Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, Inc. (case)

Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, Inc. was a 2002 legal case where Mattel sued MCA Records for releasing the song "Barbie Girl" by Aqua, claiming it falsely implied that Mattel’s Barbie doll was associated with the song, infringing on trademarks. MCA argued the song was a parody protected as free speech. The court agreed, ruling the song was a humorous parody and did not violate Mattel's trademarks. The decision emphasized the importance of parody as a form of protected expression under free speech laws, allowing creative works that critique or poke fun at brands to coexist with trademark rights.