Today’s young adults had no shortage of dolls to play with in childhood, from Barbie and her fabulous friends to the always stylish Bratz crew. There was Polly Pocket and MyScene too, but it wasn’t until late 2016 that the girls of L.O.L. (Lil Outrageous Littles) Surprise! entered the chat.
The miniature dolls come from MGA Entertainment Inc., which founder Isaac Larian has an 82% stake in. Interestingly, the remaining 18% belongs to his family. While they quickly became a hit among young fashionistas, the L.O.L. Surprise! dolls have faced some controversies over the past decade, which have caused a noticeable cut in quality and quantity. Now that rapper T.I. and his vocalist wife, Tiny, have successfully won a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against MGA, it’s unclear what the future holds for L.O.L.
What Exactly Are L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls?
Not long after the L.O.L. Surprise! line debuted, it became America’s No. 1 toy for most of 2017. The next year, MGA planned to double sales by releasing new higher-priced versions throughout the summer. While most were massive success stories, the line of male dolls faced criticism for being anatomically correct. Not letting this set him back, Larian pushed for more growth in 2019 as L.O.L. Surprise! OMG (Outrageous Millennial Girls) fashion dolls hit the shelves.
The OMG designs and L.O.L. Surprise! dolls overall went on to receive awards at the annual Toy Industry Awards in 2020, according to a press release. There were further plans to expand with mini-dolls and a Nintendo Switch game, although COVID-19 production delays threatened supply for the upcoming holiday season.
MGA then shifted to the digital realm. In 2021, Netflix shared an “L.O.L. Surprise” movie as well as another game for Switch. The streaming franchise continued with another show in October 2022, plus a video game for Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
MGA CEO Isaac Larian Faced Racial Controversy Before T.I. And Tiny Lawsuit
Despite his talent for toymaking, MGA’s founder has faced criticism for making racist comments online. In June 2020, Black Instagram creator Amina Mucciolo pointed out similarities between her likeness and a doll in the L.O.L. Surprise! Rainbow Raver line. Larian’s company denied the allegations, noting they “deeply respect the artistic and creative community and would not take from a creator in the way suggested.”
The toy CEO later took to social media in a less professional manner. He called Mucciolo a “liar, extortionist and fraud” as well as a “disgrace to Black people” before threatening legal action. He later removed these messages and posted an apology but ultimately opted to delete his Twitter amid backlash.
T. I. and Tiny’s OMG Girlz Came Out Victorious In Court
Around the same time as the incident with Mucciolo, MGA Entertainment wound up in court with T.I. and Tiny over similar allegations, though the couple didn’t get justice until this week. On Sept. 23, 2024, a jury awarded them $17.9 million in actual damages and $53.6 million in punitive damages. “Jurors reportedly agree that ‘L.O.L. Surprise! OMG dolls’ infringed on the trade dress and misappropriated the name, image, and likeness of the all-female group that T.I. and Tiny formed,” TMZ reports.
The couple’s OMG Girlz group was founded in 2009, years before the toys arrived. During the weeks-long trial, lawyers pointed out seven MGA Dolls with appearances uncanny to the singers at “very specific public events.” Tiny’s oldest daughter, Zonnique Pullins, appeared to be the inspiration for one of the company’s designs.
In 2019, Trend Source reported that L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls had sold an estimated $4 billion worth of dolls and accessories. It is evident that its revenue in 2024 will not generate the same amount. Some believe the company could be shifting its focus back to Bratz, which remains popular among Millennials and Gen-Z adults.
