Mattel’s porn mistake bothers Gen Z more than others—how ‘Wicked’ packaging error is affecting consumers

While Mattel’s packaging error that listed a porn site address on “Wicked”-themed movie dolls drew social media attention and widespread media coverage, the long-term damage to the toy company appears minimal, according to a new Ad Age-Harris Poll. Gen Z, however, is more concerned about the mistake than other generations, the findings show. The error, which was flagged by social media users earlier this month, involved a misprint that directed customers to Wicked.com, an X-rated site, instead of WickedMovie.com, the landing page made for movie bookings and other information. Mattel issued a quick apology and removed the dolls for purchase on retailer websites including Target, Walmart and Macy’s. Read about all of the 2024 Marketers of the Year It was an ill-timed gaffe, coming amid the holiday shopping season and just days before the Nov. 22 release of the much-hyped movie. Still, despite numerous negative headlines, only 36% of people were aware of the mistake, according to the poll, which surveyed 1,071 adults from Nov. 22-26. And of the 36% of respondents aware of the gaffe, only 33% stated they had a worse opinion of Mattel. But the error resonated more among Gen Z respondents, or those born between 1997 and 2012: 45% were aware of the mistake, and of those people, 56% said they had a worse opinion of Mattel. Half of Gen Z respondents also said Mattel should have done more to rectify the situation beyond issuing the apology and telling buyers to discard or obscure the misprint. Also read: ‘Wicked’ brand partnerships could risk consumer fatigue But a majority of Gen Z does not appear poised to punish Mattel with their spending—only 25% stated they were less likely to purchase a non-Barbie Mattel product, with 33% saying they are less likely to buy Barbie products. But even those figures show that Gen Z is a bit more worried about the situation than the general population: 13% of all respondents stated they are less likely to buy non-Barbie Mattel products and 16% said the same thing about Barbie products. The findings are consistent with research that has shown Gen Z holding companies to higher standards than other generations. Gen Z’s average net trust score for all brands was more than 10 points lower than other generations, according to a Morning Consult’s Most Trusted Brands 2024 report. Also read: 20 brands resonating with Gen Z

Mattel’s porn mistake bothers Gen Z more than others—how ‘Wicked’ packaging error is affecting consumers

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