Bratz.com
© 2007 MGA Entertainment
Want to watch some toy commercials online? Visit www.bratz.com, a commercialized hub for MGA Entertainment toys for girls that features the Bratz line of dolls and related accessories. The individual sites listed on the bottom of the site include www.bratzpetz.com, www.yummi-land.com, www.rescue-pets.com, www.littletikes.com, www.miuchiz.com, www.zapfcreation.com, www.mgae.com, www.be-bratz.com and www.myepets.com. Both banner ads and streaming TV ads refer to these sites. Each freely mixes games with promotional materials designed for kids. The content is inspired by bling, fashion, cute guys, big houses and sports cars. Some of the games are free, and others require registration in order to become a "fan club member", and there's no way to tell one from the other without clicking. This should be discussed upfront, rather than teasing a child with a game. The most sophisticated offering of the cluster is www.be-bratz.com, a community web site that includes chat features and a customizable home (much like www.barbiegirls.com). The price of admission is a $20 be-bratz doll. Instead of a code that you type in, these dolls have a small USB plug for your Windows XP computer, like a key. See also Mattel's www.everythinggirl.com for a similar approach.
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Teaches: some creativity