After T.I. And Tiny’s OMG Girlz $71M Court Win, What Is The LOL Dolls’ Net Worth?

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 LOL (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 LOL Dolls have faced some controversies over the past decade that 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 LOL.

What Exactly Are LOL Surprise! Dolls?

Not long after the LOL 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. LOL Surprise House, LOL Amazing Surprise and LOL Bigger Surprise were all massive success stories, although 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 LOL OMG (Outrageous Millenial Girls) fashion dolls hit the shelves.

The CEO’s dedication to his vision paid off, as his OMG designs won Doll of the Year at the annual Toy Industry Awards in 2020. At the same time, LOL Surprise won Toy of the Year for the third consecutive time, leaving Larian feeling more confident than ever. He planned further expansion with mini-dolls and a Nintendo Switch game, although COVID-19 production delays threatened supply for the upcoming holiday season.

When they struggled to create physical products, Larian and his team shifted to the digital realm. In 2021, Netflix shared an LOL Surprise movie following Queen Bee into the dolls’ animated world where they made a film together, followed by another game for the Switch. The streaming franchise continued with Winter Fashion Show in October 2022, plus a Born to Travel 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 appearance and a doll in the LOL Surprise Rainbow Raver line. Larian’s company denied the allegations, noting they “d eeply respect the artistic and creative community and would not take from a creator in the way suggested.”

This likely wasn’t the response Mucciolo expected, but it only got worse when the CEO took to social media in a less professional manner. He called her 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.

OMG Girlz Came Out Victorious In Court, But What Is The LOL Dolls’ Net Worth Now?

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, a jury awarded them $17.9M in compensatory damages and $53.6 in punitive damages. “ Jurors reportedly agree that LOL 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.

Their 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, and now they’re paying for it!

In 2019, Trend Source reported that LOL Dolls had sold an estimated $4B worth of dolls and accessories. They’re obviously not bringing in that much in 2024, as Reddit users reflected less than a year ago. “LOL OMG and Rainbow High are on their last legs with their budget being severely reduced,” one person pointed out. “LOL Tweens are down the drain too, the newest wave comes without wrist joints or stands,” they added on a thread about MGA doll brands. Some believe the company could be shifting its focus back to Bratz, which remains popular among millennials and Gen-Z adults. Even with a reported net worth of $1.1B, Larian remains focused on driving profits while putting the lawsuit behind him.

The post After T.I. And Tiny’s OMG Girlz $71M Court Win, What Is The LOL Dolls’ Net Worth? appeared first on AfroTech .

The post After T.I. And Tiny’s OMG Girlz $71M Court Win, What Is The LOL Dolls’ Net Worth? appeared first on AfroTech .