Bratz Games and the Real World

There’s always been arguments that the Bratz games are the true reflection of the “real world.” Of course, you can argue anything away when it’s as vague as that is, but it does make you wonder if the Bratz games became so popular because they seemed to really make sense to the girls playing them. Are Bratz games a true window of the real world?

First, of course, we’d have to decide what we want to call the “real world.” It’s different for everyone, and in this case, I think the Bratz represent a portion of the world that is underrepresented. The Bratz aren’t from the suburbs. They are a racially mixed bunch from the big city. They dress in urban styles and drive urban cars. They have boyfriends that look tough – not like the neighborhood lifeguards, and this resonates with a lot of people who might have always felt a bit off when they just had Barbie to play with.

I don’t think a single line of dolls can represent the “real world” effectively, but they can show a side of the world that doesn’t often get enough attention from toy makers. And this job they do very well indeed.