Just like for the 2023 “Barbie” movie, the marketing team for the upcoming “Wicked” movie is working overtime to gain as much exposure and public engagement as possible ahead of the film's release.
Comcast-owned Universal Studios' 'Wicked' movie (CMCSA) opening Nov. 22, is based on the Broadway musical of the same name and tells the untold story of “The Wizard of Oz” from the perspective of Elphaba and Glinda.
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Since the film was announced, “Wicked” has generated significant buzz through collaborations with multiple retail partners, ranging from beauty products to apparel and toys. Stores across America have been stocking their shelves and dedicating entire sections to “Wicked”-themed products, making it nearly impossible to avoid.
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Not only is this a beneficial marketing strategy for the film, but it is also a great way to cash in on the retail industry as the holiday season approaches.
With a film so massively promoted, one can't help but find at least a controversial fact. However, this latest mistake could damage an entire brand.
Mattel tarnished its reputation by making a hugely controversial mistake
Mattel is one of the most popular toy and entertainment companies and owns well-known brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, American Girl and Fisher-Price, which are found in almost every retail store in the world.
As an established, children-oriented company founded more than eight decades ago, one would think that Mattel (MAT) He would be extremely careful with his image to remain in the parents' favor.
A small misprint in the company's manufacturing could tarnish its kid-friendly image and forever damage its business.
Like many other retail companies, Mattel partnered with “Wicked” to create dolls based on the film's characters to promote and capitalize on the craze surrounding the film. But when parents read the fine print on the back of the package, the results were not what they expected.
The toy company accidentally printed the wrong web address on the packaging of its “Wicked” dolls. This web address mistakenly led to a pornographic website with a very similar name instead of the film's official website.
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On Sunday, Mattel apologized for the misprint on its packaging and issued the following statement:
“Mattel learned of a printing error on the packaging of Mattel Wicked collection dolls, sold primarily in the US, that was intended to direct consumers to the official store. WickedMovie.com landing page”.
The company considered it a manufacturing error and said it would take immediate action, but did not indicate what steps it would take to correct this error, leaving the term “movie” out of the package.
“We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate steps to remedy it. Parents are warned that the incorrect and misprinted website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already own the product are advised to discard the product packaging or hide the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for more information.”
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Although Mattel did not specify what actions it would take, the doll collection is in the process of being removed from Walmart shelves. (WMT) Macy's (METRO) Kohl's (K.S.S.) amazon (AMZN) and more.
Customers react to Mattel's inappropriate mistake
Many angry customers took to instagram to express their anger over the toy company's controversial mistake and commented on its latest post featuring the “Wicked” collection dolls.
See the original article for embedded media.
One customer alluded to the misprint being made on purpose by commenting: “…Is this being corrected? Or was this considered not a big enough issue to be taken off the shelves? There's no way to that all of you don't know now.” . It makes it seem like it wasn't a mistake somehow.
One customer warned parents, commenting: “Parents, beware of the evil Barbie website.”
One angry parent commented: “No one believes the 'errata' lie. Trash company.”
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