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Subject: 
Re: TLC recalls 6776 (the person who complained)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Fri, 28 Sep 2001 19:17:27 GMT
Viewed: 
2505 times
  
"Mark Sandlin" <sandlin@nwlink.com> wrote in message
news:sandlin-3D2500.09332628092001@news.lugnet.com...

[ ... snipped ... ]


Wow. These lines lead me to believe that the person is a moron, and is
reading her own ideas into the toy.

I have disagree with you.  A lot of marketing is based on first impressions
which are usually made by people simply glancing at a product or only
looking at the pictures.  I don't think many people read all of the details
about a product.  In the case of 6776, how could she know the story without
buying the set?  I looked at the box briefly the other day (to see the
offending images myself).  I don't recall the story of the Alpha Team being
on the external box but I could be wrong.


The front of the box obviously shows Ogel's rocketship zooming past his
Command Center. It's not even pointed toward the tower. One of the side
panels of the box show Ogel falling off the top of the tower if the
supports are knocked over. The rocketship is not involved in this scene.

Neither the box nor the package show anyone being killed, or any cities
being destroyed.

It's true, the cartoon in the instructions show Ogel dropping his gas
orb thingys into a city, where people are changed into his minions.

But the woman made no mention of this. She called LEGO based on her own
knee-jerk misinterpretation to the outside of the package.

This kind of idiocy just makes me sick.


[ ... snipped ... ]

The problem here is that you are an educated consumer.  You have taken the
time to read all of the information about this product and underdstand the
entire story.  Unfortunately, you are also an atypical consumer.  Most
people don't take the time to fully understand a product (I am not sure they
could in this case) and LEGO certainly (IMHO) can't afford the risks
associated with "most" of their consumers.

When the Alpha Team line first came out my wife commented that it appeard
very violent to her.  Quite frankly, I have to agree with her.  I don't have
any of the Alpha Team sets so I haven't really analyzed them nor have I read
the story (other than what was in one of the past Mania magazines) so I am
by no means an authority.  However, I am a consumer and a fairly
knowledgable LEGO one at that.  If my first impression is that of violence,
I suspect most less knowledgeable consumers will react the same way.

Cars, Trucks, Hospitals, Houses - these are the things I think of when I
think LEGO.  LEGO has all but abandoned this part of their product line in
favor of more trendy (and as evidenced by the 6776 debacle, more risky)
themes.  Unfortunately many people who have heard the story about the 6776
recall who are not educated LEGO consumers will now have a different view
(dare I say tainted?) of LEGO the company.

I think that LEGO has done the right thing.  The short term costs associated
with pulling 6776 off the market pale in comparison to the long term damage
that could potentially done to their name and reputation and there is no way
to put a cost on that.  It simply isn't worth the risk.

Mike


--
Mike Walsh - mike_walsh at mindspring dot com
http://www.nclug.net - North Carolina LEGO Users Group
http://www.nclug.net/ctb - Carolina Train Builders
http://www.brickbay.com/store.asp?u=mpw - Brick Depot



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: TLC recalls 6776 (the person who complained)
 
"Mike Walsh" <mike_walsh@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:GKE0Ao.Kw8@lugnet.com... (...) Well all the media debate about violent toys might drive parents (and hopefully kids!) back to the wholesome values of Lego. Of course, Lego have to (...) (23 years ago, 28-Sep-01, to lugnet.general)
  Re: TLC recalls 6776 (the person who complained)
 
(...) There's no story to grasp: (...) when a plane hit it," Berry said. Nothing on the box shows the rocketship hitting the tower. This is overreaction, pure and simple. That goes back to my original point: (...) <snip> (...) And this is the real (...) (23 years ago, 28-Sep-01, to lugnet.general)
  Re: TLC recalls 6776 (the person who complained)
 
(...) 1. Read the S@H catalog. 2. Check Lego's website. 3. Ask on Lugnet or r.t.l. 4. Look for reviews in parents' or fans' magazines. 5. Ask her friends who have kids, and might have bought the set. 6. Ask a clerk, if there was a knowledgeable one (...) (23 years ago, 3-Oct-01, to lugnet.general)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: TLC recalls 6776 (the person who complained)
 
In article <GKDL8z.4wF@lugnet.com>, (...) Wow. These lines lead me to believe that the person is a moron, and is reading her own ideas into the toy. The front of the box obviously shows Ogel's rocketship zooming past his Command Center. It's not (...) (23 years ago, 28-Sep-01, to lugnet.general)

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