Toys June 13, 2008, 2:34PM EST text size: T T

Barbie v. Bratz: Toys on Trial

The multimillion-dollar "custody battle" comes down
to one question: Was the creator of the street-smart
dolls working for attel when he sold his idea to
!"#
Carter Bryant, the desiner !ho "a#e u$ !ith the initia% idea &or the !i%d%y su""ess&u%
Bratz %ine o& do%%s, sett%ed his %ea% 'att%e !ith toy iant Matte% (M)T* a #onth ao+ But
you !ou%dn,t -no! that &ro# the ri%%in he,s 'een ettin in &edera% "ourt in .i/erside,
Ca%i&+
Bryant is the star !itness in the hih0$ro&i%e dustu$ (Business1ee-+"o#, 3210231*
'et!een Matte% and its ar"hri/a% M4) Entertain#ent, "ontro%%ed 'y entre$reneur 5saa"
6arian+ The "i/i% "ase in 7+S+ 8istri"t Court, Centra% 8istri"t o& Ca%i&ornia, is a "ustody
'att%e o& sorts o/er the Bratz do%%s+ Their %aun"h se/en years ao sent Matte%,s i"oni"
Bar'ie 'rand into a #ar-et0share tai%s$in+ Matte% "%ai#s it shou%d o!n Bratz, 'e"ause
Bryant !as !or-in &or Matte% !hen he &irst $it"hed the idea &or the sassy, street0"hi"
do%%s to 6arian+
Bryant has #aintained he "on"ei/ed o& the do%%s durin an eiht0#onth 'rea- he too-
&ro# Matte% in 1338+ 9e ad#itted on the !itness stand that he ne/er o&&ered his do%%
desin to Matte% and instead $it"hed it to M4) and another "o#$any+ :5 "reated these
"hara"ters,: he said+ :5 had no idea they,d e/er "o#$ete !ith anythin Matte% did+:
Surprisingly Relentless
M4) has sin"e $aid Bryant :se/era% #i%%ion do%%ars: in roya%ties, he said+ 6ast !ee-,
6arian testi&ied it !as #ore than ;30 #i%%ion+ Bryant sett%ed Matte%,s suit aainst hi# &or
undis"%osed ter#s <ust $rior to the start o& the tria% on May 2=+ The toy iant is sti%%
$ursuin its "o$yriht in&rine#ent "%ai# aainst 6arian,s "o#$any+ The -ey to that !i%%
'e "on/in"in the <ury that Bryant a"tua%%y "reated the Bratz do%%s !hi%e he !as
e#$%oyed 'y Matte% in 1333 and 2000+
8ressed "onser/ati/e%y in a dar- suit and a $a%e ye%%o! shirt, his "heru'i" &a"e #i%d
'ehind arty !ire0&ra#ed eye%asses, Bryant see#ed %i-e an un%i-e%y $er$ in a hih0
sta-es inte%%e"tua% $ro$erty 'att%e+ >et Matte%,s %ea% tea#ed ha##ered a!ay at hi#,
tryin to #a-e hi# "ontradi"t hi#se%& on su"h see#in%y #inor detai%s as !hether there
!as a "a#era $resent durin a $ra"ti"e de$osition he,d i/en !ith his o!n %a!yers in
2004+ :5 thin- e/eryone, in"%udin M4), is sur$rised at ho! re%ent%ess%y Matte% is
$ursuin this "ase,: says 4erri"- Johnson, a toy ana%yst at BM? Ca$ita% Mar-ets
(BM?* !ho has 'een &o%%o!in the tria% &ro# a&ar+
Bryant, a 330year0o%d Missouri nati/e, too- the stand &or a se"ond day on June 12+ 9e
said he,d heard ru#ors !hi%e at Matte% that &e%%o! e#$%oyees :#oon%ihted: on $ro<e"ts
&or other "o#$anies+ But attorney 1i%%ia# Pri"e, a #e#'er o& Matte%,s %ea% tea#,
"ontinued to $ro'e unti% Bryant ad#itted he "ou%dn,t na#e other Matte% e#$%oyees !ho
had !or-ed &or ri/a%s+ :5 had <ust heard a'out it,: he said+ :5t !as a enera% ru#or+:
Didn't Understand the Agreement
Pri"e sho!ed Bryant $ortions o& an :in/entions aree#ent: he had sined !hen he
returned to !or- at Matte% in January, 1333+ The "ontra"t, &air%y standard in the industry,
$rohi'its e#$%oyees &ro# !or-in si#u%taneous%y &or "o#$etin "o#$anies and
re@uires the# to dis"%ose $rodu"t ideas they "on"ei/e o& !hi%e e#$%oyed 'y Matte%+
Bryant testi&ied he &e%t he had not had an :o$$ortunity to "onsu%t !ith a %a!yer a'out the
ter#s o& the aree#ent: at the ti#e and that he :understood it the 'est 5 "ou%d, 'ut 5
didn,t understand e/erythin a'out it+:
Bryant has said he did the initia% dra!ins &or Bratz in 1338 !hen not e#$%oyed 'y
Matte%+ But on the !itness stand he ad#itted to 'a"-datin one set o& dra!ins to
)uust o& 1338 e/en thouh they,d a"tua%%y 'een done a year %ater, a&ter he had returned
to Matte%+ Bryant said he had done so 'e&ore he -ne! there !as any %ea% "ha%%ene to
Bratz o!nershi$+ )%thouh Bryant,s &riends and &a#i%y are ex$e"ted to testi&y that they
sa! Bratz dra!ins as ear%y as 1338, the desiner said he didn,t ha/e "o$ies dated &ro#
that ti#e $eriod+ :5 don,t usua%%y $ut a date on #aster dra!ins,: he ex$%ained+
Used Mattel's Fax Machine
)ttorney Pri"e !a%-ed Bryant throuh /arious ste$s he too- to $it"h the Bratz do%%s to
other "o#$anies !hi%e he !as at Matte%+ Bryant ad#itted he,d done #ore extensi/e
s-et"hes o& the do%%s, used o%d Bar'ie do%% $arts to #a-e a $rototy$e, and used a Matte%
&ax #a"hine to "orres$ond !ith M4)+ 9e,d a%so as-ed Matte% "o0!or-ers to he%$ hi#
desin a Bratz %oo, $aint a $rototy$e do%%,s &a"e, and i#$%ant hair in the du##y do%%,s
head+
Pri"e as-ed Bryant se/era% ti#es i& he didn,t thin- he !as 'etrayin his &e%%o! Matte%
e#$%oyees 'y as-in the# to !or- on his $ro<e"t !ithout te%%in the# it !as not Matte%
!or-+ :5 didn,t thin- it !as that 'i a dea%,: Bryant said+ :5 don,t -no! Ai&B 5 understood
M4) !as a "o#$etitor o& Matte%+ 5 -ne! they !ere a toy "o#$any+ 5 didn,t -no! ho!
'i they !ere+:
Erasing the Evidence?
Ear%ier in the !ee-, Jude Ste$hen 6arson ru%ed Matte%,s %ea% tea# "ou%d introdu"e
e/iden"e that Bryant used a so&t!are $rora# "a%%ed E/iden"e Eraser <ust $rior to
handin his "o#$uter o/er to Matte% in/estiators &or do"u#ent retrie/a%+ M4),s side
has ex$%ained Bryant !as <ust tryin to re#o/e $ornora$hi" :$o$ u$: ads+
Matte% a%so %i-e%y s"ored $oints &or its side !hen it sho!ed a %etter Bryant had !ritten to
an M4) attorney in 2000 !hen he !as neotiatin the sa%e o& the Bratz desins to
6arian+ M4) a$$arent%y had as-ed Bryant &or "o$ies o& any e#$%oy#ent aree#ents
he,d sined !ith Matte%+ Bryant ex$%ained in the %etter that he "ou%dn,t as- Matte%,s
hu#an resour"e de$art#ent &or "o$ies o& the do"u#ents !ithout :raisin sus$i"ion+:
Pa%#eri is a senior "orres$ondent in BusinessWeek,s 6os )ne%es 'ureau+
To$ Ce!s Ju%y 18, 2008, 12:13PM EST text size: T T
$ould attel %nd &' With Bratz#
(n winning its co'yright case against !") attel
could grab hundreds of millions in back royalties*
and maybe even ownershi' of the su'erhot Bratz
dolls
'y Christo$her Pa%#eri
5t !as the Batt%e o& the 8o%%s, and Bar'ie has !on+ ) 7+S+ 8istri"t Court <ury in
.i/erside, Ca%i&+, &ound toy#a-er M4) Entertain#ent ui%ty o& "ontra"t inter&eren"e
and "o$yriht in&rine#ent !hen it hired do%% desiner Carter Bryant a!ay &ro# Matte%
(M)T* in 2000+ The /erdi"t "ou%d 'rin the !or%d,s %arest toy#a-er hundreds o&
#i%%ions o& do%%ars in 'a"- roya%ties or outriht o!nershi$ o& the !i%d%y su""ess&u% Bratz
%ine o& do%%s %aun"hed 'y M4) in 2001+
The Ju%y 1= de"ision re$resents a rare shot o& ood ne!s &or Matte%, !hi"h has su&&ered
a #a<or %oss o& #ar-et share &or its &%ashi$ Bar'ie 'rand sin"e the Bratz %aun"h+ Matte%
has a%so 'een in/o%/ed in a s$ate o& toy re"a%%s o/er the $ast year+ :This is a /i"tory &or
a%% the hard0!or-in $eo$%e at Matte% !ho "o#e toether to "reate #any o& the #ost
'e%o/ed toys &or "hi%dren,: said Chair#an and Chie& Exe"uti/e ?&&i"er .o'ert E"-ert in
a state#ent+ :5t is a%so a /i"tory &or a%% those !ho 'e%ie/e in &air $%ay+:
Cot so &ast, says 5saa" 6arian, the 5ranian0'orn entre$reneur !ho is the #a<ority o!ner
o& M4) (Business1ee-+"o#, D210208*, !hi"h is a%so 'ased in su'ur'an 6os )ne%es+
6arian says he,%% ha/e an o$$ortunity to re/ea% ne! e/iden"e the <ury !as 'arred &ro#
seein in the &irst $hase o& the tria%+ 5n the se"ond $hase, !hi"h is to 'ein on Ju%y 23
and %ast a'out three !ee-s, the sa#e <urors !i%% 'e as-ed to deter#ine da#aes+ 6arian
has a%so /o!ed to a$$ea%+ :5t,s not o/er yet,: 6arian to%d BusinessWeek+ :1e o!n the
na#e Bratz+ There,s no !ay they are e/er oin to et it+:
?n Ju%y 18, Matte%, 'ased in E% Seundo, Ca%i&+, re$orted that its earnins &e%% 'y near%y
ha%&, to ;11+8 #i%%ion, or 3 "ents $er share, in the se"ond @uarter+ Bar'ie sa%es !or%d!ide
&e%% DE+ Sti%%, the resu%ts 'eat ana%ysts, a%ready $essi#isti" ex$e"tations+ 6inda Bo%ton
1eiser, an ana%yst !ith Caris .esear"h, esti#ates that Bratz enerates ;1+1 'i%%ion a
year in sa%es and "ou%d add as #u"h as ;11F #i%%ion a year in earnins to Matte% i& the
"o#$any !as a!arded a%% rihts to Bratz sa%es and $ro&its+ Buoyed in $art 'y the Bratz
/erdi"t, Matte% shares sured 12E, to ;20 $er share+
The Brat !"ncepti"n
The "ase &o"used on Bryant, 33, !ho !or-ed at Matte% 'ut "%ai#ed he "on"ei/ed the
idea (Business1ee-+"o#, D213208* &or the $outy0%i$$ed Bratz do%%s durin an eiht0
#onth hiatus &ro# the "o#$any in 1338+ )t the tria%, Bryant testi&ied that he used Matte%
do%% $arts and &e%%o! e#$%oyees, ti#e, and he s-et"hed #any Bratz dra!ins a&ter
returnin to Matte% in 1333+ )s is "usto#ary in the industry, Bryant sined an aree#ent
i/in Matte% rihts to anythin he desined !hi%e e#$%oyed 'y the "o#$any+
Bryant earned #ore than ;30 #i%%ion in roya%ties &ro# M4)+ 9e sett%ed a "o$yriht
in&rine#ent suit 'rouht aainst hi# 'y Matte% <ust 'e&ore the M4) "ase 'ean in
May+
6arian ad#its the !or- Bryant did on the do%%s !hi%e at Matte% did not #a-e hi# a
sy#$atheti" !itness &or M4)+ :There,s no @uestion he did not ha/e ood <ud#ent,:
6arian says+ :But !e didn,t -no! a'out that+ 1hy $unish M4)G:
6arian says that in the se"ond $hase o& the tria% and &or the a$$ea% he,%% $oint out that
Matte% uses #u"h the sa#e %ea% re/ie! &or hirin ne! toy desiners as M4) did+ 9e
"%ai#s Matte% !as !e%% a!are o& the Bratz do%%s and !as e/en o&&ered a "han"e to
distri'ute the# in 2001+ 9e says &urther e/iden"e !i%% sho! Matte%,s stratey has 'een
to :%itiate M4) to death+: 6arian has his o!n "ountersuit "%ai#in Matte% "o$ied Bratz
desins &or its o!n do%% %ines+ That "ase "ou%d o to tria% in the &a%%+
S"ott 6ands'au#, a 6os )ne%es attorney !ith se/era% toy industry "%ients, says he
a%!ays te%%s the# to !or- !ith in/entors !ho !or- inde$endent%y and not &or ri/a% toy
"o#$anies+ :)%% these "reati/e $eo$%e drea# o& ha/in their o!n %ines,: he says+ :5&
you,/e ot an e#$%oyee &ro# another "o#$any a$$roa"hin you !ith an idea, you
ouht to thin- %on and hard a'out 'uyin it+:
Pa%#eri is a senior "orres$ondent in BusinessWeek,s 6os )ne%es 'ureau+
The )sso"iated Press 8e"e#'er 31, 2008, =:28)M ET text size: T T
+udge agrees to change date for !" to
'ull Bratz
The <ude !ho 'arred M4) Entertain#ent 5n"+ &ro# se%%in or #a-in its $o$u%ar Bratz
do%%s areed Tuesday to extend a dead%ine he set &or the "o#$any to ta-e the $rodu"ts
o&& store she%/es+
M4), !hi"h !as initia%%y to%d to sto$ se%%in Bratz 'y He'+ 11, had arued in "ourt that
retai%ers !ou%d not order the toys un%ess the "ourt "ou%d uarantee they !ou%d re#ain in
stores throuh #ost o& 2003+ 7+S+ 8istri"t Jude Ste$hen 6arson o'%ied, and a%%o!ed
M4) to &i%e a #otion &or a %ater dead%ine 'y next !ee-+
:4i/en the "%ear i#$ortan"e o& the Bratz %ine to M4),s &inan"ia% hea%th, it,s not a 'i
%ea$ to see that (the He'ruary dead%ine* !ou%d ha/e sini&i"ant e"ono#i" i#$a"t on the
/ia'i%ity o& M4),: 6arson said+
Ear%ier this #onth, the <ude ru%ed that M4) #ust sto$ #anu&a"turin and se%%in Bratz
00 #ar-in a /i"tory &or ri/a% Bar'ie #a-er Matte% 5n"+, !hi"h sued M4) &our years ao
&or "o$yriht in&rine#ent+
6arson,s 'an order &o%%o!ed a <ury,s &indin that Bratz desiner Carter Bryant de/e%o$ed
the "on"e$t &or Bratz !hi%e !or-in &or Matte%+ The <ury a!arded Matte% a "o#'ined
;100 #i%%ion a&ter a %enthy tria%+
BARBIE'S REVENGE
Brawl ,ver -oll (s .eading to Trial
attel "lleges /kulduggery
(n $laim to 0ival1s Bratz -esign
By 2($.,3"/ $"/%4
ay 56) 5778
6?S )C4E6ES 00 Hour years ao, attel 5n"+ exhorted its exe"uti/es to he%$ sa/e
Bar'ie &ro# a ne! do%% "%i@ue "a%%ed the Bratz+
:The 9ouse is on HireI: said an interna% $resentation on the de"%ine o& its i"oni" Bar'ie
do%% &ran"hise+ Mar-et share !as dro$$in at a :"hi%%in rate,: the $resentation said+
Bar'ie needed to 'e #ore :aressi/e, re/o%utionary, and ruth%ess+:
That "a%% to ar#s has %ed to a &edera% "ourthouse+ 5n a %a!suit set &or tria% on Tuesday in
.i/erside, Ca%i&+, Matte% a""uses M4) Entertain#ent 5n"+, the #a-er o& Bratz, o&
essentia%%y stea%in the idea &or the $outy0%i$$ed do%%s !ith the 'i heads+ Matte% is
tryin to seize o!nershi$ o& the Bratz %ine, !hi"h ana%ysts esti#ate ra"-s u$ annua%
sa%es o& #ore than ;F00 #i%%ion+ M4) denies !rondoin, and a""uses Matte% in a
se$arate suit o& "o$yin Bratz+
?n Monday, the &or#er Matte% desiner !ho so%d the Bratz "on"e$t to M4), !ho !as
a%so a de&endant in the %a!suit, areed to a "on&identia% sett%e#ent !ith his &or#er
e#$%oyer+ Matte% had a""used the desiner, Carter Bryant, o& drea#in u$ the hit do%%
!hi%e on Matte%,s $ayro%%+ Matte% didn,t dis"%ose the ter#s o& the sett%e#ent, 'ut said the
aree#ent !i%% 'o%ster its "aseJ M4) says its $osition isn,t under#ined+ Mr+ Bryant
de"%ined to "o##ent+
The Bratz0Bar'ie 'ra!% has #a<or ra#i&i"ations &or 'oth "o#$anies+ The Bratz %ine,
!hi"h hit stores in 2001 and s!i&t%y 'e"a#e the industry,s hottest do%%, a""ounts &or
a'out ha%& o& re/enues at "%ose%y he%d M4)+ 5t has 'e"o#e a #a<or threat to the Bar'ie
&ran"hise, !hi"h $rodu"es annua% !or%d0!ide sa%es esti#ated at a'out ;1+2F 'i%%ion+
Matte% has 'een te%%in in/estors it,s !or-in to so%/e Bar'ie,s $ro'%e#s, 'ut sa%es o& the
Bar'ie %ine de"%ined 12E in the 7+S+ in the &irst @uarter as "o#$etitors "he!ed a!ay at
its #ar-et share+
.e"ent%y re%eased "ourt re"ords re/ea% <ust ho! nasty the #u%tiyear &iht has 'e"o#e+
.att%ed 'y the su""ess o& Bratz, Matte% hired $ri/ate in/estiators to s$y on one o& its
o!n exe"uti/es !ho# it sus$e"ted o& %ea-in se"rets+ )nd M4), $ossi'%y &earin the
-ind o& %itiation it no! &a"es, tried to -ee$ @uiet Mr+ Bryant,s ro%e in "reatin Bratz,
interna% e#ai%s sho!+
The dis$ute hines in $art on !hen Mr+ Bryant &irst "a#e u$ !ith the idea &or the Bratz
do%%s and s-et"hed it in his note'oo-+ Mr+ Bryant has said that he !asn,t !or-in &or
Matte% at the ti#e+ Matte% has hired &orensi" ex$erts to test his note'oo- in an e&&ort to
under#ine his story, "ourt re"ords indi"ate+ M4), &or its $art, has arued in "ourt that
too #u"h ti#e has e%a$sed &or Matte% to e/en 'rin su"h an inte%%e"tua%0$ro$erty "%ai#+
Mr+ Bryant, no! 33 years o%d, desined "%othes &or Matte% do%%s unti% 1338+ 9e then %e&t
the "o#$any and #o/ed 'a"- to his $arents, ho#e near S$rin&ie%d, Mo+, to ta-e a 'rea-
&ro# 6os )ne%es %i&e, a""ordin to s!orn state#ents 'y Mr+ Bryant and his $arents+
8ri/in $ast S$rin&ie%d,s Ki"-a$oo 9ih S"hoo%, he said in a de$osition, he had a
eure-a #o#ent in/o%/in &ashions and hairsty%es+
1Big) Baggy +eans1
The %o"a% teenaers, he said, :!ere !earin -ind o&, you -no!, o/ersized "%othes, 'i,
'ay <eans+++<ust ot #e to -ind o& thin-in, you -no!, !ou%dn,t it 'e "oo% i& there !ere
so#e "hara"ters that -ind o& a""urate%y re$resented today,s teenaer+: Mr+ Bryant said
he !ent 'a"- ho#e to s-et"h an idea: sassy ir%s !ith &rizzed hair, 'are 'e%%ies and ar#s
a-i#'o+
:Meet the BratzI: reads a note he said he !rote to a""o#$any one o& the dra!ins+ The
note des"ri'es a "hara"ter na#ed 9a%%idae !ho has :ot the 'eat,: and :on date niht,
it,s a sassy short dress L tota%%y ne! ,do+: 9e said he she%/ed the dra!ins &or a !hi%e+
By the &o%%o!in year, 1333, Mr+ Bryant returned to the 6os )ne%es area and sined a
ne! "ontra"t !ith Matte%+ 9e desined "%othes &or Bar'ie, in"%udin its :"o%%e"tor: %ines+
n his de$osition, he said he 'ean thin-in a'out the Bratz aain a&ter returnin to
Matte%, and e/en had the s-et"hes notarized to #a-e it "%ear Bratz !as his idea+ 9e said
he didn,t 'e%ie/e Matte% !ou%d 'e interested in the "hara"ters, and he didn,t sho! the#
to his e#$%oyer+
9e did sho! the# to Meroni"a Mar%o!, a &ree%an"e desiner to !ho# he had &irst
#entioned the idea in a ha%%!ay durin a &ire dri%% at Matte%, a""ordin to Ms+ Mar%o!,s
de$osition+ E/entua%%y, he sho!ed her the s-et"hes in his "ar, in Matte%,s $ar-in %ot, she
re"a%%ed+ By that su##er, she had %e&t Matte% and !as doin &ree%an"e !or- &or M4)+
She o&&ered to introdu"e Mr+ Bryant to the "o#$any+
M4), !hi"h is %o"ated in the San Hernando Ma%%ey, !as &ounded in 13=3 'y 5saa"
6arian+ )t &irst, it so%d "hea$, hand0he%d /ideoa#es+ Court do"u#ents indi"ate the
"o#$any !as %osin #oney in 2000+
?n Se$t+ 1, 2000, Mr+ Bryant too- a day o&& &ro# Matte% to #eet Mr+ 6arian at his
o&&i"e+ Mr+ Bryant arri/ed !ith a '%a"- $ort&o%io "ontainin his Bratz s-et"hes and a
s#a%% #ode% o& the do%% !earin a short s-irt+ 5t !as a rouh $rototy$e #ade o& do%%
$arts+ Mr+ Bryant said in his de$osition he had used a do%% head &ro# a Matte% !aste 'in
and other $arts o& his o!n, and had $aid a Matte% "o%%eaue to $aint it+
Mr+ 6arian said in his de$osition that he ex$ressed "on"ern a'out Matte%: :5 as-ed hi# i&
this !as so#ethin that he !as doin at Matte%+++and he said ,Co+,: 9e added: :5 didn,t
!ant to ha/e a %a!suit+: Mr+ Bryant to%d hi# it !as a side $ro<e"t, a""ordin to the
de$ositions o& 'oth #en+ )'out t!o !ee-s %ater, Mr+ 6arian "a%%ed the desiner at ho#e
and said he !as interested in the $ro<e"t, the t!o #en said+
5n the !ee-s that &o%%o!ed, Mr+ Bryant "ontinued to dis"uss the do%% idea !ith M4)+
Many o& the "a%%s too- $%a"e &ro# his des- at Matte%, a""ordin to $hone re"ords and his
de$osition+ 9e "ontinued to !or- &or Matte% e/en a&ter Mr+ 6arian as-ed hi# to @uit,
a""ordin to 'oth #en,s de$ositions+ 5n ?"to'er 2000, !hen he &ina%%y a/e noti"e to
Matte% that he !as %ea/in, he re&used to say !here he !as oin+
9e <oined &or"es !ith M4), and the Bratz $ro<e"t shi&ted into ear+ Mr+ Bryant 'ean
sha$in !hat !ou%d 'e"o#e the do%% %ine,s edy sty%e+ 9e had a%ready #ade resear"h
tri$s to Toys :.: 7s to exa#ine toys, and to 9ot To$i", a oth0ro"- "%othin store,
!here he 'ouht thins %i-e thons, strin 'i-inis and #eta% 'e%ts+ :This is oin to 'e
'iI: he !rote to Mr+ 6arian+
1hen the do%% %anded on store she%/es in 2001, it enerated 'uzz in the #edia, on 1a%%
Street, and #ost i#$ortant%y, a#on youn ir%s+ Sa%es too- o&&, yie%din a 'onanza &or
Mr+ Bryant, !ho re"ei/ed a roya%ty o& 3E o& sa%es on the Bratz %ines he !or-ed on+
Matte% %ater "%ai#ed that he re"ei/ed #ore than ;30 #i%%ion &ro# the aree#ent+
5n )uust 2002, Matte% Chie& Exe"uti/e .o'ert E"-ert re"ei/ed an anony#ous %etter+
:8ear CE?,: the %etter 'ean+ :5 ha/e in&or#ation that 5 thin- Matte% shou%d
in/estiate+: The %etter !ent on to say Mr+ Bryant had "reated Bratz !hi%e at Matte% 00
a%%ein that he had :!or-ed out a dea% !ith M4) that %et hi# "o%%e"t a %are su# o&
#oney ea"h year &ro# M4) in ex"hane &or his se"re"y+:
There is so#e e/iden"e that M4) !as "on"erned that i& Mr+ Bryant,s in/o%/e#ent
'e"a#e -no!n, it #iht 'rin trou'%e &ro# Matte%+ 5n a Mar"h 2002 e#ai% that is in the
"ourt re"ord, Mr+ 6arian s"o%ded e#$%oyees o/er in&or#ation a'out Mr+ Bryant,s
in/o%/e#ent that !as i/en to an on%ine Bratz &an rou$, re&errin to $ossi'%e :%ea%
rie&+: :There #ust 'e no #ention a'out Matte% or any o& their $ro$erties, Carter
ABryantB, any M4) Bratz arts, et",: he !rote+
5n a Mar"h 2004 arti"%e in the San Hernando Ma%%ey Business Journa%, Mr+ 6arian !as
@uoted sayin his teenae son !as the in/entor: :5t !as Jason,s idea &or Bratz+: 5n a %ater
de$osition, Mr+ 6arian said he !as #is@uoted+ The arti"%e,s author said in his o!n
de$osition that he "ou%dn,t re#e#'er the inter/ie! in detai%, 'ut that Mr+ 6arian hadn,t
"o#$%ained a&ter the arti"%e ran+
By 2004, the Bratz %ine !as not"hin steady sa%es !ith :t!eenae: ir%s 'et!een 8 and
12 years o%d, and its a$$ea% !as s$readin to "hi%dren as youn as F, Bar'ie,s $ri#e
territory+ Matte% had tried to u$date its do%% %ines 'y introdu"in ur'an0"hi" do%%s under
the na#es :My S"ene: and :H%a/as+:
1$all to "ction1
5n a 2004 e#ai% under the headin :Con&identia%: The Bar'ie Ca%% to )"tion,: Ti#othy
Ki%$in, head o& Matte%,s ir%s di/ision, %a#ented that Matte% had :'een out0thouht and
out0exe"uted+: 9e ex$ressed sur$rise that she%& s$a"e &or Bratz at 1a%0Mart had
in"reased 180E, !hi%e Bar'ie,s had de"%ined 33E+ Misits to i#$ortant retai%ers, the
e#ai% said, had sho!n that :the Bar'ie 'usiness is in serious de"%ine+: Hixin it !ou%d
re@uire :renades: to 'e %aun"hed, he !rote+ :Co#$%a"en"y !i%% -i%% us+:
:The 9ouse is on HireI: 'e"a#e a "at"h $hrase in interna% $resentations in 2004, o&ten
a""o#$anied 'y a %oo o& a 'urnin house+
Matte% 'ean to in/estiate its ri/a%+ )n undated interna% Matte% &i%e, !hi"h turned u$ in
$retria% dis"o/ery, "ontains detai%ed in&or#ation on Mr+ 6arian,s $ersona% %i&e, in"%udin
the aes o& his "hi%dren and his #other,s ho#e address+ The &i%e noted Mr+ 6arian,s
$en"hant &or !ritin $oetry, and in"%uded the na#e o& his &a#i%y,s Je!ish te#$%e+ ?ne
do"u#ent "on"%uded that Mr+ 6arian :'e%ie/es he is a%% -no!in and a%% $o!er&u%: and
:'e"o#es enraed i& to%d ,C?+,: Mr+ 6arian has said the dossier is :&ar &ro# the truth+:
The $retria% dis"o/ery a%so re/ea%ed that Matte% had in/estiated one o& its o!n
exe"uti/es+ ) "on&identia% #e#o to .i"hard de )nda, Matte%,s head o& interna% se"urity,
in"%uded a sur/ei%%an"e %o &ro# a $ri/ate dete"ti/e sent to the ho#e o& .ona%d Bra!er,
a Matte% /i"e $resident and enera% #anaer !ho %ater %e&t to !or- &or M4)+
5n/estiators !at"hed Mr+ Bra!er,s ho#e in Manhattan Bea"h and &o%%o!ed his "ar as
he ran errands+ The re$ort indi"ates the in/estiators /ideota$ed Mr+ Bra!er,s "hi%d on
o""asion+ Matte% e/entua%%y sued Mr+ Bra!er, a%%ein he souht to $ass "o#$any
se"rets to M4)+ )&ter that %a!suit !as dis#issed, Matte% a$$ea%ed, and the t!o $arties
sett%ed the "ase in 200D+
5n a su'se@uent de$osition, Mr+ Bra!er #entioned that $rior to his de$arture, one
stratey Matte% "onsidered in :tryin to de&eat Bratz !as to %itiate the# to death+:
&nnamed 1$om'etitor1
5n )$ri% 2004, Matte% sued Mr+ Bryant &or his in/o%/e#ent !ith an unna#ed
:"o#$etitor: that a%%eed%y re"ei/ed Matte% inte%%e"tua% $ro$erty+ 5n 200F, M4) &i%ed a
"o#$%aint aainst Matte%, "%ai#in its u$dated Bar'ie %ine 'orro!ed &ro# Bratz+ That
"ase is set to o to tria% this &a%%+ 5n Co/e#'er 200D, Matte% added M4) and Mr+ 6arian
as de&endants in its %a!suit aainst Mr+ Bryant+
M4),s %a!yers ha/e arued that Matte% didn,t &i%e its "%ai#s aainst M4) !ithin the
three0year statute o& %i#itations &or su"h a"tions+ M4) "ontends that "%o"- started
ti"-in no %ater than 2002 !ith the anony#ous %etter to Mr+ E"-ert a'out Mr+ Bryant,s
ro%e in "reatin Bratz+ Matte% %i-e%y -ne! a'out Mr+ Bryant,s in/o%/e#ent :as ear%y as
the day he @uit,: says Tho#as Co%an, a %a!yer &or M4)+
Matte% says it !as una!are o& Mr+ Bryant,s $re"ise in/o%/e#ent in the 'irth o& the Bratz
unti% a 2003 1a%% Street Journa% story #entioned his "onne"tion+ The "o#$any says the
anony#ous %etter !as insu&&i"ient to esta'%ish Mr+ Bryant,s ro%e+
The "ase #ay "o#e do!n to an ana%ysis o& Mr+ Bryant,s &irst Bratz dra!ins+
)t tria%, Matte% is ex$e"ted to raise @uestions a'out Mr+ Bryant,s a""ount o& ho! he
'ean doin the ear%y Bratz s-et"hes a&ter seein the Missouri hih0s"hoo% teens,
'et!een his t!o stints at Matte%+
Mr+ Bryant said he tore the s-et"hes out o& a note'oo- in 1338 'e&ore he returned to
Matte%+ Matte% says its &orensi" ex$erts !i%% arue that an ana%ysis o& $a$er &i'er sho!s
that those $aes are si#i%ar to $aes &ro# a 1333 note'oo- Mr+ Bryant used &or Matte%
$ro<e"ts+ Matte%,s %a!yers say tra"e in- a$$ears to ha/e '%ed into the &ina% $aes o& the
1333 note'oo- 00 and the in- #at"hes the sha$e o& Mr+ Bryant,s ear%iest Bratz s-et"hes+
M4) says its !itnesses !i%% su'stantiate Mr+ Bryant,s "%ai# that he dre! the $i"tures in
1338+ Mr+ Bryant hi#se%& is ex$e"ted to ta-e the stand+
Write to Ci"ho%as Casey at ni"ho%as+"aseyN!s<+"o#
2

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