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In lugnet.events.brickfest, Joe Strout wrote:
> In lugnet.events.brickfest, Allan Bedford wrote:
> > In lugnet.events.brickfest, Larry Pieniazek wrote: ...
> > > Special Brick master WElcome package
> > > - LEGO Digital Designer CD-ROM
> > > - 150 Hard to Find Elements
> > > - 5 new sets mailed to members
> > > - 6 collectibel issues of "LEGO Brick Master" - the premium magazine
> > > - Building Tips/interviews with LEGO master builders
> > > - special BM models
> > > - Sneak Peeks at new sets before relased
> > > - for BM only poroduc ofters
> > > - Exclusive content
> > > - 6 Bionicle comic books a year ...
> > Fun stuff indeed! This is (for me) the most exciting news I've heard in a
> > while. I really look forward to this. More details would be nice, but even
> > just what is listed here suggests something that, like the comic, might help to
> > draw more adults into/back into the hobby.
>
> I think it's great too, though I think it would do better at attracting AFOLs if
> you left out the Bionicle comic book.
I wouldn't have included it in the list, if I were creating this, but then again
we don't know the exact audience they are going after. Perhaps they are trying
to appeal to both kids and adults.
> I certainly would not want my neighbors
> to see me carrying that back from the comic book, and I readily confess that
> Bionicle is the one part of the LEGO universe that leaves me completely baffled.
You could always give the comics to a neighbourhood kid.
> (Are there many adults who "get" Bionicle? I sure don't...)
I don't 'get' it, but then it's not aimed at me. I see kids who do get it and
do love it and if it's helped sales over the last couple years, then I'm all for
it. Keeping the company financially healthy just means more sets from other
themes can continue to be released.
> However, an AFOL-oriented LEGO magazine is a fantastic idea. Scale train
> modelers have their glossy periodicals, why shouldn't we?
My wife is a quilter. Any given month she could (if we were wealthy) easily buy
no less than 2 dozen different quilting magazines. I keep searching the shelves
for a LEGO mag, but of course it's never there. :)
Meccano builders had a company produced magazine for many years. I still
believe that a printed magazine, appealing to adult builders, is a possibility
that *could* work. Unfortunately I think this community was soured on the idea
of a printed magazine when things fell apart for Bricks magazine. But I hope
someone rekindles that idea someday, if this mag from LEGO doesn't already begin
to do that. I hope one, or the other, or both eventually find their ways into
adult hands everywhere.
Maybe I'm the only one who still likes getting a printed magazine in the mail,
I'm not sure. I know I love it when the Brick Issue arrives from England.
Best regards,
Allan B.
Setting follow-ups to lugnet.lego since this is no longer directly related to
BrickFest.
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"Allan Bedford" <ExpertBuilder-DELETE-TO-REPLY@apotome.com> wrote in message
news:I2K6KB.11x9@lugnet.com...
[ ... snipped ... ]
>
> You could always give the comics to a neighbourhood kid.
>
> > (Are there many adults who "get" Bionicle? I sure don't...)
>
> I don't 'get' it, but then it's not aimed at me. I see kids who do get it • and
> do love it and if it's helped sales over the last couple years, then I'm • all for
> it. Keeping the company financially healthy just means more sets from • other
> themes can continue to be released.
>
> > However, an AFOL-oriented LEGO magazine is a fantastic idea. Scale • train
> > modelers have their glossy periodicals, why shouldn't we?
[ ... snipped ... ]
I don't believe (from either Jake's keynote or from the survey card I
completed several months ago) that this program is targeted at adults at
all. In particular, almost all of the questions on the survey card were
geared towards me as a parent in reference to my children.
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
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In lugnet.lego, Mike Walsh wrote:
>
> "Allan Bedford" <ExpertBuilder-DELETE-TO-REPLY@apotome.com> wrote in message
> news:I2K6KB.11x9@lugnet.com...
>
> [ ... snipped ... ]
>
> >
> > You could always give the comics to a neighbourhood kid.
> >
> > > (Are there many adults who "get" Bionicle? I sure don't...)
> >
> > I don't 'get' it, but then it's not aimed at me. I see kids who do get it and
> > do love it and if it's helped sales over the last couple years, then I'm all for
> > it. Keeping the company financially healthy just means more sets from other
> > themes can continue to be released.
> >
> > > However, an AFOL-oriented LEGO magazine is a fantastic idea. Scale train
> > > modelers have their glossy periodicals, why shouldn't we?
>
>
> [ ... snipped ... ]
>
> I don't believe (from either Jake's keynote or from the survey card I
> completed several months ago) that this program is targeted at adults at
> all. In particular, almost all of the questions on the survey card were
> geared towards me as a parent in reference to my children.
That's right, Mike. Sorry for any confusion left by the keynote > posting
translation.
LEGO Brick Masters is targeted to and for kids.
The LEGO Club is a free, kid-oriented program. The LEGO Brick Masters is also
kid-oriented, but will be a pay-for-more type program.
Just like the current LEGO Club, LEGO Brick Masters is meant for kids, but may
be enjoyed by some AFOLs.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Development
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In lugnet.lego, Jake McKee wrote:
> That's right, Mike. Sorry for any confusion left by the keynote > posting
> translation.
>
> LEGO Brick Masters is targeted to and for kids.
Thanks for the clarification, Jake. I'm sad to hear it, though.
I'm one of those "sleepers" y'all were apparentlny speaking about at BrickFest
(well, perhaps I'm starting to wake up in the last couple of weeks). I'm
rediscovering LEGO and loving it.
But, I do get frustrated that the company seems (from my point of view) to be
ignoring AFOLs like me. I too took the survey on the web site, and couldn't
even answer all the questions properly, because answers applying to me as an
AFOL weren't even among the options given. So I got excited when it seemed that
LEGO was going to finally provide some support specifically for its most
dedicated, loyal, and deep-pocketed fans. But alas, it's not so. I keep
getting the impression that, ironically enough, LEGO doesn't see LEGO as a
serious adult hobby (unlike, say, the scale model train industry, or quilting
for that matter).
I have no problem with marketing toward kids -- obviously that's a big market
too. But I really wish we AFOLs could feel some love too.
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Hi Joe,
Stick around and you'll see that Lego does many things for AFOLs. Releasing sets
we want (Legends, trains), getting parts packs back in the sales mix, making
special events like outlet shopping at BrickFest. But when Lego produces
something it must have broad appeal and that means kids.
So I won't be taken aback at all if the Brick Master magazine has kid-oriented
instructions and comics in it.
The time for an AFOL specific magazine will come...
-Erik
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In lugnet.lego, Erik Olson wrote:
> The time for an AFOL specific magazine will come...
When it's time for one to happen, and there's a dedicated and competent set of
folks to do it, it will. Meanwhile, if one wants to hasten the day, one should
be working to strengthen the community including one's local orgs so that there
are more newsworthy things to report on!
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In lugnet.lego, Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> In lugnet.lego, Erik Olson wrote:
>
> > The time for an AFOL specific magazine will come...
>
> When it's time for one to happen, and there's a dedicated and competent set of
> folks to do it, it will.
Larry, based on the setback this community already encountered with a magazine,
how far away do you think such a thing is, realistically? How much time will it
take to rebuild some of the trust that was lost? And who will it take to lead
such a venture in the future? I know that I would be hesitant to send any money
to anyone again. But at the same time I think the time for such a project could
be today, tomorrow, next week. I'm not sure it needs to wait any longer.
I wonder... what if, the magazine were more of a 'newsletter' and rather than
focus on subscriptions and glossy presentation the person(s) creating it focused
on content and participation? I just wonder, I don't have any answers.
Best regards,
Allan B.
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