Mattel mistakenly linked children’s dolls to a pornographic website due to a typographical error.

• Movie credits for “Wicked” were directed to wicked.com instead of wickedmovie.com.
• Mattel immediately apologized and advised parents to throw away the incorrect packaging.
• The dolls, now removed from major retailers, have appeared at inflated prices on eBay.
• Retailers including Target and Walmart pulled the dolls from their shelves.

A significant oversight by Mattel led to a troubling situation where promotional dolls for the children’s movie “Wicked” mistakenly redirected consumers to a pornographic website. On the packaging of these dolls, a web address meant to link to the movie’s official page was misprinted to wicked.com, a site known for adult content. This bug was discovered over the weekend, prompting swift action from the toy maker.

The dolls are associated with Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the musical spinoff “The Wizard of Oz,” which features big name actors like Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Cynthia Erivo and Arianna Grande. This festive release anticipated capturing a large family audience, but the incorrect URL introduced an unfortunate twist, diverting attention from the film’s content to online safety concerns.

Mattel responded to the blunder with an apology, expressing regret over the incident and urging consumers to either remove the faulty packaging or hide the misleading link. They emphasized that the offending website is not suitable for children and assured that measures are being implemented to address the issue thoroughly. Parents are advised to seek additional assistance from Mattel Customer Service if necessary.

After the misprint was discovered, major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Macy’s and Amazon began pulling the affected product from their shelves. The dolls, which originally retailed for between $24.99 and $39.99, have since appeared on eBay for prices of up to $800 (£619) as collectors and opportunists aim to capitalize on the recall .

The incident highlights the importance of strict quality controls, especially for products aimed at young consumers. Mattel’s prompt response, while necessary, serves as a reminder of the potential impact of errors in the digital age, where information, once released, is difficult to retract.

Mattel’s swift action highlights the critical nature of accurate product information to maintain consumer confidence.