12 Nov - The Mattel team find themselves having to apologise to customers after it was revealed that a web address listed on the packaging of its new "Wicked" character dolls leads to an adult pornographic site. The toy company released a statement on 10 November following the backlash, writing, "Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the US, which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page."
"We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information," it added.
It is noted that the entire "Wicked" collection, which include fashion dolls, singing figurines and deluxe collectible models, had since been withdrawn from sales at Mattel's retail partner, Target. It is also being pulled from other retailers including Walmart, Macy's, Kohl's, Best Buy, DSW, and Amazon.com. "Wicked", starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, is set to be released on 22 November.