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I'm just wondering if this group should be under the lugnet.lego hierarchy, as
the ambassador program is run by TLC?
FUT: .admin.general
ROSCO
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In lugnet.admin.general, Ross Crawford wrote:
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I’m just wondering if this group should be under the lugnet.lego hierarchy, as
the ambassador program is run by TLC?
FUT: .admin.general
ROSCO
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The Ambassadors are not employees of the LEGO Company. I think it would be
better not to have our announcements in the company area of lugnet. Most
Ambassador threads will be discussion topics and polls to gather fan feedback
for LEGO. I expect that LEGO Company announcements will be made by Steve Witt
and Jan Beyer and not the Ambassadors. We would like to be the voice of fans to
LEGO and not the other way around.
Ben Ellermann
LEGO Ambassador
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In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
> In lugnet.admin.general, Ross Crawford wrote:
> > I'm just wondering if this group should be under the lugnet.lego hierarchy,
> > as the ambassador program is run by TLC?
> >
> > FUT: .admin.general
> >
> > ROSCO
>
> The Ambassadors are not employees of the LEGO Company. I think it would be
> better not to have our announcements in the company area of lugnet. Most
> Ambassador threads will be discussion topics and polls to gather fan feedback
> for LEGO. I expect that LEGO Company announcements will be made by Steve
> Witt and Jan Beyer and not the Ambassadors. We would like to be the voice of
> fans to LEGO and not the other way around.
>
> Ben Ellermann
>
> LEGO Ambassador
Hi Ben,
thank you very much for wording this thought. I view the matter in a similar
way. First I thought of lugnet.announce.ambassadors or lugnet.lego.ambassadors,
but came to the conclusion to create a separate group for the reasons you have
listed.
Leg Godt!
Rene
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In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Ross Crawford wrote:
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I’m just wondering if this group should be under the lugnet.lego hierarchy,
as the ambassador program is run by TLC?
|
The Ambassadors are not employees of the LEGO Company. I think it would be
better not to have our announcements in the company area of lugnet. Most
Ambassador threads will be discussion topics and polls to gather fan feedback
for LEGO. I expect that LEGO Company announcements will be made by Steve
Witt and Jan Beyer and not the Ambassadors. We would like to be the voice of
fans to LEGO and not the other way around.
|
Ben,
About about your last sentence... one of the things the first two or three
cycles of Ambassadors discussed was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG and
the community, but it sounds like that’s changed to be more one way: info goes
into the Ambassadors from the community, and comes out of LEGO from Steve/Jan.
Is that an accurate assessment?
Kelly
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
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Ben,
About about your last sentence... one of the things the first two or three
cycles of Ambassadors discussed was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG
and the community, but it sounds like that’s changed to be more one way: info
goes into the Ambassadors from the community, and comes out of LEGO from
Steve/Jan. Is that an accurate assessment?
Kelly
|
Kelly,
We definitely want two way communication with the Ambassador program. Official
company announcements from LEGO, such as new products and programs, will be made
mainly by Steve and Jan.
Exceptions could be ambassadors speaking about a product they helped develop
with LEGO once it is being sold. An example of this would be the Mindstorms NXT
team. Fans should expect more discussions like that in the future.
Ben Ellermann
LEGO Ambassador
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
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Ben,
About about your last sentence... one of the things the first two or three
cycles of Ambassadors discussed was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG
and the community, but it sounds like that’s changed to be more one way: info
goes into the Ambassadors from the community, and comes out of LEGO from
Steve/Jan. Is that an accurate assessment?
Kelly
|
It seems to me it’s always been a one way street. OK, there’s been a couple of
‘exclusive’ announcements, about 12 hours before the official announcement. Not
exactly exclusive. As far as I can see, nothing’s changed since
this post. All we’ve heard
from the ambassadors since then has been more polling. Any further assurances
that the ambassador program is anything but a marketing exercise will be met
with howls of derisive laughter.
Allister
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In lugnet.admin.general, Allister McLaren wrote:
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Any further
assurances that the ambassador program is anything but a marketing exercise
will be met with howls of derisive laughter.
|
Laugh yourself into apoplexy. Even though I’m no longer an Ambassador, I’m
pleased with having been part of the program. I feel that my participation,
however small, helped in some way to improve TLG’s response to AFOL concerns.
And I hope to see the program continue to grow and improve.
You can continue to denigrate the ongoing time-consuming work done by dedicated
AFOLs, but it won’t earn you much respect.
Kelly McKiernan
Proud former LEGO Ambassador
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
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Laugh yourself into apoplexy. Even though I’m no longer an Ambassador, I’m
pleased with having been part of the program. I feel that my participation,
however small, helped in some way to improve TLG’s response to AFOL concerns.
|
I’m sure the ambassadors do do a lot of work. From this non-ambassador’s
perspective though, it all seems to go on behind the scenes.
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And I hope to see the program continue to grow and improve.
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I can only assure you that I do too. Improvement is one thing it certainly has a
lot of potential for.
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You can continue to denigrate the ongoing time-consuming work done by
dedicated AFOLs, but it won’t earn you much respect.
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Denigrate? Hardly. I only wish to see the program live up to it’s promises. Is
the occasional update as to what the ambassadors are up to too much to ask?
Surely that’s possible without breaching the NDA. Frankly, I’m getting weary of
only hearing from the ambassadors when they want to pump us for what we think
we’d like to buy.
Don’t get me wrong: I have nothing against marketing tools. They’re essential
for any company with something to sell. Just call it what it is, or give us some
evidence to support the claim that it is something more.
Allister
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In lugnet.admin.general, Allister McLaren wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG and the community
|
All we’ve heard from the ambassadors since then has been more polling.
|
“Secretive Customer Representative” seems more appropriate.
Personally, I had hoped that they were diplomats to the Lego community. I hoped
that we could count on them. They could give guidance with setting up public
events. They could attend and give an air of official TLG presence by someone
knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the product. They could be approachable,
listen to us, and let good ideas get into TLG.
As it is, the best builders are hidden away from the community. Their knowledge,
help and enthusiasm disappearing from the public eye because they won’t get in
trouble by not talking.
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In lugnet.admin.general, Andrew Cross wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Allister McLaren wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG and the community
|
All we’ve heard from the ambassadors since then has been more polling.
|
“Secretive Customer Representative” seems more appropriate.
Personally, I had hoped that they were diplomats to the Lego community. I
hoped that we could count on them.
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What do you mean ‘count on them’?
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They could give guidance with setting up public events.
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I can’t speak for others, but can tell you I liaised with LEGO Australia and the
Brickvention organisers, including negotiating sponsorship by LEGO for
Brickvention.
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They could attend and give an air of official TLG presence by
someone knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the product.
|
Well, I may not have been wearing an official t-shirt, or delivering official
previews of sets (as was hoped), but I was an official Ambassadorial presence
and Brickvention, and I delivered the keynote address in the absence of a
delegate from LEGO.
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They could be approachable,
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I think most of us are. If you’ve found one Ambassador unapproachable, try
another. (Feel free to email me, if you like).
They do. It’s hard to tell if somene is listening to you. (As I tell my daughter
frequently, I don’t have to acknowledge every comment she makes - I *am*
listening to her), but let me assure you that the community *is* being listened
to.
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and let good ideas get into TLG.
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That’s definitely done.
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As it is, the best builders are hidden away from the community.
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You flatter us, but that is not correct.
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Their knowledge, help and enthusiasm disappearing from the public eye
because they won’t get in trouble by not talking.
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If that is the case, then they haven’t read, or don’t understand, the Non
Disclosure Agreement. It is very specific on what can’t be shared, and it is a
whole lot less restrictive than many people think or claim.
Cheers
Richie Dulin
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In lugnet.admin.general, Allister McLaren wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
|
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Ben,
About about your last sentence... one of the things the first two or three
cycles of Ambassadors discussed was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG
and the community, but it sounds like that’s changed to be more one way:
info goes into the Ambassadors from the community, and comes out of LEGO
from Steve/Jan. Is that an accurate assessment?
Kelly
|
It seems to me it’s always been a one way street. OK, there’s been a couple
of ‘exclusive’ announcements, about 12 hours before the official
announcement. Not exactly exclusive. As far as I can see, nothing’s changed
since this post. All we’ve
heard from the ambassadors since then has been more polling. Any further
assurances that the ambassador program is anything but a marketing exercise
will be met with howls of derisive laughter.
|
Well I don’t entirely agree with that Allister. Through a LEGO Ambassador, TLC
were able to provide me with information that they were unable or unwilling to
provide any other way. I won’t comment on the usefulness of the information, but
at least it was provided.
ROSCO
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In lugnet.admin.general, Ross Crawford wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Allister McLaren wrote:
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In lugnet.admin.general, Kelly McKiernan wrote:
| |
In lugnet.admin.general, Benjamin Ellermann wrote:
|
| |
Ben,
About about your last sentence... one of the things the first two or three
cycles of Ambassadors discussed was how to be a two-way conduit between TLG
and the community, but it sounds like that’s changed to be more one way:
info goes into the Ambassadors from the community, and comes out of LEGO
from Steve/Jan. Is that an accurate assessment?
Kelly
|
It seems to me it’s always been a one way street. OK, there’s been a couple
of ‘exclusive’ announcements, about 12 hours before the official
announcement. Not exactly exclusive. As far as I can see, nothing’s changed
since this post. All
we’ve heard from the ambassadors since then has been more polling. Any
further assurances that the ambassador program is anything but a marketing
exercise will be met with howls of derisive laughter.
|
Well I don’t entirely agree with that Allister. Through a LEGO Ambassador,
TLC were able to provide me with information that they were unable or
unwilling to provide any other way. I won’t comment on the usefulness of the
information, but at least it was provided.
|
In that case there was a definite need for you to be provided with information,
it was raised in the Ambassadors mailing list, there was some discussion amongst
the Ambassadors, and, after consultation, LEGO allowed the information you
received (however useful it turned out to be).
I think that people want to get ‘something’ from the Ambassadors, but don’t
specify (or even really know) what it is they want to get.
There is some stuff that can’t be shared, but the program is a way to access
LEGO beyond posting on public forums. If an issue is considered important,
Ambassadors *will* take it up.
Cheers
Richie Dulin
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In lugnet.admin.general, Allister McLaren wrote:
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It seems to me it’s always been a one way street....
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In my own specific case, there is not even a street to mention, one way or
another.
Appearantly I’m not from somewhere that spans the globe..:-)
Selçuk
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