Mattel has apologized after the web address of a porn site was mistakenly printed on the packaging of its newly released “Wicked” dolls, saying it “deeply” regrets the error.
“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,” the toy manufacturer said in a statement sent to Nexstar on Monday.
Dan Goodwin, of Indiana, purchased one of the dolls for a relative and found the address on the back of the box.
Goodwin, who was interested in purchasing advertising minutes on the company’s website, visited “wicked.com,” as listed on the packaging.
However, the link didn’t take Goodwin to a website advertising the new film starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Instead, he was directed to a pornography site.
Mattel expressed regret over the mistake and cautioned parents.
“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,” said Mattel, which is known for brands such as Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and American Girl.
The “Wicked” dolls are currently still being sold at retailers across the nation. It appears that this doll line is the only one of Mattel’s “Wicked”-branded products to display the incorrect site.
Mattel advised consumers “to discard the product packaging or obscure the link.” The company also said customers can contact Mattel Customer Service for more information.
The film’s correct website is wickedmovie.com. “Wicked” releases in theaters on Nov. 22.
