The recent foray into merchandising for the cinematic adaptation of Wicked took an unexpected and rather unfortunate turn for Mattel over the weekend. Reports emerged that a web address printed on the packaging of character dolls inadvertently redirected consumers to an adult-oriented pornographic website, raising significant concerns about appropriateness and consumer safety.
In response to the backlash, the toy manufacturer issued an apology on Sunday, clarifying the situation. “Mattel was alerted to a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, predominantly distributed in the United States, which was intended to guide consumers to the official landing page, WickedMovie.com,” the statement elaborated. “We profoundly regret this unfortunate oversight and are executing immediate measures to rectify the issue. We strongly advise parents that the incorrectly printed website is unsuitable for children. Consumers in possession of the product are encouraged to either discard or obscure the erroneous link and are welcome to reach out to Mattel Customer Service for further assistance.”
By Sunday afternoon, the dolls in question had been withdrawn from sale at Target, a leading retail partner for the forthcoming Universal film. It remains ambiguous whether the erroneous web address is present on Mattel merchandise distributed by other retailers.
As Wicked is poised to premiere in theaters on November 22, anticipation runs high for this cinematic adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, helmed by filmmaker Jon M. Chu and featuring a star-studded cast including Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
The character dolls associated with this packaging debacle include Grande’s portrayal of Glinda and Erivo’s Elphaba.
The misprinted web address on the dolls directs users to wicked.com, as opposed to the intended wickedmovie.com. Accessing the erroneous link prompts viewers to confirm they are 18 or older, subsequently landing them on a site promoting an adult film titled Kenzie Loves Girls 2, produced by a venture named Wicked Pictures.
Nov. 10, 2:14 p.m. Updated with Mattel Statement.
This story was initially published at 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 10.
Vocabulary List:
- Merchandising /ˈmɜr.tʃən.daɪ.zɪŋ/ (noun): The activity of promoting the sale of goods at retail.
- Inadvertently /ˌɪn.ədˈvɜr.tənt.li/ (adverb): Without intention; accidentally.
- Oversight /ˈoʊ.vər.saɪt/ (noun): An unintentional failure to notice or do something.
- Rectify /ˈrɛk.tɪ.faɪ/ (verb): To correct or make right.
- Ambiguous /æmˈbɪg.ju.əs/ (adjective): Open to more than one interpretation; unclear.
- Beloved /bɪˈlʌv.ɪd/ (adjective): dearly loved.
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