Renowned toy manufacturer Mattel has been forced to recall its popular Wicked fashion dolls after a packaging error led to a misprint on the product’s website link directing buyers to a pornographic site.

The toys, primarily sold in the US, were part of a merchandising push tied to Universal’s upcoming Wicked film, due for release on Saturday, November 22.

Mattel issued a statement apologising for the error, urging parents to discard or obscure the incorrect website link, which is deemed inappropriate for children. The company is working to rectify the situation but has not clarified whether it will reprint the packaging or distribute correction stickers to retailers.

“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.”

Mattel, Toy Manufacturer’s ‘Wicked’ statement

As of Monday, November 11, major retailers including Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Macy’s had removed the dolls from their online stores. Other retailers such as Best Buy and Barnes & Noble followed suit.

Despite the blunder, the issue comes at an inopportune time for Mattel, as the goal is to capitalise on the Wicked movie release to boost sales during the holiday season. However, the recall may potentially impact consumer trust and brand image in the meantime.