Wicked: what happened with the Mattel doll porn-site misprint - and what should parents do?

• Some Wicked tie-in dolls were sold with a misprinted link directing people to an 18+ website instead of the movie’s official webpage. 
• Mattel has issued an apology to customers over the error. 
• Company is urging people to throw the package away and obscure the link. 

Mattel has apologised to customers and promised to take “immediate action” after a link to a pornographic website was mistakenly printed on packages for Wicked dolls. The big screen adaption of the hit musical is releasing in cinemas soon and the toy giant is already releasing tie-in merchandise. 

However a printing era has left the company red faced after it was flagged online. The Guardian reports that users on the internet began sharing pictures of packages of Wicked dolls that featured a link directing users to an adult website instead of the correct site: wickedmovie.com. 

According to the website, the address was printed on the back of packaging for toys based on the main characters for the film Elphaba and Glinda - played by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Mattel has issued a statement addressing the issue - and clarified it mostly has affected toys released in the United States. 

Mattel apologises for the error 

The company has quickly addressed the mistake, issuing a statement on Sunday (November 10). It reads: “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.”

The Guardian reports that the misprint appears to have affected dolls sold at Target, Kohls and Amazon, but not other stores. It also appears to be limited to toys distributed in America. 

Have you ever spotted packaging errors that match this gafe? Share your thoughts by emailing me: [email protected].