Mattel fantasy store-based Ever After High line in 2013. Barbie sales began plummeting in 2012, thus removing focus from the Disney Princess line. Mattel had only sold Cinderella, Ariel, Belle, and the two Frozen princesses during the last year or so of its license. With these competing lines and an expiration of the brand license at the end of 2015, Disney gave Hasbro a chance to gain the license given their work on Star Wars, which led to a "Descendants" license. DCP also made an attempt to evolve the brand from "damsels" to "heroines." In September 2014, Disney announced Hasbro would
Mattel Inc v 3894207 Canada Inc Federal Court of Appeal both upheld the Trade-marks Opposition Board’s decision. Mattel Inc. appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Board found that there was not a strong likelihood of consumer confusion. The Board based its decision on the fact that Mattel presented no evidence of actual confusion (although it was not required to), the mark had a low degree of inherent distinctiveness (as it is a short form of the name "Barbara"), and the nature of the uses by the two parties were very different. Mattel appealed the Board's ruling to the Federal Court. The Federal Court decided