 | | | | | | |
| |
|
<snipped>
> Had I beed at BF PDX, I would have wanted to ask the following questions:
>
> 1. How many staffers lost or will will lose their jobs as a result of • this
> color chage fiasco??
I would be willing to bet not a single one. The ones that will lose their
jobs are the line workers. The first to go when a company runs into a
financial downturn.
>
> I know if I were KKK, I would discharge the entire marketing team, the • research
> team, and any outside firms or contractors involved with the color change
> fiasco. I would proabably also fire those who authorized this monstrous • mistake
> and the engineers who developed the horrible new colors.
Could not agree with you more!
> 2. How low are first-quarter sales in 2004 worldwide and how much is • attributed
> to the color change disaster?? What is the expected finacial loss as a • result
> of the color change??
Lego is a company that lacks any shred of the forsight it takes to see stuff
like this. They will blindly proceed and then be astonished that there was
still a decline. They brought back Galidor, that speaks for itself.
I know for myself, I spent close to 20K on Lego last year. This may not be
a lot by some AFOL standards, but it sure seems stupid to me that this is
business Lego is willing to throw away without even thinking twice. My
spending this year will be lucky to hit one tenth of that. What I do buy
will not be new products but rather older stuff that I never had or want to
have again.
>
> 3. Has anyone at Lego heard of Coca-Cola?? They tried to change their • formula,
> lost huge amounts of money, and SWITCHED BACK to the original formula. • It
> seems any lesson taught there has not been learned by anyone at TLC.
Coke must not be available in Billund. :)
> 4. Why has this color change NOT beem marketed?? IF it is such a good • thing,
> such as "New and Improved Colors" then why is it not presented as such??
>
> This lack of marketing and communication about a product change means to • me,
> personally, that Lego is trying to sneak it in the back door. Either • that, or
> their marketing experts and consultants were asleep during Marketing 101.
I think this is exactly why the explanation being offered is so hard to
swallow. It takes a phenomonal level of ignorance to handle something this
big in such a manner. It is clear to me that KKK must put an aweful lot of
faith in a group of completely incompetant engineers in the design lab.
> 5. How are AFOLS who put on public events suppoed to answer or comment on • the
> color changes??
>
> I know I only have NEGATIVE things to say about it, and as such may have • trouble
> in future being diplomatic about it. In a big way, I don't even want to • do
> public events with Lego anymore because I don't want to be put in that
> situation. If I cannot say anything good, perhaps I should not say • anything at
> all, which means I stay home!
You hit the nail on the head here Kevin, might as well stay home. I could
not in any way support Lego on this particular issue.
Greg
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events.brickfest, Gregory Muri wrote:
| |
snipped
| |
Had I beed at BF PDX, I would have wanted to ask the following questions:
1. How many staffers lost or will will lose their jobs as a result of this
color chage fiasco??
|
I would be willing to bet not a single one. The ones that will lose their
jobs are the line workers. The first to go when a company runs into a
financial downturn.
| |
I know if I were KKK, I would discharge the entire marketing team, the
research team, and any outside firms or contractors involved with the color
change fiasco. I would proabably also fire those who authorized this
monstrous mistake and the engineers who developed the horrible new colors.
|
Could not agree with you more!
| |
2. How low are first-quarter sales in 2004 worldwide and how much is
attributed to the color change disaster?? What is the expected finacial loss
as a result of the color change??
|
Lego is a company that lacks any shred of the forsight it takes to see stuff
like this. They will blindly proceed and then be astonished that there was
still a decline. They brought back Galidor, that speaks for itself.
I know for myself, I spent close to 20K on Lego last year. This may not be
a lot by some AFOL standards, but it sure seems stupid to me that this is
business Lego is willing to throw away without even thinking twice. My
spending this year will be lucky to hit one tenth of that. What I do buy
will not be new products but rather older stuff that I never had or want to
have again.
| |
3. Has anyone at Lego heard of Coca-Cola?? They tried to change their
formula, lost huge amounts of money, and SWITCHED BACK to the original
formula. It seems any lesson taught there has not been learned by anyone at
TLC.
|
Coke must not be available in Billund. :)
| |
4. Why has this color change NOT beem marketed?? IF it is such a good
thing, such as “New and Improved Colors” then why is it not presented as
such??
This lack of marketing and communication about a product change means to me,
personally, that Lego is trying to sneak it in the back door. Either that,
or their marketing experts and consultants were asleep during Marketing 101.
|
I think this is exactly why the explanation being offered is so hard to
swallow. It takes a phenomonal level of ignorance to handle something this
big in such a manner. It is clear to me that KKK must put an aweful lot of
faith in a group of completely incompetant engineers in the design lab.
| |
5. How are AFOLS who put on public events suppoed to answer or comment on
the color changes??
I know I only have NEGATIVE things to say about it, and as such may have
trouble in future being diplomatic about it. In a big way, I don’t even want
to do public events with Lego anymore because I don’t want to be put in that
situation. If I cannot say anything good, perhaps I should not say anything
at all, which means I stay home!
|
You hit the nail on the head here Kevin, might as well stay home. I could
not in any way support Lego on this particular issue.
Greg
|
I completely agree. I don’t think anyone at LEGO will lose their job for this.
I also don’t think “that Lego was trying to sneak the color change in the back
door”. This statement implies that they actually thought the color change was
relevant to someone.
I DON’T THINK WE AFOLS ARE EVEN ON THEIR RADAR.
LEGO blissfully made the color change, thinking they were IMPROVING the colors.
The company as whole is so totally unaware/unconcerned about us that it didn’t
even cross their minds that people might be upset.
I commend Jake on his great efforts to educate TLG about AFOLs. But as he
himself has said many times, it’s hard to get the battleship to turn. In the
corporate giant’s mind, we are only 5% and we will always only be 5%. Even if
TLG does consider us in future decisions, what’s the best we can hope for? 5%
that’s what. 5% of any consideration will go to AFOL interests; in other
words, TLG’s decision making process will, at its core, be exactly like it is
now. The best we can hope for is more polite damage control, i.e. maybe the
company will have enough consideration/respect for us to tell us in advance
about the new improved change in the brick dimensions or the new improved stud
shape/separation or the discontinuation of ...
“Everybody goes home happy!”
I wish. :(
-WWWally
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
It would be more accurately stated:
Nobody goes home happy!
How could anyone possibly go home happy when the answer is TOUGH, maybe we
will offer some limited availability elements but after that too bad we
could are less.
It is wholly and completely depressing to think about what a Classic Space
Legend would look like in the new colors. What is worse is the thought of
having to pass on buying it just because of the defective parts colors.
Heck by then bricks are likely not to have any sharp corners or edges
because they look better. What is to say that we can soon expect to see
bricks that are no longer compatable with older parts?
Greg
"WWWally" <wally-SPAMMEwally@erolsNOT.com> wrote in message
news:Ht747J.18Eu@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.events.brickfest, Gregory Muri wrote:
> > <snipped>
> > > Had I beed at BF PDX, I would have wanted to ask the following • questions:
> > >
> > > 1. How many staffers lost or will will lose their jobs as a result of • this
> > > color chage fiasco??
> >
> > I would be willing to bet not a single one. The ones that will lose • their
> > jobs are the line workers. The first to go when a company runs into a
> > financial downturn.
> >
> > >
> > > I know if I were KKK, I would discharge the entire marketing team, the
> > > research team, and any outside firms or contractors involved with the • color
> > > change fiasco. I would proabably also fire those who authorized this
> > > monstrous mistake and the engineers who developed the horrible new • colors.
> >
> >
> > Could not agree with you more!
> >
> > > 2. How low are first-quarter sales in 2004 worldwide and how much is
> > > attributed to the color change disaster?? What is the expected • finacial loss
> > > as a result of the color change??
> >
> > Lego is a company that lacks any shred of the forsight it takes to see • stuff
> > like this. They will blindly proceed and then be astonished that there • was
> > still a decline. They brought back Galidor, that speaks for itself.
> >
> > I know for myself, I spent close to 20K on Lego last year. This may not • be
> > a lot by some AFOL standards, but it sure seems stupid to me that this • is
> > business Lego is willing to throw away without even thinking twice. My
> > spending this year will be lucky to hit one tenth of that. What I do • buy
> > will not be new products but rather older stuff that I never had or want • to
> > have again.
> >
> > >
> > > 3. Has anyone at Lego heard of Coca-Cola?? They tried to change their
> > > formula, lost huge amounts of money, and SWITCHED BACK to the original
> > > formula. It seems any lesson taught there has not been learned by • anyone at
> > > TLC.
> >
> >
> > Coke must not be available in Billund. :)
> >
> > > 4. Why has this color change NOT beem marketed?? IF it is such a good
> > > thing, such as "New and Improved Colors" then why is it not presented • as
> > > such??
> > >
> > > This lack of marketing and communication about a product change means • to me,
> > > personally, that Lego is trying to sneak it in the back door. Either • that,
> > > or their marketing experts and consultants were asleep during Marketing • 101.
> >
> >
> > I think this is exactly why the explanation being offered is so hard to
> > swallow. It takes a phenomonal level of ignorance to handle something • this
> > big in such a manner. It is clear to me that KKK must put an aweful lot • of
> > faith in a group of completely incompetant engineers in the design lab.
> >
> > > 5. How are AFOLS who put on public events suppoed to answer or comment • on
> > > the color changes??
> > >
> > > I know I only have NEGATIVE things to say about it, and as such may • have
> > > trouble in future being diplomatic about it. In a big way, I don't • even want
> > > to do public events with Lego anymore because I don't want to be put in • that
> > > situation. If I cannot say anything good, perhaps I should not say • anything
> > > at all, which means I stay home!
> >
> > You hit the nail on the head here Kevin, might as well stay home. I • could
> > not in any way support Lego on this particular issue.
> >
> > Greg
>
> I completely agree. I don't think anyone at LEGO will lose their job for • this.
> I also don't think "that Lego was trying to sneak the color change in the • back
> door". This statement implies that they actually thought the color change • was
> relevant to someone.
>
> [I DON'T THINK WE AFOLS ARE EVEN ON THEIR RADAR.]
>
> LEGO blissfully made the color change, thinking they were IMPROVING the • colors.
> The company as whole is so totally unaware/unconcerned about us that it • didn't
> even {cross their minds} that people might be upset.
>
> I commend Jake on his great efforts to educate TLG about AFOLs. But as he
> himself has said many times, it's hard to get the battleship to turn. In • the
> corporate giant's mind, we are only 5% and we will always only be 5%. • Even if
> TLG does consider us in future decisions, what's the best we can hope for? • _5%_
> that's what. 5% of any consideration will go to AFOL interests; in other
> words, TLG's decision making process will, at its core, be exactly like it • is
> now. The best we can hope for is more polite damage control, i.e. maybe • the
> company will have enough consideration/respect for us to tell us in • advance
> about the new improved change in the brick dimensions or the new improved • stud
> shape/separation or the discontinuation of ...
>
> "Everybody goes home happy!"
>
> I wish. :(
>
> -WWWally
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events.brickfest, Walter Walters wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events.brickfest, Gregory Muri wrote:
| |
snipped
| |
Had I beed at BF PDX, I would have wanted to ask the following questions:
1. How many staffers lost or will will lose their jobs as a result of
this color chage fiasco??
|
I would be willing to bet not a single one. The ones that will lose their
jobs are the line workers. The first to go when a company runs into a
financial downturn.
| |
I know if I were KKK, I would discharge the entire marketing team, the
research team, and any outside firms or contractors involved with the color
change fiasco. I would proabably also fire those who authorized this
monstrous mistake and the engineers who developed the horrible new colors.
|
Could not agree with you more!
| |
2. How low are first-quarter sales in 2004 worldwide and how much is
attributed to the color change disaster?? What is the expected finacial
loss as a result of the color change??
|
Lego is a company that lacks any shred of the forsight it takes to see stuff
like this. They will blindly proceed and then be astonished that there was
still a decline. They brought back Galidor, that speaks for itself.
I know for myself, I spent close to 20K on Lego last year. This may not be
a lot by some AFOL standards, but it sure seems stupid to me that this is
business Lego is willing to throw away without even thinking twice. My
spending this year will be lucky to hit one tenth of that. What I do buy
will not be new products but rather older stuff that I never had or want to
have again.
| |
3. Has anyone at Lego heard of Coca-Cola?? They tried to change their
formula, lost huge amounts of money, and SWITCHED BACK to the original
formula. It seems any lesson taught there has not been learned by anyone at
TLC.
|
Coke must not be available in Billund. :)
| |
4. Why has this color change NOT beem marketed?? IF it is such a good
thing, such as “New and Improved Colors” then why is it not presented as
such??
This lack of marketing and communication about a product change means to
me, personally, that Lego is trying to sneak it in the back door. Either
that, or their marketing experts and consultants were asleep during
Marketing 101.
|
I think this is exactly why the explanation being offered is so hard to
swallow. It takes a phenomonal level of ignorance to handle something this
big in such a manner. It is clear to me that KKK must put an aweful lot of
faith in a group of completely incompetant engineers in the design lab.
| |
5. How are AFOLS who put on public events suppoed to answer or comment on
the color changes??
I know I only have NEGATIVE things to say about it, and as such may have
trouble in future being diplomatic about it. In a big way, I don’t even
want to do public events with Lego anymore because I don’t want to be put
in that situation. If I cannot say anything good, perhaps I should not say
anything at all, which means I stay home!
|
You hit the nail on the head here Kevin, might as well stay home. I could
not in any way support Lego on this particular issue.
Greg
|
I completely agree. I don’t think anyone at LEGO will lose their job for
this. I also don’t think “that Lego was trying to sneak the color change in
the back door”. This statement implies that they actually thought the color
change was relevant to someone.
I DON’T THINK WE AFOLS ARE EVEN ON THEIR RADAR.
LEGO blissfully made the color change, thinking they were IMPROVING the
colors. The company as whole is so totally unaware/unconcerned about us that
it didn’t even cross their minds that people might be upset.
I commend Jake on his great efforts to educate TLG about AFOLs. But as he
himself has said many times, it’s hard to get the battleship to turn. In the
corporate giant’s mind, we are only 5% and we will always only be 5%. Even
if TLG does consider us in future decisions, what’s the best we can hope for?
5% that’s what. 5% of any consideration will go to AFOL interests; in
other words, TLG’s decision making process will, at its core, be exactly like
it is now. The best we can hope for is more polite damage control, i.e.
maybe the company will have enough consideration/respect for us to tell us in
advance about the new improved change in the brick dimensions or the new
improved stud shape/separation or the discontinuation of ...
|
My thinking on this was even broader than just AFOL’s. I was thinking of the
lack of marketing to the masses.
When laundry detergent or toothpaste or automobiles or shampoo or razors or
pizza are changed, the marketing departments and advertising agencies involved
always ramp up huge campains claiming “NEW AND IMPROVED” etc. Each small change
commands gigantic expenditures for new packaging, new advertising, and the like.
They get the word out.
Otherwise, what is the point to the “improvement” if no one knows about it?
When I referred to sleeping during Marketing 101, I referred to the missed
opportunity to promote products and their “NEW AND IMPROVED” status.
You are right that marking and promotion of Lego brand products does not target
AFOL’s and I am not sure it ever will or even needs to. We don’t need to be
enticed into buying Lego products, we do it anyway. Or at least we did until
this color change disaster.
Kevin Salm
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
"Kevin Salm" <kdsalm@dreamscape.com> wrote in message
news:Ht7EJ5.s62@lugnet.com...
[ ... snipped ... ]
>
> When laundry detergent or toothpaste or automobiles or shampoo or razors • or
> pizza are changed, the marketing departments and advertising agencies • involved
> always ramp up huge campains claiming "NEW AND IMPROVED" etc. Each small • change
> commands gigantic expenditures for new packaging, new advertising, and the • like.
> They get the word out.
[ ... snipped ... ]
Did TLC make a big splash about the color change at the Toy Fair this past
weekend? If the change really is for the reasons which Jake outlined then I
would expect TLC would be disclosing and promoting it at the Toy Fair and be
actievely hyping it to their retail customers.
Does anyone know if it was even mentioned at the Toy Fair?
Mike
--
Mike Walsh - mike_walsh at mindspring.com
http://www.ncltc.cc - North Carolina LEGO Train Club
http://www.carolinatrainbuilders.com - Carolina Train Builders
http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=mpw - CTB/Brick Depot
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
I commend Jake on his great efforts to educate TLG about AFOLs. But as he
himself has said many times, it’s hard to get the battleship to turn. In the
corporate giant’s mind, we are only 5% and we will always only be 5%. Even
if TLG does consider us in future decisions, what’s the best we can hope for?
5% that’s what. 5% of any consideration will go to AFOL interests; in
other words, TLG’s decision making process will, at its core, be exactly like
it is now. The best we can hope for is more polite damage control, i.e.
maybe the company will have enough consideration/respect for us to tell us in
advance about the new improved change in the brick dimensions or the new
improved stud shape/separation or the discontinuation of ...
|
Any company that disregards %5 of its customers is bound to lose money - for
excample the Lego Company;)
If I told my boss “ups I made one of our wells blow up, but it was only %5 of
our revenues” I would be fired so fast I would not know what hit me.
Bartek
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
| |
3. Has anyone at Lego heard of Coca-Cola?? They tried to change their
formula, lost huge amounts of money, and SWITCHED BACK to the original
formula. It seems any lesson taught there has not been learned by anyone at
TLC.
|
Coke must not be available in Billund. :)
|
Funny thing about Coke, Denmark, and LEGO. When they flew us over (business
class) on KLM in 1992 from NY to Copenhagen, they served Coke and LEGO on board.
But for the short hop from Copenhagen to Billund, the local airline served the
national brand “Jolly Cola”, for which they charged by the bottle! The whole
time we were at LEGOLand, it was Jolly Cola or nothing -- except for the party
on the final night when they imported Coke and hip hop. When we returned to
Copenhagen and picked up our rental car for a week of tooling around Europe, the
first place we visited was a Danish McDonald’s -- to have a Coke (Jolly Cola was
not a winner).
When we went back in 2001, we noticed that Jolly Cola had disappeared from the
park and had been replaced everywhere by Coke.
Personally, I survived the US Coca Cola reformulation debacle by having enough
Coke stashed in cans to provide 1 a day during the entire shortage. What I found
particulary intolerable was not being able to have a Coke with a hotdog during a
baseball game. Alas, things soon got even worse despite the return of Classic
Coke: The Angels were bought by Disney and Disney soon concluded a 10 year deal
to sell only Pepsi at all their parks and sports venues, which included Anaheim
Stadium. Grrrhh. The moral of the story: Be happy with the new grays, lest TLC
get bought up by Megablocks who convert all LEGO colors to new shades that vary
with the season of the year!!!
-Ted
| | | | | | |
