[melanie]

In the long-running struggle between the makers of Barbie and Bratz, the more demure diva has emerged victorious over her sassier, sultrier competitor. MGA Entertainment Inc. was dealt a knock-out legal punch late Wednesday when a federal judge ordered the company to stop making the doe-eyed, pouty-lipped Bratz dolls it's been selling since 2001. Competitors go up against each other every day, but it's rare for a court to order a company's products off the shelf, legal experts said. The ruling came after a jury found in August that the Bratz creator developed the idea while working at Mattel, maker of the iconic Barbie doll. After a four-year legal battle, the jury awarded Mattel up to $100 million in damages for breach of contract and copyright infringement. U.S. District Judge Stephen Larson ordered MGA to stop manufacturing all 40 Bratz dolls and reimburse vendors and distributors for the costs of the dolls and for shipping them back. The dolls can stay on store shelves through the holiday season, then must be recalled. MGA is appealing and has asked to continue selling the dolls in the interim. A hearing on post-trial motions is scheduled on Feb. 11 Drew Crum, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus, called the case a "stunning victory" for Mattel, the world's largest toy company. Since Bratz hit the doll scene, Crum said that Barbie's market share has dwindled, representing less than 20 percent of Mattel's revenue.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...0,148518.story

for the tl;dr

good bye bratz