A toy manufacturer is required to pay $71.5 million (£53 million) for producing dolls that violate the name and likeness of a US teenage pop ensemble.
OMG Girlz has filed a lawsuit against MGA Entertainment regarding its LOL Surprise! OMG dolls, claiming that the firm had replicated their appearance and branding.
On Tuesday, the group achieved victory in the protracted intellectual property dispute after a jury in California concurred that they had been wronged.
The jury granted $17.9 million (£13.3 million) in actual damages and $53.6 million (£39.9 million) in punitive damages, stating that their “trade dress” and “name, likeness, and identity” had been infringed upon.
The compensation will be distributed among the trio of group members – Zonnique Pullins, Bahja Rodriguez, and Breaunna Womack – in addition to Pullins’ mother and stepfather, Tameka ‘Tiny Harris’ and Chris T.I. Harris.
OMG Girlz, formed in 2009 and boasting 232,000 followers on Instagram, rejoiced in their success on social media.
“This is for creators everywhere,” Rodriguez stated.
“We will no longer be silenced or intimidated while others profit from our ideas and creativity.”
The litigation commenced in 2020 when MGA contended against a cease-and-desist order issued by the group.
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Counterclaims were made, and the initial trial took place in January 2023 but was subsequently deemed a mistrial.
The toy company triumphed in the second trial, yet OMG Girlz successfully appealed and moved on to a third trial.
MGA Entertainment has consistently denied the allegations.
During the closing arguments, its attorney reportedly described the claim as “groundless and insulting,” asserting that over 40 million of the dolls had been sold without causing customer confusion.