The Barbie Doll vs. The Bratz Dolls
by Terry Edwards
[Jan 10, 2007] There is no question, argument, or debate over the fact that the Mattel Barbie doll is the most popular doll of all-time. Barbie has been a favorite of little girls for nearly 50 years now and a constant top selling toy in retail stores everywhere. With that said, there seems to be another doll favorite in stores these days called the Bratz dolls.
The Bratz dolls have recently given Barbie some tough competition in the doll industry. Introduced in 2001, some of the many Bratz line of dolls include Bratz Babyz, Bratz Step Out, Bratz Rock Angelz, and many others as well. You can go inside any toy section of your favorite retailer and find a wide selection of these popular new dolls. Also included is a whole line of Lil Bratz which are designed for girls under 6 years of age.
Another factor in this doll rivalry is the fact that the Bratz dolls have fashions and accessories that include every ethnic group, whereas up until the last couple of years, Barbie had not. Could it have been the competition from Bratz that forced Barbie into this change? With Bratz closing the gap in sales, Barbie needed to come up with some fresh ideas. It should also be noted that Bratz dolls are also available in male models as well.