feel this will be the downfall of the line. Right now, MGA is just focused on making the Bratz more appealing to a new generation.
5) The website is also disappointing. I know people hardly visit websites anymore, but an appealing interactive website can make a world of a difference. It is one of the reasons behind American Girl’s success. I was hoping the Bratz website would be as awesome as it was once before. But it’s not. http://www.bratz.com
Overall, I love some things, but I have this emptiness. There is just something that is missing. I feel this was not an epic comeback. Maybe my expectations were too high, but after someone has a second chance at it, you’d think they’d get it right. What happened to all the ideas fans gave them? Maybe they are saving those ideas for later, but the initial lines matter right now, especially at this time in history where it is getting harder to capture the interests of girls and make a profit from fashion dolls. They would have done better if they’d showed fans some of the prototypes and got the fans’ input on the dolls. Oh well.
There is speculation that Bratz may be going on another hiatus or being discontinued entirely. Things aren’t looking good for the Bratz. 😦
Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Okay, I admit I haven’t been following the Bratz lately since my disappointment with some of their recent dolls (what, with the lack of quality hair and materials, repetitive fashion styles, etc), so I have basically been ignoring them. However, I recently went back to the website to see if MGA Entertainment has decided to come up with something GOOD for a change. I will say the newest dolls are pretty, but they still seem to have similar fashion to their Party line of dolls, and I’m not sure about the quality.
What really got my head rolling was this: The Bratz reality show.
I know the Bratz had a reality show in Europe a while back called Bratz Design Academy, where girls competed to make the best fashion by designing the next Bratz wardrobe. The fashion that won would be on the newest Bratz line in Europe. I remember seeing a portion of it and never getting to see the end. The U.S. always follows the other countries in the Bratz respect, as with the CD trend. Japan got the first Bratz CD, Show Me What You Got, Americans wanted it too, and a year or two later they got it. It is the same trend with the reality show. This reality show for Bratz will be called Bratz Making the Band, and it will be on Youtube, having girls sign up to be apart of the band, and competing to win a trip to Hollywood, California and an interview and paparazzi exposure. This will be an exciting experience for girls who are interested. This is the TEASER trailer.
It’s interesting, and because it’s a LEAKED trailer, it might be a farce. But if it isn’t, we have this to look forward to sometime in the summer or fall season. Apparently, a DVD was also announced. I only have a couple of concerns about this: 1) age limit 2) whether or not they will have to sing a Bratz song. I’m also not a big fan of reality shows, especially children involved in one, but this seems like it will be a lot of fun. One thing I noticed from the original reality show was that it created a competitive spirit and spurred on drama that can be over-the-top for young girls. However, this is just going to be on youtube so it will almost be like that competition they had a few years back, where girls had to sing that Bratz theme song and create a music video.
So this should be fun! People get your lyrical, instrumental, and singing abilities together and start music!But wouldn’t this be more fun if it dealt with fashion?
These 2010 Bratz dolls are awesome! Just when some people were in fear of the Bratz not being as edgy or outrageous and taking risks like the old Bratz, Bratz Party line was revealed! It really seems MGAE is giving a bit of all the Bratz flavor, from the urban hip-hop wear from the year 2001, to the diversity and beautiful styles of 2002-2003, to the funky, risky, and ecclectic fashions in 2004 and 2005! This is all of what I’m looking for!
Of course, one problem is still the feet. They do look a tad bit smaller, now that I analyze them a little more. I’m kind of getting the sinking feeling that they are trying to compete with the LIV dolls. Even the Moxie Teenz have disappointed me in becoming LIV. Are those dolls really that popular?
I mean, I have had the pleasure of seeing them up close. While the new Moxie Girlz are very cute, though nothing on the Bratz, LIV is only cute in the face. That’s where it ends. The clothes are cheap looking, average, unoriginal….just plain boring. Not a doll collection I’m into. They remind me too heavily of Diva Starz and Barbie and Lisa Frank.
They are too flowery. Talk about a doll collection that lacks edge, it definitely has to be LIV dolls. And Monster High…that’s a pathetic attempt to be edgy. Way to go Mattel at failing with your “Bratz” dolls. They should stick with Myscene. At least it can go past one line. Monster High doesn’t look like it can last past one outfit for each girl….I can see them having the same fate as Flavas….
Yea, but LIV dolls have weird looking bodies. And they say Bratz lacks articulation now. To me, Moxie Girlz even did a better job than LIV at attempting posable bodies. LIV have big heads and faces, long bodies and small feet…not very attractive for me. I knew when I saw them I wouldn’t be collecting them. They don’t stand out to me that much. They look like Mystikats, Zodiac Girlz, and Lisa Frank. Nothing special.
But the Bratz…they are original. Their fashions are hard to imitate because they take fashion risks. The Bratz get their ideas from the urban hip-hop and cutting edge runways, rather than looking at the mainstream pop culture and all the bubblegum looks with all the juicy colors. That’s what turned me off from Moxie Girlz originally…They were just too darn colorful. They were tacky, wacky, and cheesy. The eyes and hair and face were cute, but lacked any individual style, originality, and creativity. Their fashions were also too childish for my tastes, but I didn’t care about that because I knew it was mostly directed to little kids. Bratz have always been way ahead of other dolls in high-style fashion and trends, they’ve always been original and creative with their approach in fashion, and they just look like time and care was taken into the doll, even though it is for kids.
Some companies think that just because something is directed to kids that it doesn’t matter the quality or how it’s made and that kids will like it anyway…that is SO not true. Kids know good quality when they see it sometimes…especially when the material of the clothes keep tearing every time they play with them. And they are especially attracted to pretty and lavish, like they see on TV and internet.
Bratz have it all, for pretty much all ages. They are pretty, stylish, diverse in their fashion and trends, diverse in ethnicity, and just completely risky and creative. They are everything a fashion doll can and should be…Not to mention, with all the movies giving the Bratz personality, their personalities are not very cliche, like you would see with LIV dolls. LIV personalities remind me of Diva Starz. Bratz are more unique and sassy, making them appealing.
Well, the only downside is they’re not exactly “parent-material”…but just about any fashion doll can be a bad influence on children, especially if the dolls are representing teenagers. Kids want to be like their “older siblings”, which is natural. “Soccer moms” should really observe their older daughters and their styles. Bratz is a mirror into what your teens are wearing. So if you want to “improve” Bratz fashion, monitor what your teens are wearing, and raise them not to like pop culture.
There are so many different opinions about these dolls! Woo! So many!
One of the main concerns is
1) Lack of an edgy, outrageous approach, unlike the 2005 Bratz dolls.
This is my answer to that…so what? That was not the Bratz original style. In fact, that is when the Bratz LOST all of their diversity and originality. They DROPPED the Fashion Passions altogether because the lines became so intermingled with one another, they couldn’t come up with quality styles for each of the Bratz. Of course, there’s only so much individuality you can have before you just run out of ideas, but at least have one line that expresses the individual style. Freestyle a little. I’m talking about lines like Style It, Xpress It, 1st Edition, Formal Funk…those kinds of lines where the Bratz had distinct fashion styles that they expressed. And the the themes allowed them the freedom to express their fashion passions.
We don’t want a repeat of 2005, we want a repeat of 2001-2004.
2) Lack of articulation
Did the Bratz ever have articulation? That’s what made the Bratz popular. The Bratz got new bodies now and so people said they didn’t see “articulation”. They said the feet aren’t as big, and the bodies don’t have curves…but the two dolls they saw had baggy clothes on and short hair cuts and three-inch shoes…They looked urban.
3) Bad quality material
I have to admit this is also my concern. Of course, we have to wait a while. MGA is spending a lot of money on Moxie Girls, and have just gotten over the court case. They probably don’t have the money they used to.
4)No creativity with the fashions and make-up
Don’t know. Because this is only the first line, and only one outfit we saw, I can’t really say. But so far the Bratz look like they are right in style. Of course, no one can replace Carter Bryant. He probably had a huge hand in the make-up of Bratz. But hey, to me the Bratz look okay. Of course, I would like to see more make-up.
People were mad about the eyes, but I like the glossy approach.
So take a look at it, look out for it in stores, and look at the commercials and TV spots after this week!
I personally grew up with the Bratz dolls. My generation was actually the generation that they were directing these dolls to. At some point in generation next, more than any generation before us, we had a hard time playing with just ANY toys. In fact, our generation was tired of the glitzy, glam Barbie, the same old Blonde and pink, no diversity, no edge (which I think this generation is retreating into AGAIN). But as the generation of “Scorpios”, as Generation Next is also known, we just were attracting to the darker side of things, edgier music like punk rock, and into the hidden issues of things, not the surface of everything. We were not superficial, neither were we completely into the “fake” outer shell of Barbie.
Basically, to us, she was a plastic blonde bimbo, who believed she could do anything, especially with her unrealistic body, like big boobs and a tiny waist, and everything being pink including the “Barbie car” and the “Barbie mansion”. And what black, Asian, Native American, or Latin can relate to that kind of girl? None. Even the dolls that were supposed to represent diversity proved less than adequate to Barbie. Who even remembers any of their names? They all wore the same outfit as Barbie except in a different color.
Well, actually the problem wasn’t even only that. Some of the “still-superficial idiots” dumped Barbie, the original bimbo, for a new one, Britney Spears. Critics and Analysts alike realized more girls were buying CDs instead of dolls, especially with the rise of teeny, bubblegum pop music and CD players, and even…*gasp back then* Mp3 players.
And even today, barely anyone buys dolls….unless it has some pop singer’s face on it.
Back then, all doll companies took up a challenge. All companies were competing to bring tweens back into the doll world. All were trying to create dolls that fit the generation that would be Y2K. 21st Century kids needed something fresh, something new, something that fit how far the world has come. We needed a dolls line that was trendy.
For some time, the only doll company who had any measure of success with reaching tweens in even a small way was Mattel and their lines of Generation Girl Barbie and Diva Starz. And even though they were popular for a little while, they only lasted each about three years or four. Zodiac Girls had a small success and Mystikats. But none of the dolls could beat out the pop star Britney Spears….
In 2000, when I was 10, I happened to stumble upon a website that had this urban beat, and these urban-looking girls, with sneak peeks at the clothing. The website was under construction, but I’ll never forget the song. Because it had this “come on” in between every Bratz outfit. At first I thought it was going to be a cartoon, but then…
In 2001 a commercial came onto the screen that was like this:
I liked the urban tone, but was shocked when I saw them! I immediately went back to my computer that year, and saw that the site had finally been constructed. It was the dolls that I fell in love with. They had sass, diversity, urban originality, and they were just….everything Barbie was NOT. They represented the girls of the 21st Century, Generation Next: Edgy, dark, diverse…girls who didn’t follow the norm, but did their own thing. Girls who took risks. It represented the many styles that were becoming popular at the Turn of the Century. And most of all, it gave Mattel the first run for their money EVER since their debut.
Bratz was a creative edition to the doll world. At first, Bratz didn’t do so well the first holiday season, but unlike most doll companies, MGA had nothing else to work with. They had gotten a good designer on their team, and they didn’t give up. I had first started joining online fan groups back then, and I thought it was cool (never knew about Myspace and Facebook or WordPress, I was on Yahoo Groups the biggest Bratz area at the time ;p). I would keep up with ALL the details.
Then the next summer they released Funk N’ Glow, and it was over. The Bratz boomed in the markets. After that, all the wannabe copies came. The only one that even proved to be measurable was Myscene, which was liked for their beauty, realistic look, and City-like soap-opera webisodes. They were the first to do it, now LIV is doing it…and they weren’t kiddie episodes either. They were very mature. Bratz didn’t really get all into that. They were not a doll line to imitate, though they did imitate the movie deal. But the movie was NOTHING like the others, Bratz the Video Starrin and Stylin.
Of course there’s a price you pay for fame. When too many people start to know you and love you, of course, eventually you lose your identity and what originally made you popular. A new generation was coming into the mix. The “Sagittarius” generation, who is still the tweens of today, are running the show. And though they are very diverse, they lack the same edge and intense approach we have. They are much more freedom-oriented, diverse, open-minded, mutable, and often VERY superficial. They are blinded by fame and glory, so the cheesy, smiley Barbie might be right up their alley. And the type of Bratz they liked was the 2005 ones, where Bratz lost their identities in Rock Angelz and Dynamite, until the point they dropped the Bratz Passion Fashions altogether, but got PLENTY of attention. They can be a bit rebellious, but they don’t mind conventional either.
Well, then there was this ongoing battle between Mattel and MGA on who had the rights of the Bratz dolls. At first all seemed to be going in Mattel’s favor to the point Bratz were to be removed from shelves by 2009…but then, something miraculous happened. A new case opened up in the Appeals Court, and MGA won the rights to Bratz once again!
I mean really, what would Mattel do with the Bratz but throw them away? Nobody would buy a Mattel-owned Bratz because Mattel lacks what Bratz had: an Iranian CEO.
That’s not my thing. To add, the Bratz girls are wearing cropped tops when it’s supposed to be wintry and cold. Â The original Winter Wonderland dolls wore sweaters and tights, like it was actually cold outside…
Generation Next 