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All,
I know that some of you have attempted to fill out the survey announced
yesterday on LEGOfan.org, only to be turned away with a message about the
survey being complete.
After some late night phone calls and early morning emails, I've been to figure
out what's up.
Basically, because of the way the survey was created through a third party,
there is a hard cap set for the number of surveys that can be completed.
(Basically, we're charged a fee per completed survey, and thus have to set a
budget with the third party developer).
Within hours, that hard cap was reached, and the survey automatically shut down.
Since it's the weekend, and most of my colleagues aren't easily accessible, I'll
have to check on the actual number that is the hard cap. I know for sure that
it's no less than 500. WOW.
If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
or email them to me.
Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
with!
* Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
* Why / Why not?
* What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
* How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
more money?
* What new products would you launch?
* What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
you know the responses will be listened to!
Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> Basically, because of the way the survey was created through a third party,
> there is a hard cap set for the number of surveys that can be completed.
> (Basically, we're charged a fee per completed survey, and thus have to set a
> budget with the third party developer).
>
> Within hours, that hard cap was reached, and the survey automatically shut down.
Thanks for letting us know what happened so soon, Jake. :-)
> Since it's the weekend, and most of my colleagues aren't easily accessible, I'll
> have to check on the actual number that is the hard cap. I know for sure that
> it's no less than 500. WOW.
WHOA! This is great! :-D
Thanks again,
-- Nathan Wells
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In lugnet.general, Nathan Wells wrote:
> In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> > Basically, because of the way the survey was created through a third party,
> > there is a hard cap set for the number of surveys that can be completed.
> > (Basically, we're charged a fee per completed survey, and thus have to set a
> > budget with the third party developer).
> >
> > Within hours, that hard cap was reached, and the survey automatically shut down.
HOLY MACKEREL! Again.
As of now it has been about 16 hours since Jake Posted the "It's Broke" message
yet the survey entrance at LegoFan.org has NOT been changed to reflect that.
I hope someone with site access can change LegoFan.org to relay the "It's Broke"
message. Otherwise, that site will be broken, too......
Then, the survey entrance can be re-re-adjusted after the survery starts back up
again.
Kevin Salm
Bley = BLECH.
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"Kevin Salm" <kdsalm@dreamscape.com> wrote in message
news:IF2LIq.s5H@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.general, Nathan Wells wrote:
> > In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> > > Basically, because of the way the survey was created through a third
> > > party,
> > > there is a hard cap set for the number of surveys that can be completed.
> > > (Basically, we're charged a fee per completed survey, and thus have to
> > > set a
> > > budget with the third party developer).
> > >
> > > Within hours, that hard cap was reached, and the survey automatically
> > > shut down.
>
>
> HOLY MACKEREL! Again.
>
> As of now it has been about 16 hours since Jake Posted the "It's Broke"
> message
> yet the survey entrance at LegoFan.org has NOT been changed to reflect
> that.
I have just updated the LEGOFan homepage message has been changed to
communicate that the survey has finished early due to the target number of
users filling out the survey.
Sorry I didn't react within split seconds of the survey being finished, but
even the LEGOFan team deserve a weekend away from computers occasionally ;)
>
> I hope someone with site access can change LegoFan.org to relay the "It's
> Broke"
> message. Otherwise, that site will be broken, too......
>
> Then, the survey entrance can be re-re-adjusted after the survery starts
> back up
> again.
>
>
>
> Kevin Salm
> Bley = BLECH.
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
> * Why / Why not?
Yes, if the sets contained useful parts or I needed a gift for a 0-11 year old.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Not sure I understand the question... features added to what? The marketing
campaign? I'd probably do alot of commercials like that were in the old days,
like the old Tyco building block commercials. No special effects, no computer
generated product. Just a bunch of boys in a mound of dirt in their back yard
with mounds of product sets and a lot of imagination (and great camera angles,
of course).
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Simpler photos on packaging like before
Smaller set boxes (less cardboard, less air)
Less electronic gimicks
Better variety and higher quantity per set of basic and modified basic bricks
for better alternate sets (as opposed to the larger 'juniorized' and/or absurdly
large pieces) The Designer sets are an excellent example of how to achieve this
(but the idea would be to apply this to all sets).
> * What new products would you launch?
The Viking series is awesome, I'd release it world wide.
I'd probably look into an official LEGO steam engine (with pistons and all that,
not just stickers)
A realism castle line, with historically accurate weapons, armor, and siege
equipment of the medieval era, along with historically plausible buildings
An ancient Roman and Egyptian line (bringing in existing pieces from the
Adventurer series)
A town series with more 'everyday' life sets
A science fiction space series with a foot in reality, with a nod to classic
space.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn?t now?
Aside from changing back to the old colors, and abandoning the franchise
products (though the Star Wars sets are arguably the best sets in a long time
since LEGO isn't the only company with final say on what the sets look like)
I'd say stop trying to appeal to the fads. LEGO was always about being the
staple toy. It was never 'in' or 'chick', it was the fall back that all parents
and kids alike could go to and let their imagination run wild. Stop writing
storylines, let the kids make up their own. Give them a fig, a handful of
bricks and take your hands off. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
--Anthony
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> I know that some of you have attempted to fill out the survey announced
> yesterday on LEGOfan.org, only to be turned away with a message about the
> survey being complete.
- snip -
> Within hours, that hard cap was reached, and the survey automatically shut down.
> Since it's the weekend, and most of my colleagues aren't easily accessible, I'll
> have to check on the actual number that is the hard cap. I know for sure that
> it's no less than 500. WOW.
Well.
If nothing else, perhaps this will help get across to TLG the level of passion
that LEGO enthusiasts hold for their hobby. I think it's tough for some in the
company to truly understand that this is far more than just a hobby for a lot of
people (myself included). It's a passion, a lifestyle, an obsession. It goes
beyond mere plastic. It's helped build countless friendships and communities. I
know you get it, Jake, but I don't know how many other TLG staff do.[1]
It looks like we're more plentiful than TLG supposed. And more vocal.
- Kelly
[1] I work at a fairly successful printing company, whose products and services
are widely praised throughout a couple of vertical markets. Being inside and
seeing more of what's wrong than what's right, I often find it difficult to
comprehend how important these services and products are to many people. I've
got a feeling something like that is probably in effect here.
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> If nothing else, perhaps this will help get across to TLG the level of passion
> that LEGO enthusiasts hold for their hobby. I think it's tough for some in the
> company to truly understand that this is far more than just a hobby for a lot of
> people (myself included). It's a passion, a lifestyle, an obsession. It goes
> beyond mere plastic. It's helped build countless friendships and communities. I
> know you get it, Jake, but I don't know how many other TLG staff do.[1]
>
> It looks like we're more plentiful than TLG supposed. And more vocal.
Hear Hear! Kelly Great Point!! Kudos for wraping up the feelings probably of a
lot of AFOLs so well!
>
> [1] I work at a fairly successful printing company, whose products and services
> are widely praised throughout a couple of vertical markets. Being inside and
> seeing more of what's wrong than what's right, I often find it difficult to
> comprehend how important these services and products are to many people. I've
> got a feeling something like that is probably in effect here.
Probably true - being in the agency world for years and designing materials for
print and direct mail - I'll tell you the print vendors are greatly appreciated!
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
I do on a regular basis.
> * Why / Why not?
Because I love it myself, so I buy for my own children. I also think that even
at current price levels it still is the best toy my money can buy.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Put the focus more on building than on playing.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I think someone got the question wrong here. You probably meant sell them for
less money, as cheaper sets will get more people to buy them.
Back to basics would be the answer. Slow down on developing all sorts of
unnecessary parts and colors. I'm not saying go back to the 70's, but I see so
many parts that can also be built using a number of existing bricks.
> * What new products would you launch?
Signals and remote controlled switches for the 9V track.
Model Team sets that are not cars; motorbikes, boats (Titanic, Cutty Sark,
America's Cupper), buildings (Tower Bridge, Eiffel Tower)...
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Making money? (sorry, couldn't resist...)
Keep the LegoLand parks!!! They are unique, brilliant, the best theme parks I've
been to with my children and only because they are run by the Lego Company.
Legoland is about children having a good time, not about making profits. If
Legoland is going to turn into anything like Disneyland Paris I won't go there
again.
Lego should not be afraid to be what it is, and stop pretending to be something
it isn't. Stop messing with Jack Stone-size figs. You have The Minifig,
recognised and loved by children around the world. By running two sizes or
scales alongside eachother you get sets that aren't compatible, and you're
confusing parents, uncles and neighbours who are looking for birthday presents.
Basically Lego is on the right track. The X-pods are a great idea, the little
hotwheels like racer sets are gems, and with the designer series Lego is doing
that it does best: selling a box of versatile bricks with some examples of what
you can build, really encouraging kids to build their own.
Duq
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes!
> * Why / Why not?
Because Lego is more than 'one toy'. With enough imagination You can build
anything, play with it, and then build something else. Try to do that with
'Action Man' (or whatever)
Because Lego keeps it's value. The bricks don't 'get old', they are the same
(even if new types come all the time the *idea* of building bricks is the
same).
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of
> LEGO?
I don't really understand the question, but what my 6 year old daughter is
missing is *more* inspiration booklets. She doesn't have the
imagination/experience yet to build very much free-hand, but she loves to
build from the instructions in the booklets (I just bought a red pod to us
each, and we've been playing quite a lot with the limited set of parts
yesterday and today).
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them
> for more money?
I don't understand the question. Do you mean: "How to get people to pay even
more for the same thing?" If so, I'd say it's hopeless. Lego is already on
the expensive side.
> * What new products would you launch?
More in the Designer line, more steps in the price ladder so I can find a
set for every occasion.
Model Team? Buildings?
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Stop juniorization. It eats into the core idea of building bricks that can
be used in millions of ways. It gives the impression that Lego is just
another 'plaything', instead of a *system* of bricks.
--
Anders Isaksson, Sweden
BlockCAD: http://web.telia.com/~u16122508/proglego.htm
Gallery: http://web.telia.com/~u16122508/gallery/index.htm
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
**snip**
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
Lego is a fun and creative toy. No kid should grow up without Lego.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Lego doesn't need "features" unless you count going back to its roots a feature.
Lego is all about building, not gimicks. Maybe some TV advertising? Is that a
feature?
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Bring back the old colours. Get rid of Juniorized stuff, sets and parts. Go back
to your roots. Clickits, Action figures, etc are not what made Lego what it is,
or was. But don't sell them for more money, this is an expensive hobby already.
Go for quality not quantity. Sell the Lego products that make the AFOL crowd go
crazy. Too many years have passed where the AFOL have just yawned at the
upcoming Lego sets. Then the sets gather dust sitting on shelves. Alpha team,
NBA, the NHL sets with the monsters, the list goes on. I think this is the first
year I've been looking forward to the new sets, everything from HP to Vikings.
> * What new products would you launch?
Town line with vehicles and sets other than fire, police, construction and
airport stuff. The new house set is a good example of this. More trains. How
about another Legend set? Or a MOC series set? More parts packs, in new colours.
I'd love some dark blue bricks and plates and other parts.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Listening to the AFOL group, not "test groups" of fans or whoever thought
changing the colours was a good idea. Selling 9V Train items in regular stores.
Supporting the Mindstorms sets and the Studios sets. Not following fads, like
Clickits. Offering new colours in parts packs! I want dark blue parts!
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
I believe that LEGO makes intelligent toys that broaden a person's creativity
and 3D visualization skills while also being fun to build and play with for
people of all ages.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I would bring back the flip-tops that let you see the parts inside of a box. I
would return to including a cardboard tray inside of the boxes because they are
convenient.
I would also take some things away. I would remove the gimmicky card and board
games included in some recent theme sets. I would reduce the oversized LEGO
boxes to a size that is less wasteful and more appropriate for the contents
inside the box. I would reduce the amount of dead space inside of some
instruction booklets and remove wasteful things like the Knight's Kingdom comic
which is duplicated in every instruction booklet of every Knight's Kingdom set.
I would reduce the amount of computer graphics used in catalogs, instruction
booklets, and on LEGO boxes so there is more focus on the toys themselves.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them
> for more money?
I would include more parts and picture more alternate models in the instructions
and on the back of the box. The Designer line is a good example. This idea
should be carried to all LEGO themes.
> * What new products would you launch?
I would launch products resembling the town, castle, pirates, and space themes
from the 80s and early 90s. I would also bring back the BASIC and TECHNIC sets
that had instructions for multiple models.
I would release a new idea book every year or two depicting clever and creative
ways to build new things with existing elements. I would also release more great
building sets like Building Bonanza with it's high piece count, multiple models,
and multiple pictured ideas. I'd release a castle building set similar to that.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
LEGO should be marketing itself as a system of toys instead of as a series of
similar but unrelated products.
There are many things which can be done to accomplish this:
- The Technic line should replace most of the stud-less beams they currently use
with the technic bricks that were primarily used in the 80s and 90s. This will
create a greater sense of compatibility and continuity between Technic and
non-Technic LEGO toys.
- LEGO toys should stop including theme-specific flyers and return to including
catalogs and pamphlets that highlighted all of LEGO's products. For example, a
Knight's Kingdom set will include a comic depicting other sets from the theme,
but it does not include anything that shows any other LEGO products. This
detaches the LEGO brand from the toys they sell. Instead of seeing Knight's
Kingdom and Alpha Team as two compatible product lines sold by the LEGO company,
it makes Knight's Kingdom look more like a stand-alone toy that has no
association with any other LEGO toys.
- There should be more basic LEGO elements in a typical LEGO toy. The basic
bricks and plates are recognizable and easy to build with. Seeing basic parts in
many different LEGO sets promotes the idea that they can be combined to build
different things. The high number of specialized parts in most current LEGO sets
obscures this concept and makes it difficult to build alternate models or to
combine LEGO sets from different themes.
- There should be fewer new molds created each year. New molds are not needed to
create a good LEGO set. Some of the best online exclusives in recent years, such
as Daniel Siskund's Blacksmith Shop, Red Baron, Sopwith Camel, Building Bonanza,
and the Legends series were all done without the creation of new LEGO parts. Too
many new parts leaves people with dozens of oddball limited-use parts in low
quantities that are unsuitable for building and it makes LEGO toys start to feel
"alien" and lose their identity and recognizability.
- Jack Stone should be eliminated. It forces TLC to spread their resources thin
to create an interim product between Duplo and standard LEGO toys that is only
good for children between ages 4 and 5. This leaves people with lots of large
specialty parts that are not very useful with any LEGO toys they may purchase in
the future. Instead of selling Jack Stone, the BASIC line could be brought back
to fill that gap as it did before. There could also be a couple sets from the
standard themes that are designed for ages 5+ instead of the 6+ - 8+ that is
typical.
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Talking to myself here, I just wanted to add a few things to this:
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
- More small sets. When I was growing up in the mid-80s, I would take my $3
allowance most weeks and go to K-mart or ShopKo to buy LEGO. Fortunately, each
theme would have a couple sets for $2, $2.50, or $3, and usually other sets for
$5 and $10 that I could save up for. That made LEGO very accessible to children
and parents, and people had a wide variety of things to choose from for $5 or
less.
Now, if you look at a theme like Knight's Kingdom, the 5 available sets are
priced $7, $20, $30, $50, and $90. A child cannot afford most of those. Most
other themes are similar in having a small number of available sets with very
few sets available for $10 or less.
- Consolidate the themes. Each theme needs more sets, with most of them being
added to the low end of the price range. There also need to be a few
long-lasting themes, instead of many short-lived themes.
- Reduce or eliminate licensing. Star Wars was a good idea, and Harry Potter
seems okay, but the existence of these licensed sets has shrunk or eliminated
the presence of the classic themes. It also turns LEGO from a classic toy into a
fad toy. Fads die.
- Be generic. Story lines and licenses create themes where most of the
mini-figures become useless when purchased in multiples. Nobody needs more than
one king so-and-so, or more than one Harry Potter. However, generic castle
soldiers, spacemen, firemen, shopkeepers, and pirates are always useful.
- Stop trying to appeal to the wrong children. If TLC simply "must" use focus
groups, at least make sure the focus-group children are in there for the right
reasons. Doing focus-group testing on people who want sports toys or action
figures is just plain wrong. LEGO is about building. Modifying LEGO's toys to
appeal to whatever fad is in cheapens the experience for the parents and
children who are looking for a great building toy.
Yes, most of my advice basically says to be like you were in the 80s. That is
okay though, because that is when TLC was selling great products at acceptable
prices, and remaining profitable while doing so.
Also, thanks to Jake and everybody else at TLC for giving us a channel to voice
our concerns and opinions.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Constantly. I send LEGO to people in every age group up to their fifties. If I
had friends older than that, I'd send them LEGO too.
> * Why / Why not?
Because LEGO is the toy that never dies, no matter how hard the marketing guys
try to screw it up by targeting it to an ever-smaller slice of market, genre,
and time period. It's tougher now, with sets that appeal "only" to children of
a specific age in a specific part of a specific year, to expect them to learn to
like the LEGO part and not just the fad-hungry boxcover image. But we've still
got the Designer sets priming the pumps, thank goodness.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Focus more on the LEGO aspects. If kids want cheap fads they'll buy Mega-Bloks,
if they want a set of parts specially-made to just build one toy they'll buy
Playmobil. When we try to compete at their level we'll lose, because LEGO is
about quality on the one hand and rebuildability on the other. Or it should be,
anyway.
If the front of the box looks great but the B-models on the back look like hell,
then we've done a good job making a toy but a bad job making a LEGO set.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I don't think you can increase the price and still market to children. It'd
have to be an adult collectible if the price gets any higher.
If you want to increase your market base, you need to teach kids the love of
building again, and you need to do it at a price point that'll catch them before
a Mega Bloks set teaches them to hate trying to build anything at all. X-pods
are a good start, but those plastic pods are bulky, they drive up the price, and
they give the kids a permanent reason to keep the different groups of bricks
separate. Cut back to little cardboard boxes, put a cool little $1.99 model in
there, make sure the elements are all the same cool reusable kinds you currently
get in the X-pods.
> * What new products would you launch?
I'd expand the LEGO universe as fast as possible, showcase its infinite
versatility. Like so:
One-off collectible minifigs, covering as wide a variety of themes as possible,
whether those themes have ever been released by LEGO or not. Doesn't matter if
they're a 'construction toy,' they're collectibles, and just owning them
encourages kids to want to buy bricks.
One-off playsets. Instead of having ten sets for every theme, add a bunch of
one-off themes that have only one set each, like Designer sets but for minifigs.
How many cool set ideas currently get axed because LEGO can't build a theme
around it?
More inspiration photos like we used to get in catalogs, of huge crazy models
and scenes built out of thousands of bricks, they made you want to buy as many
sets as you could and build your own crazy stuff. Right now our big pictures
are just "what all the sets from this theme look like together." That hardly
inspires the imagination, it might make me say "I want that one set" but it
won't make me say "I want more LEGO."
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Focus on making good LEGO sets instead of on making toys. We've been
sacrificing our mastery of the former in order to do a half-assed job of the
latter.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
**snip**
Since some of these questions weren't asked in the original survey, I'll answer
them here.
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
YES
> * Why / Why not?
Good for encouraging creativity, fine motor skill development, elementary
engineering skills (design trade-offs, for example). Also, Lego products have
lasting power (not a fad toy)
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More instructions that encourage the mixing of sets. Example: the 2 xpod
creations in their instruction books. The old Idea Books are also great in this
respect.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
For MORE money? I'm going to interpret this question as: What will make it
more likely that you'll buy a Lego product at full price? (since few AFOLs buy
sets at full price)
Make the pieces more versatile; specialized large pieces are difficult to use in
creations.
> * What new products would you launch?
Flesh out the world city line. You have police vehicles, but noone to police.
You have fire vehicles, but no buildings to go save. The variety of the
Legoland town line is what made it so great.
An ancient civilization line would be interesting (think Greek, Roman, Egyptian)
A Technic or Model team style steam engine would be really cool. Wouldn't have
to run on the 9V track, so no new wheels would be required. That'd be a LD
exclusive. I think one small ($30-$50) and one large ($75-$100) Model Team type
set a year would be good (especially when the Star Wars UCS line ends).
Idea books. AFOLs aren't likely to buy them, but parents who feel their
children have enough pieces will definitely like them (my parents bought 3 when
I was a kid).
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Pacing its lines. I like how the new Alpha Team sets were paced; an initial
wave, followed by a few additional sets the following year (so far). The movie
licenses don't allow pacing for those products, but general themes should be
paced to keep the child (and AFOL) interested in that theme for several years.
Themes just don't last like they used to.
I'm not convinced of the need for juniorization. Most 4 year olds should have
the motor skills to work with standard Lego bricks (if not, something is going
wrong with parents these days). The large pieces used in the 4+ / 4 Juniors
lines just aren't needed, and they stifle creativity.
Other than that, I like most of the current changes that Lego is undertaking. I
hope they get in the black soon, so they can start undertaking more of our
(AFOLs) pet projects.
>
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
Thanks for listening/reading.
John
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, if I was buying toys for someone 0-11, I would definatly consider lego.
> * Why / Why not?
Because there is some good products on the shelves at the moment.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Change the focus away from things that emphasize play and back to sets that
emphasize building. LEGO is a construction toy. It should be about building
things. Also, make more sets that encourage kids to build things other than
what is printed on the box. Another great idea would be "if you have sets
x,y,z you can get this extra set of instructions and build something using
parts from all 3 sets". More small sets (the kind that kids can buy with
their pocket money). How about a line where you get (say) 10 different
sets, each of which builds something on its own but when you own all 10,
you can build a much bigger model using the parts from all 10.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Things I would change about lego products:
Smaller boxes with less air inside and more product
Less new parts every year (go back to making decorative bits out of generic
parts instead of having 100s of different decorative parts). Conversly,
more use of existing parts (including older parts not used so much anymore).
Less colors (and get rid of the new colors like the new dark grey, new
light grey, new brown and that new transparent orange too)
More use of basic parts like bricks and plates.
Better packaging (go back to the flip-top boxes that let you see inside the
box). Plus, less use of "extra" graphics on the boxes, instructions and
catalogs (the pages for the new City fire & police sets shown in the new
2005 australian catalog are almost perfect in this respect).
> * What new products would you launch?
More sets in the western line, especially an "American" 4-4-0 steam
locomotive and matching passenger/freight wagons (like in all the old
cowboy movies). It should be as realistic as possible (for example, use
really big wheels simiar to the BBB wheels for the rear bogies and put one
of the 2 x 2 round tiles with the flame print from Life On Mars in as a
boiler). I would suggest something like a saloon or bar too but I think
lego would have issues with making a set that featured drinking and gambling.
A "near future" sci-fi theme, sets similar to all those "this is what space
travel could be like in the future" concept pictures they put (or used to
put) in the books on space travel.
More accessory sets, for example:
Studded technic beams packs in various colors
the existing Studless beams pack in colors other than black
Packs with more minifig parts and accessories (how about going back to the
minifig packs seen in themes like Pirates, Space, Town and Castle)
A pack with lots of control panels and printed elements
Brick, Plate and Slope packs in more colors (and a greater variaty of
pieces too)
More sets in the Legends and MOC lines.
A line similar to the Mega Bloks pro-builder line. Wouldnt necessarily have
to be military, there is plenty of scope for making cool models with
civillian themes.
A new Mindstorms RIS 3.0. Keep the same RCX and electrical parts. Introduce
some new sensors (how about a sensor using the same technology that those
"you are about to back into something" warning sensors for cars use).
Possibly bring in new software or a new firmware version.
Definatly have a new constructopedia with new models. Make good use of all
the new parts that have been added to techinc in recent years.
Make sure to release an "upgrade pack" that contains all parts needed to
turn a RIS 2.0 into a RIS 3.0 (including the new constructopedia and any
new software).
A greater range of train accessories. More "trackside objects" (e.g. signal
towers)
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Abandon the whole "FAD" thing and go back to having longer-lasting themes
that have universal appeal.
Investigate if the stories of lego loosing shelf space to compeitiors are
true or not and if they are true, find out why (is it simply that the
competitors is selling more)
Drop the licencing. The Thomas licence for example, it sounds good in
theory but there are already at least 4 or 5 different kinds of Thomas The
Tank Engine train sets (wooden track, blue track, my first thomas and
possibly others).
More sets aimed at an older market. (the story that video games mean
marketing to the older market is wasted doesnt make sense to me, I had lego
when I was a kid AND I had a Nintendo and later a Super Nintendo)
Ditch the Jack Stone figures and sets and stick with the Minifig.
Keep the LEGOLAND parks the way they are (if increasing admission charges
for the parks is the only way to do that, so be it)
Drop all the fancy electric bits (like those Remote Control cars)
Drop all the overuse of really large parts (as seen in Jack Stone).
Listen to what the retailers (small and large) are saying and what they
want from LEGO.
Drop the use of "Focus Groups" (or failing that, get a better focus group
system in place). All the evidence I have seen myself suggests that
(despite what the so-called focus group said) most fans are either negative
towards the new colors or dont care one way or the other. I know of no-one
that has bought stuff they wouldnt have otherwise bought just because of
the new colors.
Stop trying to market to segments (e.g. girls with clikits) that arent part
of your core market.
Have less products out there at once but keep them on the shelves longer.
Make more of the products (like the Train products) available in retail
stores (we recently got the Imperial Star Destroyer in a retail store in
australia and from what I heard, it sold like hotcakes)
Less use of gimicks like card games.
Get rid of the "comics" found in instruction books like Star Wars and
Orient Expedition.
Much greater use of alternate models.
One of the central ideas of lego has been that of compatibility. The idea
that I can take parts from the newest Star Wars set and the old Classic
Space set and use them together alongside parts from the new Police sets
and the old Fire stations from the early 80s. The idea that all the parts
in the lego range form one whole "System". Lego needs to keep that idea as
a central focus and not produce products that dont fit with the.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> All,
>
> I know that some of you have attempted to fill out the survey announced
> yesterday on LEGOfan.org, only to be turned away with a message about the
> survey being complete.
>
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes. I have in the past, and I'm sure I will in the future.
> * Why / Why not?
The best toy makes the best gift.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I'd like to say, "I would give people the opportunity to upload CAD models and
then have them made and buy them in real life," but that's already in the works
to be reality very soon. (Woo hoo!)
I think it would be neat to add a poll where people can suggest and then vote on
a new piece to be made. I realize that new pieces are expensive (molds and
such), so there would only be one per year, and it would have to be something
useful that set designers could incorporate into future sets. Once the oddball
suggestions are weeded out by the LEGO company itself, the votes are cast, and
the winning piece gets itself made into a new sercive pack that contains just
that one piece in a few different colors. I'm tellin' ya--it would work man.
(Macaroni plates, 2X4 tiles...people would buy 'em.)
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
The way this question is worded, it sounds like you're asking for ideas on how
to make a LEGO product more appealing to consumers so that they'll think that
it's worth it to spend more. (for example: "Hey, look at that LEGO set! I
think that [fancy packaging/light-up lightsabers/whatever] makes it worth paying
[$X.XX] to have it." where $X.XX is greater than what it used to be) I think I
would make sure that there are plenty of sets that have the ability to not lose
their appeal over time due to being part of a passing craze. Sometimes a few
passing craze sets are OK, because there's a demand that makes them quite
profitable (Harry Potter, Star Wars), but then there are those sets (Clickits,
soccer) that seem to cheapen the line of LEGO products.
This is where you have to look at the Long Run. A LEGO set based on a passing
craze makes money now, but in a year or so the kid loses interest. The parent
looks at their kid's pile of pieces and thinks, "I can't believe I actually
bought my kid that." This could impair the parent's decision to buy LEGO sets
for their kid(s) in the future. On the other hand, a simpler set (an ambulance,
an original spaceship, a medieval shop, etc.) has the potential to maintain its
appeal for years to come. A child's LEGO city will always need cars and
trucks...but not Ron Weasley. Thus simpler/original sets could possibly hold a
child's interest longer.
> * What new products would you launch?
More MOC sets
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Still making the old gray and brown colors. Gnash your teeth at me all you
want; I'm just being honest.
David Gregory
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Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, I am buying Duplo right now.
> * Why / Why not?
I have to start corrupting my nephew as young as possible to keep him away from
video games.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More fan interaction - the US Truck Tours have *always* made a good local splash.
Use those tours for video footage for commercials.
Something like LegoWorld for the US - combine Brickfest, NWBrickCon, etc, into one
big honking festival that had heavy Lego involvement.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
The only way I'd pay more money is if the piece count went up and juniorization went
down. Lego is already the most expensive stud system by far. Full retail almost
never meets my wallet as is.
> * What new products would you launch?
Reinvigorate Mindstorms.
More train electronics, including DCC.
Added train track geometries -larger radius, 1/4, 1/2 tracks, modified switches,
etc. *But only if in old dark grey*
Bring back Idea Books. They rocked! Include a couple fullsize sheets of stickers
in each themed book (260 was a killer book). Cover any theme that makes sense
(Bionicle books might make some sense, but the stickers wouldn't end up on the
models, as there really aren't any parts conducive to stickers, so create stickers
useful for books, bikes, etc).
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Bringing back the more natural grey, dark grey, and brown (you *knew* that had to be
coming soon or later, right? The new bleys and brown SUCK for realistic scenery!).
Splitting the R/C components up further, so that it is easier to build custom RCs
without being stuck with monstrous bricks to work around.
Bringing back more studded Technic beams in the current sets, or make them more
available via S@H and specialty stores.
--
Tom Stangl
*http://www.vfaq.com/
*DSM Visual FAQ home
*http://www.vfaq.net/
*Prius Visual FAQ Home
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
(snip)
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N • Yes
> * Why / Why not? • Kids love LEGO products, even if they don't know it yet.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
A parts list in the set, like some of the Designer sets have.
Instructions for multiple models
Instructions for models combining two or more sets, as was done in early
Technic/Expert Builder sets.
(all possibly available online instead of printed.)
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
This just plain misses the point- you don't sell them for more money, you sell
more of them. By making a better, more useful and versatile product, profit will
increase- even if the profit per set doesn't.
>
> * What new products would you launch?
Lots of people are excited about Vikings. I'm enjoying the Desgner series- and
I'll always love Technic.
Personally, I'd love to see more big sculptures targeted at adults, like the
Statue of Liberty or Ollie the Dragon. Maybe famous buildings from the world...
or some 'art' sculptures.
And big parts packs- imagine selling 3450 Statue of Liberty sets, but instead of
Sand Green, it was in some other color. No instructions, minimal printing on the
box, just lots and lots of parts in one color.
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Focusing on what makes LEGO great, not what makes some other product popular for
15 minutes. (and doing the next Mindstorms project)
>
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
Thanks Jake!
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Y
> * Why / Why not?
They are fun toys, and they are also educational, as they teach kids to solve
3-dimensional problems encountered in building and to apply their ideas to the
physical world.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More Lego parts that are fully compatible with existing and past parts.
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Make them larger and more complex. Less story-driven and more creative. Use
several smaller parts instead of one pre-fabricated part.
>
> * What new products would you launch?
Continuations of some of the classic creative themes, such as Space, Pirates,
Classic Castle, Divers, and 95-6 Aquazone.
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Make pleasing the core market of "future engineers" and AFOLs more important
than appealing to the pokemon and video game kids.
>
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
Thank you, for giving us the opportunity to help improve the quality of TLC's
products.
Johnathan Mastron
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
For the same reasons I buy it for myself: It's a quality & fun product that
encourages creativity and thinking.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
As a fan of LEGO Technic, I'd say: more "features" - more things moving and
acting like the real-world objects.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
As an adult costumer I'd willingly pay more money for "better" sets:
sets that are more intricate, have more pieces and above all have more technic
features.
> * What new products would you launch?
I'd release a new "super car" with more features than the previous ones:
Differential lock, Brakes, Hand brake, Clutch and of course gear box, engine,
4x4 power & steering etc...
I also would love to see a bigger motorcycle set with a leg operated gear box
and hand operated brakes (that really work).
An analog clock set would be huge.
A sewing machine set could be very interesting.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
All my ideas are true for Israel:
Take care to separate themselves from the competition, as it is now the LEGO
products sit on the shelf with the competition, but the price is much higher.
Generally people refer to both as "LEGO" and are not aware of the difference in
quality and features.
Also, the pricing in Israel is appalling.
There is no good reason why it's cheaper for me to pay someone in the US to buy
sets for me and ship them to Israel via air mail (and pay tax) rather then buy
it in a toy store in Israel. The result of that is that people in Israel barely
buy LEGO.
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
Thanks Jake!!!
- David
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> All,
>
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, I would. Actually, I am buying lots of Lego for my own child (which will be
born around july 1st) and for several other children.
> * Why / Why not?
Because I believe that apart from the play value of Lego, the building system
helps children to develop their fantasy, their motoric skills (ever seen a three
year old puting a Duplo car in a garage? It took him two weeks to go from
banging the car against the garage to driving it neatly through the door!) and
the ability to go from 2d pictures (instructions) to 3d buildings.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
An idea book every three or four years (like the 6000 book).
More same-sized sets (same priced) in a theme, so children can save up for more
small sets in stead of just the one.
Keeping sets longer available. I had to use Bricklink to get a set that was only
one-and-a-half years old for this child that had been saving up for it. The set
was not to be found in the stores anymore!
And I would decrease in the number of different themes. Like Worldcity and City.
Bring back the TV commercials from the 80's, where this postman changed to a
police officer, to a fireman and back to a postman, with the changing buildings
and the camera at minifig-level. I love that commercial and it made me save up
my allowance for lego :-)
As soon as you are allowed again, come back with nice Space sets that don't
involve lasercannons, two opposing sides or other agression. The Classic Space
theme was much nicer, with scientists, moon bases, etc.
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I wouldn't! Lego is already famous for its high prices over here in the
Netherlands. I am getting a little tired of having to tell people who complain
about these prices that the bricks will last for over 30 years (mine do), so it
is actually a very cheap toy.
>
> * What new products would you launch?
This is a hard question. The obvious new products would be more designer sets
and parts packs. Also idea books like the 6000 and new space sets.
Also, more 'normal' buildings for City (houses, shops, family cars, etc)
And what I personally would like is a DVD (like the Bionicle ones), but staring
minifigs! I wouldn't care what theme they were in, but I just love minifigs in
cgi...
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Come out with more small sets, that don't cost so much. That way, children will
be able to save up and buy sets all year round instead of having to wait for
Christmas (Sinterklaas in the Netherlands) or their birthdays. It would also
make parents happy, because children won't be nagging for gifts in the toystores
so much; they can buy them themselves.
>
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
I hope this will help your CEO to make the right decisions. One of my greatest
worries is that my (yet unborn) child would grow up without TLC! Just think
about it; he/she would only be able to buy the *other brands*...
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
Glad I was able to answer these questions. Let's go make all AFOL's
week/month/year and turn TLC into a profit-making company again!
/\/\ark "will buy another set this week to sponsor TLC" de Kock
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
Despite of the "blay-desaster" it is still one of the best toys on market.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More products like the designer sets.
More spare parts.
More lines that last for more than 2 years. (As town and castle did in the
80ies)
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Return to quality as known in the 60ies, 70ies and 80ies. Put more bricks into
one product, but keep the elements more basic (and so cheaper in production
costs).
> * What new products would you launch?
The products are quite perfect (designer sets + shop at home products are 100%
perfect) (only the colours are no longer useful...)
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Change back to old colours and old quality standards. Do not break given
promises. Try to act after old Ole's statement: "Only the best is good enough
for our children". Keep the LEGO world free from violence - our kids do not need
that in their children's room.
Thanks for listening.
Ben
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> > * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
>
> [Go] back to old colours and old quality standards.
Jake, there's the summary of the AFOL response to your survey!
SRC
Bricksmith(tm)
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
Because they're versatile and inspire creativity.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More light/motion features in regular building sets. Integrate some small
motorised or technic features into smaller town/space/train sets. This would
make them more attractive to adult collectors too, who've been put off technic
by the lack of inter-operability caused by the studless beams.
The minifig torches are great, but where are the vehicles with lights? A single
piece flashing light/sound unit was produced for Jack Stone models a while ago,
then it was just given away with purchases in brand shops. Why wasn't this
built in to a minifigure police car or fire engine?
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
As above. But, you need more smaller sets in the themes to inpire collecting.
Surely this lesson is obvious from Bionicle? One set at each price point in a
theme puts a distinct barrier up for most children. The city theme is a good
example. There's a police motorbike, a police car, a police van, a police
station. There's a fire car, a fire helicopter, a fire engine, and a fire
station. Where are all the cars and vans or houses that make up a real city?
Sets that children can spend their pocket money on? If you're a child you have
a certain perceived spending limit for one set, and another limit for your
parents to spend on you. Say your personal limit is $20 or $30 on one set -
you're left with a very small number of sets from the catalogue you can look at.
Having said that, I have noticed the low price point of these City sets and I'm
impressed. I say more!
> * What new products would you launch?
Expand the town range. Integrate it more closely with trains. Make push-along
trains that can be upgraded to running 9V trains, to bring down the entry point.
Make creator sets that allow for building minifigure-sized buildings or vehicles
with technical working features such as lifts, conveyer belts, motorised cranes,
etc.
With spares and bulk packs available on the website, engage the adult builders
to see what is useful. There's no coherent provision of a range of shapes of
bricks in a range of colours. Each colour has a different seletion of shapes.
It's hard to use the parts on offer.
Worst example is the roof tile packs - the proportions of parts they contain are
utterly useless. No-one who's ever built a roof out of Lego would ever come up
with a pack like that - yet the creator set for making buildings has just the
right parts, and so did an old spares pack from Lego with black roof pieces.
Some people in the company may have thought these roof packs would be a
resounding success, as it's what many fans asked for in surveys. But, they've
fallen flat because of critical design flaws. The customers for this sort of
thing are very picky - you won't understand them through crude surveys where you
think you know what answer options to provide. You need to understand the point
of view of a builder. Why is this so hard for LEGO? Does no-one in the company
ever actually build anything?
I'll repeat my personal request for a dark grey roof pack - the new colour of
dark grey won't matter if all the bricks go into the roof of a model. And talk
to the fans about the proportions of pieces needed to make an interesting roof.
Get it right, and you only need produce one spares pack, not two.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Many of the parents buying Lego for their children do so because they remember
playing with it. But, most of them hardly recognise it. There were some
enduring play values in the old range of public and civilian town sets that are
missing in the current City range. Legoland has become a police state!
The themes need to be more closely integrated, for more interoperability. The
designs of themes such as Alpha Team are just too extreme to integrate with
City.
The new Vikings look like a step in the right direction - bringing minifigures
into contact with Bionicle-like monsters. As mentioned above, try bringing
technic contraptions to minifigures to inspire continuity. The disparate themes
in the current catalogue are not inspiring the lifelong fans of the future.
Jason Railton
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> <BIG SNIP>
>
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes. Currently, that is the bulk of my purchases. Duplo is where my money is
spent right now. I find that anything purchased for me is usually bought via
eBay or AuctionBrick.
> * Why / Why not?
Twin niece and nephew. I have to do something to help stimulate their young
minds and the worked just fine for me when I was young, so I'll just let history
repeat itself. Fine motor skills and creativity are best developed in this
manner at a young age and that's what this uncle is helping with. As far as why
I'm not actively purchasing for myself...well, the million parts I'm sorting
currently are telling me they don't need any company ;)
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Expand Mindstorms exclusively via schools. Offer a DEEP discount to educators to
help push Lego into a viable space in school curriculums. Start young and focus
on science/robotics/computers.
Fewer 'gadget' parts in all lines. Examples include: Rashki back Fins, train
track, 'light up' interfaces, bendy Duplo animal bodies, and space saucer parts.
What do all these parts have in common? Outside their native building realms,
there is little use for them anywhere else.
Concentrate on age appropriate parts. Smaller parts for bigger hands-smaller
technic bits, bricks, plates, etc. For Juniors has it's place and it certainly
isn't in a juniorized pirate theme. What child wants to grow up to be a pirate?
SPACE and town...that's where FJ needs to be focused.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Keep quality high - matching colored parts and a lessened reliance on poor
computer graphics. Any graphics used should match exactly what is capable for
the product. Bionicle in particular takes big liberties with this one.
Focus on product lines of an integrated toy. Illustrate that Knights Kingdom and
Designer work together with Duplo. Show that the toys don't have a finite life,
but an infinute number of possibilities instead.
In short, give the consumer more value for their hard earned dollar. There's
nothing worse than getting a set home, only to find something 'wrong' with
it...whether it is a 'bley' consideration or a canister whose picture
inaccurately displays the angle of a certain Toa's arms...both are annoying and
tend to put off future purchases.
> * What new products would you launch?
The return of space lines. MULTIPLE space lines. Space has languished for years
in favor of expensive junk like trains and racers sets with single purpose trace
parts. A complete space ship used to be available for under $3, while a complete
train set can't be had for less than $50 even on deep clearance. Economies of
scale will tell you that you'll sell far more sets for less than $10 (a 'childs'
budget) that more than $50 (AFOL budget).
Work out a licensing deal with Hasbro (I know, I know...I'm dreaming, but this
is the place for that). Get Transformers and give us a TRUE mecha line. Do Xevoz
some justice by integrating it into Bionicle. Both lines are equally brilliant
and completely incompatible with each other.
Vikings, Roman and Greeks, other historical lines (Carthage?), More sculptures
and legends.
Lego has proven it can handle good vs. evil, but invariably, the bad guys get
short changed for sets. The lone exception to this was the Blacktron theme.
Simutaneous good/bad sets in equal quantities would be good (this is why I stay
away from KK and AT). There is no reason anyone whould end up with 5 Luke
Skywalkers if they pick up all of that year's sets. 1 is more than enough as you
proved with Vader.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Expanding Paradisa. Clickits is nice, but isn't easy to integrate into town
creations. Find ways to do this and you'll get girls back into building.
Offering a comprehensive guide to all the year's offerings. I remember back in
the day when I could look through a guide and see what Lego had available that
year. That's impossible to do today given the compartmentalization of themes.
Making the theme parks as enjoyable as shopping at the retail stores. Last time
I was in LLCA, I felt as if I had entered a budget park with employees to match.
I expect a 'Disneyland' type of experience and I'm certain others do as well.
(No, not crowded park with overpriced food) I expect knowledgable employees who
are friendly and helpful...like the staff at both your Glendale and Aneheim
stores.
Lastly, turning a profit. I know this is something that is the number one
concern for the company, but the past few years worth of decisions have made it
look like you just don't care about profits.
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
Anytime, Jake! We're all very happy to help.
-Dave
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
I agree with Kelly on this - You appear to be having trouble getting the company
to realise how many of us there are and, most importantly, how much we are
trying to get our points/wants across. If you had asked me how many responses
to the questionnaire you would get I would have said '3 to 5 thousand' 500 was
a pretty low target!
Anyway:
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, and I do.
> * Why / Why not?
1 - Because I think building with Lego bricks teaches spatial awareness and
creativity.
2 - I think the quality of Lego bricks is much higher than other brands.
3 - Because I know my nieces enjoy playing with Lego bricks.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
1 - I would find ways to make sets at low price points more 'bricky'. The new
police motorbike is a 'build once' set as it has two very specialised parts.
The old Classic space pocket-money sets were very versatile.
2 - I would redesign the boxes to appeal more to children without appearing 'low
end'. Specifically, I would allow the purchaser to see the parts in the set.
3 - I would make Lego Brand stores more enticing or children. *I* like the
design but I think it might be a bit bland for kids.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for more money?
Do you really need to sell each set for more money? The only way to do that
will be to put more parts in them which will increase costs. I am certain you
need to bring the prices down just a shade, so they are still distinguishably
more than clone brands, and as a result you will sell more volume. I think the
problem is at the advertising end of marketing, not the product end. Box
design, cheaper Lego for education so it makes its way into school and more TV
advertising will help. However over the last two years most of what the company
has done has gone in the right direction (and I live in the UK where Lego is
stupendously expensive compared to the US, to a degree that makes me think you
are either losing money in the US or are gouging us)
> * What new products would you launch?
More mid-range (price and age) high-recognisability models - I would be very
surprised if the Enzo Ferrari isn't flying off the shelves. More please and
don't limit it to vehicles. What about a Lego London Eye set!
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
(This may not be popular as it appears to act against the interests of AFOLs)
Acting to stop so much Lego ending up at Sale prices. Argos were chucking the
Technic Backhoe out at something like £27.99. Presumably they were still making
some profit at that level. In the long term as people become confident that
sets will end up discounted they will stop buying high-cost sets at release -
this is a vicious circle. You do this not by punishing stores but by setting
the right RRP at the start.
(I hope people can see that the long term benefit of the company staying afloat
and the ability to get all sets at a reasonable price is a good reason to
encourage this)
Hope this helps
Psi
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> > * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
> (This may not be popular as it appears to act against the interests of AFOLs)
>
> Acting to stop so much Lego ending up at Sale prices. Argos were chucking the
> Technic Backhoe out at something like £27.99. Presumably they were still making
> some profit at that level. In the long term as people become confident that
> sets will end up discounted they will stop buying high-cost sets at release -
> this is a vicious circle. You do this not by punishing stores but by setting
> the right RRP at the start.
>
> (I hope people can see that the long term benefit of the company staying afloat
> and the ability to get all sets at a reasonable price is a good reason to
> encourage this)
I actually aggree with this.
Over the years I have been buying lego, I have bought many sets on sale. I
have actually bought things on sale that I would never have paid full price
for. Case in point is the 4479 Tie Bomber. I would like to get a copy (for
the classic light and dark greys) but at full price, it just isnt good value.
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes!
> * Why / Why not?
Because Lego encourages creativity and is a toy which can grow with the child.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I'll answer cynically here. I'd make more models that have value added when put
together. I think the bonus SW minis were a good example of this. I'd make them
out of the parts of the original models though. That way, people who buy only
one don't feel they've wasted money on extra pieces and those who are bower
birds will buy the full collection twice.
I'd make sure there were two sets of ads. One set targeted directly at children
focussing on the 'coolness' factor of sets and one at the parents focussing on
the educational value. These would be aimed directly to the appropriate
demographics (eg. adult friendly during Sesame Street).
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I think that would be a bad idea. Expensive sets will compete more directly with
mobile phones etc. which is only going to cause problems.
> * What new products would you launch?
I'd go with the oft mentioned idea books, but given away free to those who can
send in a certain number of proof-of-purchases. If the idea books showed how to
combine given sets to make something new then that would be perfect. This of
course could be done online for free as well.
Although it goes against my own preferences, I think that action sets that tie
in generically with successful TV shows would be a good lure. If mecha are in,
release mecha for example. If Transformers(tm) make a comeback, release
transforming vehicles. Let others do the marketing work.
Also, more targeted products at the adult builder. Things sci-fi are good. You
could make a lot of profit on an accurate model of an Alien(tm) for example,
whatever is on the shelves of a comic/model store can be Lego-fied and sold to
adult (read rich) collectors. Unlike trains they can be a one-off purchase
rather than a (very) large investment.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Better advertising. Less juniourisation. More 'hooks'. More action. More
roleplay for younger kids. More awareness of age. More Brand Stores. More
pick-a-brick (high profit margin I imagine).
Tim
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
Fantastic way to develop both a childs imagination & mechanical sense (in
these days of electronic games), as well as at the young end of the range fine
motor skills. Also, an awful lot of fun for parents & children to play together.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the
> marketing director of LEGO?
Simple Technic incorperated into models (the Harry Potter mechanical clock
tower, for instance).
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if
> you wanted to sell them for more money?
Hmm... more flexibility, with for insatance more alternative models per set?
Tough question, actually.
> * What new products would you launch?
Mindstorms upgrade (with more significant contests/challenges right in the
box) for the older (OK, and adult) end of the spectrum. Continue the
designer-type series for a younger age bracket, perhaps leaning more toward
"town" style where multiple models integrate naturally into a large-scale theme.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
When I can succeffully run a privately-held company for generations while
producing some of the highest quality products in the target market, *then* I'll
feel qualified to answer that question.
If this was a couple of years ago, I'd say "market analysis via surveys or
more focus groups" - but there my suggestion is a tad behind the marketing
department.
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
Thank you, Jake! This may have made your week, but your response in this and
other forums, particularly *on a weekend* when the rest of us *AREN'T* working,
has made the week for me and I'm sure many others.
--
Brian Davis
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
| |
- Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
|
I would, and in fact I do, for my little brother who turns 11 this June.
Because it’s LEGO. In my mind that is a reason in of itself.
| |
- What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
|
I have absolutely no idea what you’re asking here. But as long as you’re
mentioning marketing, I’ll point out that I can watch a full day of Nickelodeon,
followed by a full day of Cartoon Network, and not see any LEGO commercials
whatsoever beyond the occasional Bionicle ad. This is not good.
| |
- How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
|
Ditch the large figures from the “4+” range. Like Mr. Vallenduuk said, you guys
have the minifig--arguably symbolic of the very idea of construction toys--and
you go out of your way to design a figure that looks different and isn’t
compatible? I honestly cannot concieve of any line of reasoning that would make
this seem like a good idea. Some of the larger scales LEGO has used in the past
have made sense--Technic comes to mind--but here, all you’re doing is limiting
your designers by forcing all figure-related features to take up more space.
Better, more useful pieces. My little brother always comes into my room and
plays with my pieces instead of his, partly because my collection has the real
volume, but mostly because, as he says, I’m the one with all the cool pieces.
And he has a lot of recent sets, whereas my collection mostly covers the 80s to
90s. I think that says something. In particular, stop this “a car consists
of a car piece, a windshield piece, and some extra bits for details” crap.
Okay, it hasn’t been that bad lately, but sets like #7238 Fire Helicopter
truly and seriously make me want to cry. C’mon, I was building more complex
sets than this when I was 3. The Designer sets are a step in the right
direction.
If you really are trying to figure out what would make people spend more for the
same piececount (which I don’t think is a good way to approach this, given a)
your target audience and b) the fact that the competition already has an
advantage in terms of price), minifigs will help you out. There hasn’t been a
LEGO set in history that wouldn’t have been better if it’d had one more minifig
in it. This is especially true of the Star Wars line, with its severe
Stormtrooper shortage, and of the Harry Potter line, where there are plenty of
minifigs but all of them are Harry.
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- What new products would you launch?
|
A full-fledged “mini” theme. It looks like you’re already headed towards this,
with the Factory and such, and I approve. I think the logical way to go would
be to create mini versions of classic sets--I know I’d buy a mini #6781
SP-Striker, for instance.
A hospital subtheme for the City theme. LEGO has always been really bad about
this: if your house is on fire, is being robbed, or is only half built, there
are plenty of firefighters, police officers, and construction workers to solve
your problem, but if you fall off the roof you’re pretty much screwed. The only
reason we have even one ambulance among more-or-less-current sets is that there
was one in Spider-Man 2.
Lots more Designer sets. This type of thing used to be what defined LEGO.
And it really seems like there should be another price point between the $10
sets and the X-Pods.
More Bionicle, less supersized Knights Kingdom. The former is a successful LEGO
theme; the latter is a bizarre subspecies of the Knights Kingdom theme that
doesn’t look right next to any other product LEGO has ever sold.
| |
- What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
|
Space. No, seriously. Star Wars is cool and all, but it’s a whole different
animal from the old Space sets. (The minifigs in particular are more like Town
stuff.) Ideally I’d want new sets from each of the old themes, like Space
Police, but there’s no reason this couldn’t also take the form of a “realistic”
space theme (in which case I think it’d be better to follow the Launch Command
model than Space Port).
Small, inexpensive sets, like everyone else said. Making mostly very large sets
makes the shelves look pretty, but it also reduces your impulse buys to roughly
zero. X-Pods are good this way, though I get the feeling that the pod
containers drive the price up--put them back in cardboard boxes, like in the old
days.
Minifig packs. Have you noticed a recurring theme yet? :P People like these
little guys, and currently the only way to get more of them than the sets
provide is by ordering an expensive “Community Workers” set from the S@H
website. To kids whose parents won’t buy a huge set for one minifig, which is
most of them, Princess Leia does not exist and Dumbledore is only a rumor. You
could also probably get some decent sales from offering packs of “classic”
minifigs (like, say, soldiers from the early Pirate sets, or classic space or
Futuron astronauts). In order to accomplish their purpose, of course, these
would have to be sold at retail, not just as S@H exclusives.
And finally... There are always going to be some unenlightened fools who don’t
buy plastic building blocks, and nothing you or anyone else can do will change
that. The people who like your product like it for what it is: a system of
plastic building blocks. Trying to turn it into something else is only going to
alienate your existing customers, and you’re never going to beat Mega Bloks at
being “like LEGO except stupid” anyway. Just concentrate on being LEGO.
-Andrusi &&
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Almost forgot.
| |
- What new products would you launch?
|
New entries in the Legends and My Own Creation lines.
-Andrusi &&
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> All,
>
> I know that some of you have attempted to fill out the survey announced
> yesterday on LEGOfan.org, only to be turned away with a message about the
> survey being complete.
>
> After some late night phone calls and early morning emails, I've been to figure
> out what's up.
>
> Basically, because of the way the survey was created through a third party,
> there is a hard cap set for the number of surveys that can be completed.
> (Basically, we're charged a fee per completed survey, and thus have to set a
> budget with the third party developer).
>
> Within hours, that hard cap was reached, and the survey automatically shut down.
> Since it's the weekend, and most of my colleagues aren't easily accessible, I'll
> have to check on the actual number that is the hard cap. I know for sure that
> it's no less than 500. WOW.
>
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N • YES
> * Why / Why not?
Because it's one of the best learning tools available and "it's a new toy
everyday" - this is so true and a whole generation have missed this phrase. It
also outlasts most other toys in terms of interest and durability.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I'd get in with the schools. Modern society points us (adults) towards getting
the 'best deal' on food, clothes, cars etc. but when we are not experts in
construction toys (ie the average parent?) we are likely to apply this process
and ignore the difference in quality between Lego and other construction
toys...or other toys period.
If you can get straight to the kids, they will be exposed to Lego (in some cases
for the first time). Educational building sessions in schools or public displays
with hands-on building experience would be obvious starting points.
Schools are likely to recognise, or a t least care about, the difference in toy
build quality more than the average parent.
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Better packaging focused on sales. The lure of the plain printed boxes is less
than the older type where you could open the flap and see the selected
'treasure'. If customers saw the benefit of, say, the way the technic sets would
bring out the engineer in us then the product may fall into a higher value level
in their mind. At the moiment, I think it's seen as 'just' a toy!
>
> * What new products would you launch? • Working models of real life things.
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
As above. Get out and influence the customers by extolling the benefits of the
system beyond being just another throw-away toy - several of my friends buy
competitior bricks for their children becaise of what they promise on the box,
and the cheap price, because they do not appreciate the difference*. You may
wish to consider what has been mentioned above in order to do this.
*I despair at the amount of poor quality toys brought into our house which break
or have to be thrwon away. Lego is very green in this respect!.
Jon Reynolds
>
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
I'm happy to help out, and I'm glad that we have this opportunity, as the survey
was flawed in many ways. It showed a lack of comprehension of the AFOL mind and
behaviour. Most of us would not consider buying clone products no matter what
the price. Actually, 'clone' is an innaccurate term, as it doesn't imply the
inferior quality of the roughly LEGO-shaped plastic they purvey.
The survey ignored the possibility of economic factors affecting buying trends.
The survey was also too theme specific; I don't worry about which theme the sets
are from, I buy whatever has enough of the parts I'm interested in, even if it
means I have a large stockpile of Yetis to pass along to my nephews. Oh, and 20+
as an upper limit? I have 20+ of some individual sets.
You can assume my support for the majority of the previous suggestions in this
thread, so I will simply add what may have been overlooked.
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Absolutely. And, I wouldn't stop at 11 either.
> * Why / Why not?
For all the reason's listed above. This should be heartening to TLG; we still
support the core values of LEGO, even when we find fault with particular
products and corporate decisions.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I would add to the above responses by marketing the coolness and expandability
to children while marketing the learning and creativity aspects to their
parents. We AFOLs are basically self-marketing; as long as you put the sets on
your website, we'll find them and buy the ones we want online, or in our local
stores. But, it would be great to see more advertising on TV.
I would push on the 'collector' aspect, not just for sets, but for the parts.
Many of us collect the parts we need to the extent that we'll even buy a set for
a few specific parts. We wait for years for a specific piece to be released in a
specific colour. That's the crux of the colour issue for some; dashed hopes have
taken a long time to heal.
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Fill the boxes with more pieces. I would pay more for more product. I'm
disinclined to pay more for cardboard backdrops, games, printed pieces, single
use pieces (Yeti, Jun Chi, Dewback) and excessively juniorized pieces.
That AFOLs may be more frugal with their money, shouldn't be that big a concern.
We tend to stretch our LEGO budget as far as we can. We still buy as much as we
can and I think that the sale prices amount to a volume discount on some very
significant volume. As a kid I looked for the best price, so that mustn't be a
new trend.
>
> * What new products would you launch?
Apart from the suggestions in this thread, I would complete the selection of
roof tiles for all the colours they have been produced in. This ties in with the
collector mentality again. I'd really like to build roofs in more colours and
shapes than are currently available. (Heck, I've even resorted to building
upside down.) Peaks and corners are particularly lacking in several colours of
the steep slopes, but there are many other gaps.
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
I would promote more of what the fans are doing. Idea books with large
fan-created designs would serve to show more of the possibilities to a wider
audience. Focus on the nostalgia aspect and generational continuity. Fight the
brand confusion; "if it doesn't say 'LEGO' on the box, it isn't LEGO." The
Ambassadors program is a good start; keep growing it, let us help you.
>
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
I can't see that there is any danger in finding out more about what your
customers are thinking. Too many businesses fail miserably when it comes to
evaluation. For all its flaws, your survey was considerably better than average.
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
Thank you, Jake, for all that you do. I know that the company pays you, but it
really seems like you're working for us.
Best regards, Ley (aka Professor Whateverly)
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes. I currently buy for a 2 year-old and a 9 year-old (well, a 32 year-old
too, but that wasn't the question)
> * Why / Why not?
It's a great creative toy. You can literally build *anything* with it. I want
my nephew and my daughter to know what it feels like to create and be inventive
instead of being fed information via television and video games. Active play
instead of passive.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Like others have said, the Idea Books were awesome. Great way to market your
product and to encourage building ideas. Another thing that a few others have
mentioned is lower priced sets for kids. The company claims to market to kids
of a certain age, but those same kids can't afford the product. I know the
theory is probably that the kids ask their parents to buy the sets, but in a
practical sense, I don't think that works. My daughter would much rather buy a
$10 Polly Pocket set with her allowance each week instead of saving up for a $50
Lego set. She plays with Lego every day, and Polly Pocket every couple of
weeks, but she buys what she can afford.
Which brings up another marketing point. Get the product back on the shelves.
Kids don't usually have credit cards for catalogue and online shopping, so they
aren't going to buy from those channels. As an adult, I'd be more likely to
impulse buy from off the shelf as well (Uh, don't tell my wife that though).
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Others have mentioned this one too. Sell more product for less money. Not the
other way around. Changing the cover art on the boxes might help though.
Current sets don't look like building toys to me. Then again, I miss the old
yellow boxes (which do seem to be making a comeback, so that's cool).
> * What new products would you launch?
Smaller sets with lower price points. The old space sets that had maybe 20
pieces at most in them were great. I lost tons of allowance money on those
things. It didn't bother me, because I knew when I got them home, I could add
them to my other sets and make bigger sets.
Something for girls would be nice. Clik-Its worked for a (very short) bit, but
when my daughter started finding out that all the sets were pretty much alike,
she lost interest. When she builds with bricks and minifigs though, she always
comes up with something new, and she always has a female minifig in the lead
role.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Product placement and advertising. It's rare to see a Lego commercial on
television anymore, and it's getting close to impossible to find any product in
the stores unless you're in a major city. If I didn't receive a Shop At Home
catalogue in the mail, I'm not sure I'd know the company was still in business.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Y - I don't have kids but would buy them as gifts for other people's kids.
> * Why / Why not?
Because it's the best toy to develop a child's spacial and geometric skills.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I'm not a marketing expert, but you gotta differentiate yourselves from the
Megabloks guys or they will eat you alive...
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I wouldn't. They're already too expensive, compared to competing brands.
> * What new products would you launch?
Products that keep with the traditional LEGO concept of helping kids develop
spacial and geometric skills. As for specific themes, I would do lots of focus
groups with both kids and AFOL's to find out what they want.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Speed up the development of new products to react more quickly to cultural
trends.
Work better with mom-n-pop toy stores and hobby shops (for example, to sell LEGO
trains in model train stores) to ensure availability of LEGO products. Remove
limitations on breadth of product line that need to be carried so stores can
focus on individual lines. Make a wholesale version of shop@home for these
guys.
Finding ways to offer bulk bricks in more efficient ways than currently
available (wider selection, more flexible quantities, lower prices).
--Bill.
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Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes - within certain boundaries
> * Why / Why not?
Because I still consider Lego to be one of the best toys ever,
regardless of the mistakes the company made and makes.
I would not buy Bionicle for a kid, nor would I buy some
action-and-violence-centered sets like "world city police" or these
abdominable Dino-Hunters.
An important point here is to distinguish between violence related to
our current time and violence in historic context, i.e. Pirates: OK,
Castles: OK (but not KK2, but for different reasons), guys with machine
guns (and ugly dinosaurs as lame excuse): DEFINITELY NOT OK.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Better Pick-a-Brick selections. More re-usable, less special-purpose bricks.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
S.a. Less single-purpose bricks, back to the basics. You are neither
Matell nor Playmobil. Your company's name is Lego which once was an
alias for "You can build the thing pictured on the box. But you still
can build thousends of different other things from it, too". Todays sets
remind me more of Mattel model sets than of a generic construction toy.
> * What new products would you launch?
Improved bulk purchase capabilities. Especially reasonable prices if
bricks are purchased in large quantities, e.g. Boxes of 1000 or 5000 apiece.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Return to the point of Lego being a "system", e.g. with a complete set
of slope bricks for 33°, including concave corners so one can build
dormers (SP?) with it.
Support the active AFOLs, of course. They are spending their own
resources to advertise for your product. One way would be to offer
discounts to AFOLs who exhibit MOCs, or maybe S@H vouchers. Remember:
Most of the stuff will end up in free advertising again.
And - you propably guessed it: Return to the old colours!
Yours, Christian Treczoks
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
snip
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Y and N
> * Why / Why not?
Sorry for the confusion there, Yes I would buy Lego for a child, but I would not
enjoy giving it to them as I would rather add it to my collection. Basically I
buy Lego for a 54 year old child (myself)
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I would like to see most (if not all) S@H items available in my local toy store,
I normally plan what I want to buy during the year, but occasionally I also
impulse buy, and if it isn't on the shelf, then I can't buy.
Another point is things like the Statue of Liberty model, if it was available on
the shelf I would have got at least one set, probably more (good source of sand
green bricks) however, due to an overused credit card coupled with the high cost
of post and packing, I extremely doubt I will ever be using S@H. Which also
meant I missed out on items like the Dragon sculpture and Dan Siskind's
Blacksmith Shop (plus all those extras like bulk blocks etc).
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Like most people here I think Lego should bring back the pocket money/stocking
filler size sets, not look at how to make a relatively expensive product more
expensive. If anything, I'd be looking at how I could shave a few dollars OFF
the price by using less gimmicky stuff in a set eg comics, card games etc.
> * What new products would you launch?
As has been said before, look at the old catalogs, bring back proper town
buildings, where are the house sets, the hospital, shops, restaurants?
Take sets like the building bonanza and release it in alternate colours,
different roof and wall colours to give builders the option of having other
colour houses.
A set that I thought was fantastic, both from a building experience AND as a
useful colour parts pack was the Yoda Sculpture (I purchased 5 sets and would
have got more had the set been available for a longer period). I believe Lego
should have a Sculpture theme that could incorporate a whole series of figures,
busts, buildings etc, BUT, these MUST be available from local toy stores, NOT
just from S@H.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Getting back to basics and getting out of fads.
Thanks - Ken Bailey
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Normally I'm simply lurking here but now I couldn't resist :)
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, in fact I've already bought quite a few sets that I keep in storage
for them until they are old enough because I feel that LEGO has gone
down-hill in the last years so I'd better stock up now than end up with a
2-piece LEGO action man figure when they are the right age. So I already
have a collection of 8+, 12+ etc lego for my 2-year old :)
> * Why / Why not?
Because it is one of the few toys that helps them build creativity. An
because, at least to some extend, it can help them go beyond that first
model they get in the box.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of
> LEGO?
interoperability is the key to LEGO; I think we need LEGO to go back to
its roots in that respect. I want to use classic LEGO with my new technic
backhoe, but I can't really (studless issue). I think LEGO should focus on
the buys LEGO and build anything you want instead of "Buy LEGO and you get
this great man-eating-dinosaur".
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them
> for
> more money?
I think LEGO should learn lessons from other lines of business. In
general, people are more included to buy a large number of inexpensive
items than one big one. If LEGO had a range of say 10 sets costing about
$15 that are all nice (but simple) models, but together allow you to build
a much larger model, I think people would end up spending the $150 for the
big model whereas they would not buy the $120 large model if it were one
big box.
Think about it, for $10-$15 people just get one for the fun of it, they
then end up buying another one because it's cheap anyway and before they
know it they end up thinking "well, I only need to get X more to get the
large model".
Also, I can think of a million reasons to give my kids a $10-$15 set,
whereas I can only think of a few to give them a $120 set (birthday,
christmas, that's about it).
>
> * What new products would you launch?
See above :)
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Keep in mind that in general the parents buy the LEGO for their kids. I am
fully willing to spend considerable money on toys for my kids as long as I
feel it will help them and it is fun. But I won't buy things like Bionicle
because it does not foster their creativity, I won't buy sets that are
basically "stick these 4 blocks together and you can play with it".
Richard
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
We enjoyed Lego as kids. Its fun, safe and high quality.
Every kid deserves Lego. If they don't already have some, its great to be the
person to introduces them to it. If they already have it - well you can never
have enough.
Also, some of our friends' kids love Bob the Builder. Buying Duplo Bob the
Builder seems to be more positive and educational than the equivalent non Duplo
toy.
We almost bought some Mega Bloks for some kids - until we realised that it
wouldn't fit with the Primo we had already bought them. The System is important,
and its important to make that first sale.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
See below.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Ultimately plastic is not regarded as a high value item. I would consider adding
wooden and metal elements. As a kid I longed to be able to combine my blocks
with my Lego - all it needed was for the blocks to be the same proportion as a
bricks. But I am sure your designers could figure out some way to actually
connect the wood to the plastic.
Parents will spend a very high proportion of their disposable income on kids
education. If you can make the educational content of Lego more explicit, you
will attract incremental sales. This might be as minimal as putting a sticker on
the pack, or maybe some point of sale material.
I would also make Lego available in those expensive "educational" toystores
alongside Brio, Aquaplay and Plan toys.
If you go further and make Montessori or Papert Lego, parents may pay a very
high premium.
> * What new products would you launch?
A new premium brand for architects and AFOLs with smaller bricks. Wait a
minute... maybe you already tried that.
Use cheap labour to make exquisite hand painted parts for art pieces. Commission
famous artists and sculptors to provide the models.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Allow the Lego to be displayed in the parts of the store it belongs - Primo in
baby's section, Duplo in the toddlers section and the Clikits with the girls
stuff.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
Because kids don't really want to spend their entire life behind the
2-D-computer, and building with bricks gives the third dimension.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I would subtract, not add. There is more than enough LEGO marketing as is.
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Produce less. LEGO's toughest competitor is LEGO itself; why buy a full-priced
LEGO box, when you in the same store can find a few months old LEGO set at half
price? LEGO need to shift the attention from quantity to revenue: Give up some
of the profit-slim markets, even if they are volume-heavy (yes, even like the US
market!!). Come to grips with the situation, that LEGO is neither Mattel nor
Hasbro, focus on being a high quality building bricks niche company, and accept
a more humble placement on the Worlds Biggest Toymakers list.
>
> * What new products would you launch?
LEGO launches about 400 new product numbers a year; go for a target of no more
than 100, and launch only 1 new theme each year (like this years Vikings, next
year maybe Romans, etc.)
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Have more focus on Asia, especially the Chinese market. Develop sets centered on
what Chinese children would like.
>
> Jake
thanks for making this survey!
Arne, Copenhagen
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-SNIP IT-
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
WORD!
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
Quality, duability, mind stimulation, imagination, better than any electronic
device at that age, sets a foundation for creative thinking and expression
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
As in selling features, none. I would do less in some areas and more in others.
No holographic patches, no overly fancy artwork. Things I do find appealing are
the newer top displays that show the number of minifigs and I like the back of
the KK2 boxes that show all the great accessories.
If you mean play features then I would add more hidden things like trap doors,
hidden doors, treasure chambers, or reversable fire places. I would also
add/maintain storage containers like the mail boxes or treasure chests.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Without changing everything else a set is like now, pieces in rare colors
(colors they are not in yet). More minifigs, five extra figs = five-ten extra
dollars. Increase the part count which does three things, makes it less
juniorized, lowers the price per piece count (very important for AFOLs) and
makes people feel they are getting more value for their money.
Change to the actual product, smaller boxes, less artwork, less comics (as in
every set in the series doesn't need the a comic book), and use existing molds
to make the same shapes in sets then making a new molded specialty piece.
> * What new products would you launch?
A small model series. $20 price range. Start with popular sports car models.
Small compact designs with any of the following; opening doors, hoods, trunks,
wheels that turn, flip up lights, or convertible (if possible at that size).
Make them nearly studless, and 8X16 studs in size. Then maybe add other
vehicles, planes, boats, or other desktop model sized sets.
(this is for, car lovers, model lovers, LEGO lovers)
Fairy tale sets for 6-12 year olds with the story included. Jack and the
Beanstalk, Puss in Boots, Rapunzel, Little Red Ridinghood. Standard minfigs,
repeated use of the same parts to keep costs down. Use the same one or two
parts for things like the beanstalk (triple leafed plant stem), or Rapunzels
tower the 1X3 brick/1X1 brick round combination.
(nostalgia for parents, introduce the classics to younger generations, extras
for the AFOLs)
A new product for girls similar to Belville or Paradisa. The girl market is
still available. I know many girls who enjoy building or used to play with LEGO
as children. They want romantic things like a princesses and a knight to save
them from the witch/baron/ogre. Things to include would be flowers and
accessories. Maybe add a few extra pieces so each girl can change her
appearance. A few different color hair parts, a different outfit, a hat, or an
extra head with a differnt print would achieve this nicely. make them
affordable. The current prices for Belville are quite high. Try and to younger
girls still in the baby doll and dollhouse age 6-10.
A fantasy/mythology series. Brick built dragons, ogres and other beasts.
Medusa, a faun or satyr, a centaur all as minifigs. Follow the adventures of
Hercules as he battles the monsters and saves the world type of stuff.
***Ultimate*** Camelot. You would have the knights of the round table with the
siege perilous. A church yard where Arthur becomes king. The Lady of the Lake.
The fight with Mordred. A great tournament with ladies in the stands. The block
of floating marble. We would need all the unforgetable characters of Arthur,
Lancelot, Bors, Merlin, Mordred, Guenivere, Gawain, Percival, Gareth, Galahad,
Bedivere, Kay, Tristan, The Lady of the Lake, The Green Knight, and Morgan Le
Fay. Though the stories and legends are full or adult themed content they could
be simplified or the stories they used for children in school could be used.
This is where LEGO castle should go.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
I am not sure. LEGO, is making better sets, listening to all of there
customers, looking to improve the brand and is beginning to value AFOLs. If
anything make up your minds to continue in these areas.
Oh, I did think of a few other things. Develop a way for AFOLs to submit
theme/set ideas or designs. Develop a Bricklink type store for specialty or
bulk purchases. Create current elements in colors not available for new sets
(as a castle-head things like forestmen hats in dark red, gray, tan or black
just for example). Lastly, develop a way for customers to indicate what sets
they would like to see released as Legends.
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
No, thank you!
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In lugnet.general, Dan Thompson wrote:
Sorry for the reply to myself Jake please make sure this get passed on as well.
Even if they are only read and never touched again.
This is a mindset for myself living and growing up in the USA. This may not
apply to any other country.
I thought of some other things. So many people have said that Star Wars Lego
brought them out of their "dark age." People who liked Lego as a child and
enjoy SW, it was the common ground on both that got (older) people back into
Lego. If I was in charge of Lego I would go back and look at what was/is the
most popular cultural tie-ins and produce a series' of them. If you did this in
1960-1970 you may have done something like the lone ranger. Today what do 20-30
somethings who used to play with Lego remember fondly that might bring them into
the hobby as adults? These are not fads that died out. These are cultural
staples that have endured time and critisim. Some ideas that come to mind:
GI Joe-what young boy didn't have GI Joe, just look at brickshelf and do a
search to see all the different custom figures or even the fan made Joe/Lego
site
Transformers-many a young boy played with transforming vehicles into robots.
This may be another Hasbro option to look into.
Nintendo-the system that made electronic gaming a household name. A Mario
series of sets with King Koopa, Luigi, Peach, Toad and all their other friends
this could do extremely well. I doubt there is a 10-30 year old who doesn't
know about Mario. The Lengend of Zelda, I think would sell better than Harry
Potter. With the new game coming late this year Lego would do well to at least
check into the possibilties.
Lord of the Rings- I know that this may be a day late or a dollar short but it
may be the best time for it. Character recognition is now at an all time high.
Even without the movies I think this would have done well. Head over to
brickshelf and check out the most popular folder. It is LOTR. It has almost
half a million views for adults. Most children do not spend much time on
brickshelf, these are adult Lego fans who have an interest in this. Imagine
what type of sales you would have if you made this. I would suggest getting a
liscence to make sets from the books directly and not from the movies. You
would have more liberty in the sets and I am guessing it would cost less.
Narnia-the first of seven new movies that will come out soon. Get on board now.
Children for years have been reading these books and have enjoyed the many
interesting stories and lands. This would be great.
Disney- Lego and Disney partnership seems inevitable. Classic movies like Snow
White or Bambi all the way up to greats like Aladdin or the Lion King. This
could do very well also. Disney isn't a small name it has instant recognition
and for many adult, boys and even girls, Lego contruction sets with the loveable
and collectable Disney characters would be a sure success.
Barbie/Bratz-teaming up with Barbie or Bratz could be the very thing that might
help Lego finally reach girls. I am not sure if Barbie would ever want to be
associated with Lego but I can only see it building off of each others name
recognition.
These are ideas as far as liscencing goes. I do not think Lego should set aside
it traditional sets or series nor should they fully persue more than one or two
of these at any time.
One thing I would also like to mention is that Lego is not involved in any type
of roleplay using it's minifigs as customizable units. Games like these are a
popular item for teen and adult hobbiests. This could open up a new market it
the field that could compete with hero clix or warhammer and for less moreny.
One figure for those others can cost up to ten dollars. Lego would not even
need new molds. It could produce small figure sets with almost limitless
configurations that people would be more willing to buy because of the lower
price point. Not only that but many of the people who want larger armies of
figures would also be satisfied. The point being is that this is an untapped
money maker for a company looking to broaden it's appeal to different ages,
satisfy current customers, introduce new customers who are into gaming/
collectables, and wouold allow TLG to make strong revenues. Please if you
decide to discard all my other ideas look into this one. This is seriously the
best idea I have seen for getting 12-25 year old people to maintain a buying
relationship with Lego that is only enhanced by the 2-10 years of previous sets
they may have gotten. Look into this.
Thank you Jake, TLG and anyone else who cares or agrees.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
[snip background story]
WOW, indeed. :)
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
OK.
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
Thanks to you and your colleague for being willing to manually collate our
input!
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Y
> * Why / Why not?
LEGO toys are positive, facilitating action and creativity in the people who
play with them. They are high-quality in nearly every aspect, including
production, instruction design and printing, durability, and the long-term
compatibility of the 'system'.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More construct-o-pedia features in the instructions.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Add more high-value parts -- parts that are currently rare (or rare in certain
colors), but very useful for building. Such as corner roof tiles, inverse
high-slope bricks, etc. In some cases, increasing the availability of certain
rare parts will increase the value of related (but more common) parts.
Add more parts. Maintain or improve the parts-to-price ratio.
More plates!
> * What new products would you launch?
Minifig-scale Bionicle sets.
Product lines targetted at toy stores/educational stores. Such as non-gendered
home & town sets in the System range.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
For me? I can't think of anything off the top of my head. Sorry. When it
comes to me, I'll let you know. ;)
Steve
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
> * Why / Why not?
I would consider including Lego as one toy I might buy for young children.
However, other toys that I might consider buying *before* Lego include:
Rokenbok (for the older kids in that age range who might see it as being a more
functionally cooler system)
Playmobil (for the younger children, especially) because they make excellent
quality toys that promote developing socialization skills through imaginative
play without the sometimes extreme conflict-based play that Lego uses in its
products.
Geotrax by Fisher-Price because it is cheap and durable and has tons of
play-value.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Lego always seems to have done a good job of marketing itself. Seeing the
product in stores in attractive boxes and perhaps occassionally seeing a display
made out of Lego seems better than expensive TV advertising to me.
As far as making the themes conflict-oriented and sometimes violent, I think
Lego would do well to re-examine its core values and see if its lineup fits.
Interestingly, making a military-based model, say of a warplane, could be
construed as less violent than the knashing-teeth faced minifigs that Lego
currently favors.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Make the bricks out of gold. ;)
> * What new products would you launch?
The Designer series is great - expanding the philosophy of that line across the
product range would be brilliant.
A town/city/realistic theme that appeals to older children and includes more
than fire/police sets.
DVDs with alternate building ideas/stories involving the theme/music to have on
while building included in the sets might be something to try out to see how it
works.
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
* selling its train sets and mindstorms products in hobby stores
* making small, independent toy stores want to carry the product
>
--
Thomas Main
thomasmain@myrealbox.com
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback.
> She'll manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer
> them in line or email them to me
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
Because I think it is amongst the best products for enabling kids to use their
imaginations.
Because I'm an AFOL and because my enthousiasm for the product is obvious to
kids, they seem more interested themselves.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I hate to say this, because as an AFOL I don't like it, but tie-ins with popular
children's themes, mainly from TV seem to really sell product. Look at the whole
Thomas phenomenon.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I suspect the available family's toy purchasing budget will tend to bias toward
toys that are currently "cool". And as an adult, I don't think I am very good at
knowing how to predict what kids might find cool about a product. For example,
if a special set where made where all the bricks were plated metalic ones in
various colors, would kids consider that cool enough to just have to have some?
If it cost 50% more to make plated bricks, would a kid pester parents or grand
parents to buy the $30 bucket of "really cool bricks" over the regular $20
bucket. I personally don't know. But finding various ways to "coolify" the base
product - bricks - seems like an approach I'd look into.
> * What new products would you launch?
Half the kid population is female, but I don't see much effort to put sets with
features that girls are typically attracted to on the store shelves. I know some
is available online, but when granny goes to the very pink section of TRU, are
there any Lego construction/play products to be seen? (I am excluding clickits
here and thinking more in terms of toy house products, etc).
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
I think my number one criticism of the current state of affairs is that somehow
the retail supply chain isn't working right.
I think whatever the problem is with Walmart needs to be fixed. Walmart is here
to stay whether we like it or not, and if they are not making shelf space
available (which they clearly aren't), then that needs to be fixed.
With more specialised retailers like TRU, why can't I buy Lego trains there? Why
can't I buy Mindstorms sets there? With Lego's own S@H, why can't I buy a
broader range of spare parts? Why can't I buy Mindstorms accessories there?
Pick-a-Brick is an interesting idea, but only for people within a few tens of
miles radius of a store. What percentage of the population is that? Could you do
an online pick-a-brick? Could an automated picking machine be able to fulfill a
customized order (from a limited list of parts) directly from an internet placed
order?
From my own point of view as an AFOL and enthusiastic participant in local train
shows as well as more public events like BrickFest, I would make it easier for
public interest in Lego model building which is built up during a show like that
to turn into sales. I have personally had to tell hundreds of interested people
that the only way to get parts to make trains or parts (like bulk windows) to
make buildings can only be had online or by mail-order. The spontaineous sales
opportunity passes and the sale is lost.
JB
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>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
As the TLC slogan used to be, Lego toys are "toys that build imagination"
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More emphasis on building and interconnecting multiple sets to build larger
things.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Instead of trying to sell someone a $90 set I would try to sell someone 8 copies
of a $10-$15 set. Think in terms of themed basic and/or designer sets. Include
instructions to build something small with one set, something larger with two
copies, something with four copies, or something really big with 8 copies.
Include 2 or three different generic figs appropriate to the theme of the set.
This would work for just about any building type from castles to space stations.
One could make a whole theme with all of the "price point sets" just by
purchasing multiple copies of one set.
> * What new products would you launch?
A small landscape set (designed to work well with mulitple copies) where you
could build trees, cliffs, waterfalls, and such with heavy emphasis on foliage.
Also of course Tubs (or even just a cardborad box of bricks) in different brick
color assortments. Keep the standard red, yellow, blue, white, and some random
throw in colors but also make one where the main colors are the dark equivalent
colors or the sand equivalent colors.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Make the basic parts available to actually be purchased by consumers. (Maybe
this is already the case for people who live within reasonable driving distance
of a Lego store with Pick-a-brick.) But I am talking about things that should be
common pieces available in large quanties like bricks, plates, and slopes (both
regualar slopes and inverted slopes) Also make generic figs more available
either in sets or with minifig packs.
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
Thanks for listening.
-Mike Petrucelli
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
LEGO continues to be an excellent product, encouraging creative play and
original thinking.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Like others have stated, I am a bit unclear as to exactly what it is your
asking. Are you referring to product features, or packaging features. At this
point, I believe that LEGO's problems are related to the actual product being
sold, and not its marketing.
However, I do believe an fan magazine targeted at AFOLs might be an appropriate
additional promotion packaged in sets targeted at older buyers. Many AFOLs who
may not be tied into the online community, or an existing LUG might be
appreciative of such a promotion.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
Greater piece selection. New sets lack the piece diversity necessary to hold my
interest. Accordingly, I find it difficult to purchase many sets at full price.
Sets need to include an increasing number of basic bricks for me to justify
their purchase.
> * What new products would you launch?
This is a difficult question, as it is obviously a matter of personal taste. I
have no market research to support my opinions, however I would like to see the
return of some of the classic themes from the 1980s and early 1990s. Town,
Space, and Castle were the backbone of LEGO. Somewhere in the 1990s, they seem
to have been forgotten. Sets need to include a decent number of basic elements,
promoting the creation of multiple models. I would like to see LEGO return to
its roots, focusing on building sets, rather than playsets.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
LEGO has moved too far away from its roots. As a group, you have been somewhat
short sighted. The creation of too many specialized elements, and an ever
inflating (until now, of course) colour palette has resulted in a poor play
experience for today's children. Simply put, new sets do not include the
necessary basic elements to create a wide variety of diverse and interesting
alternate models. Limit the number of new elements you produce each year. The
company needs to place greater emphasis on building.
Sets have become simple models or playsets, with little or no long term play
value. As a construction or building toy, LEGO has always been King. If you
want to regain your market, you need to return to those roots. You need to
retool your thinking. LEGO needs to try and find lasting appeal with today's
children. Lets face it, lines like Knight's Kingdom II, and Dino Attack may
attract children for a brief period, but do they offer enough diversity to keep
that child interested for several years?
A really good question is 'What ever happened to the Idea Book?' It seems to
me, that somewhere along the line LEGO ceased being a building toy, and simply
became 'another toy'. You need to play up your strength as the world leader in
children's construction toys. Bring back the Idea Book. Look at the amazing
MOCs that AFOLs have been creating. You need to show children just what is
possible when playing with LEGO bricks!
In short, reduce the number of molds you produce annually, and increase the
number of basic bricks you package with most sets.
Again, thank you for taking the opportunity to speak with us.
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Jake McKee wrote:
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
>
Lego is a toy range that gains value with every set you buy, so in
the long run it's good value for money even if it's a bit expensive
compared to other toys.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
>
I had an idea about how to add value to each set, if on the back you
put a link to your website where you could find instructions for
alternative models that you could build with the set. e.g.
http://www.lego.com/alternativemodels/####/
If you let some of your designers loose with the parts I'm sure they
could come up with some more, and maybe you could accept more models
from kids who've bought the set? That way individual models would
have long term appeal and you could use the alternatives to teach
kids interesting ways to use pieces they might not have thought of
themselves.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
>
I don't think you could sell Lego at a higher price without
increasing peoples perceived value of the product. Increasing
piece counts, less single use pieces, less 'juniorisation' would
all increase the long-term play value of the set, and would perhaps
encourage parents to pay more for a longer term, rather than a fad,
toy. This days parents are young enough to have had Lego as children
themselves, some I've spoken too have been disappointed at the
reduced piece count and lack of ways of building alternatives with
the pieces.
> * What new products would you launch?
>
I'd look to create new long running themes, so a kid could
buy a set when aged 6 and still be able to get one along
similar lines aged 10. Alternatively you expand some of your
current ones with new products each year. A long running
theme would have more products in than a short one, perhaps
each set running for 3 years, with a third being retired
and replaced each year. This gives a chance for the larger
sets to be saved up for, if you know it's not going to
be replaced within 12 months.
I'd change the spread of a theme so more sets were priced
towards the low to middle range of prices. So there's
plenty of choice for kids to spend there own pocket money
on as well as lots of opportunities for them to be given them
as presents.
I'd introduce some 'Designer' sets that have traditional
mini-figs. Mini-Fig scale models are a nice idea, Jack
Stone/Creator size figures require more bricks to build
similar structures, but with mini-fig scale you get
to build much larger using the same amount of bricks.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
>
Hire me :)
Avoid anything that damages the long term usefulness of a
Lego collection. E.g. a certain 'colour problem' that I'm sure
you're aware of now :)
About 4 years ago the small shop attached to the local petrol
station sold small 3-4 UK Pound sets. These were often short
runs, but seemed to sell incredibly well. Could these smaller
sort of shops be used to sell more smaller sets to grab people
into the brand and it's themes?
When designing a new piece, make sure the designers can think
up at least 2 ways in which it can be used. The public will
then think of several more, and we'll never be stuck with
pieces we're not sure how to use.
The computer games side of the business seems a bit of a mixed
result. Some of the games are great fun to play, I like Racers,
but the building parts of them seem very clunky, I don't think
3D building works well on 2D screens. Concentrating on gameplay,
creating fun games that mesh well with the stories from the
Lego kits seems better than trying to cludge in building that
doesn't work too well and may discourage people from buying
the kits.
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has
> asked them, so you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
I hope these are useful to you, and that they'll be read :)
Peter
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, in fact I do.
> * Why / Why not?
They hold my 4-year-old son's attention much longer than most toys. It's also
something he and I can do together, for many hours, so it's a great bonding
experience as well.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
For kids, I'd get a bit more licensing -- you've got the current movie tie-ins,
which is good, but there is a lot of older IP that children are still into, like
Superman. I had a custom Superman minifig made for my son for $10, but if you
could get him and a few other popular comic book characters doing heroic things,
it would be very popular. Much more so than "made-up" heroes like Alpha Team, I
think.
For adults, what you need is not so much new product features but better
community support. Why in the world is there not a LEGO magazine for adults?
This seems like a no-brainer -- each issue could include pics from the latest
shows around the world, one or two new model instructions, recent MOCs from the
community, and the odd piece on customization (making your own decals, etc.).
Maybe TLG shouldn't be producing this magazine itself, but find a publisher and
encourage it to happen.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
The only way I can think of to do that is to expand the high end, the robocists
and train enthusiasts for example. Provide more Mindstorms sensors, and bring
back the RCX with a power jack. Provide train parts comparable to what model
train enthusiasts have: motorized points, bricks that make train noises, etc.
More could be done with the R/C line too: make modular R/C components that let
builders make anything from a zippy racer to a slow-moving construction machine
with a motorized scoop and truck bed.
> * What new products would you launch?
I've mentioned most of them above. What I DON'T want is a zillion new custom
parts. What I DO want are new models that make good use of the zillion existing
parts, plus a small number of new, high-end electronic parts that help me bring
my models to life. These should be modular and adaptable to a wide variety of
uses, just like the rest of LEGO (and unlike your recent R/C offerings, for
example).
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Primarily, recognize and embrace the AFOL community, which is a huge support
base for you. AFOLs can do a lot for LEGO, not just with our purchasing power,
but also our evangelism. Give us some love and your investment will be returned
manyfold.
This survey is a good start. :)
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
Because it is a high quality toy that fosters creativity.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
The ability to create virtual Lego models (using a computer) and actually order
the parts to build the model directly from Lego. In other words, let people
(adults and kids) create their own sets.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I wouldn't want to sell them for more money. Lego is primarily a child's toy.
Raising the price means that fewer Lego sets are bought as birthday presents.
This means fewer kids will get Lego for their birthday and fewer kids will
discover the joy of building with Lego.
> * What new products would you launch?
Besides bricks and software? None. Lego's past attempts at this have not been
very successful (e.g. clothing, shoes, bed linens, and etc).
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Lego is focused far too much on how it can change in order to make more money
(or at least maintain its share of the toy market). Change typically means new
parts (molds) which are very expensive. When new lines with completely new
elements fail (remember Znap?), Lego looses money.
Focus on what you do best, creating sets comprised of basic building elements
which are grouped into sets that excite kids. You can do this without
introducing all the new pieces that Lego introduces every single year.
One last thing. Bring back the Lego Monorail sets. Considering how much
interest there is in Lego trains, bringing back these classic sets would be very
cool.
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
> * Why / Why not?
It is my personal believe LEGO promotes Learning and play
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I would try to increse the pick and brick selection.
I would try to create a pick-a-brick presence in Australia.
I would drive the competativeness of on-line shopping by reducing profit to
maximise sales volume.
I would try to suppliment the second hand market. I'm sure online second hand
LEGO sales generate modest revenue in a market not far from the core business
directions of LEGO. I think LEGO could use their copyright privelidges to
provide two-way benifits to this market.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
The same way car salesmen do it. offer upgrades, expansions, add ons, extras,
customisations to existing LEGO kits. This will put more creativity and design
in the hands of the childeren.
> * What new products would you launch?
A new RCX.
Maybe some episode 3 Technic starwars models to go with episode 1 and 2.
Expansion packs for all lego sets so childeren can put thier orriginallity into
a LEGO produced creation.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
I think LEGO is doing pretty good. LegoVille, Quatro, Bionicle all are great
lines.
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>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
[yes]
> * Why / Why not?
[ It's still the best building toy by far. As a whole it's still the best toy
for the money]
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
[someone mentioned a DVD with instructions and ideas, i think that is a good
idea. Idea Books are great marketing tools. Bring them back. People see what
can be built in them and WANT to buy more lego to build something like they saw
in the books
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money? • [more money? sell for more? Leave the pricing alone, and go lower if possible.]
> * What new products would you launch? • [I'll pass on this one]
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
[wow what an open ended question to present to AFOLs..lol. Seriously,
I want to know (and many other parents I talk to,) what happened to those cool little sets that were $2-5 dollars years ago? The ones that always came out at christmas time for sure. I knew i would always find one in my stocking as a kid. I can't find them anymore. I found them on shop at home, but not in the store. Why? These were sets that always seemed to sell VERY fast. I agree there needs to be more than fire/police sets. Take a look around your town. Theres more than road construction, fire and police going on! Don't leave these sets in S@H, put them on the shelves! Mindstorms and train also need to be available in retail. Bulk packs would be enticing for me in retail also!
Mike Gibney
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
If I had them, I would, but I'm my own child!
> * Why / Why not?
Lego is simply the best toy a child can have. 'Nuff said!
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of
LEGO?
I'll start with features I would delete?
Rocco J. Carello hit the nail on the head; fads die. The Star Wars line is
great, as is Harry Potter, but they will eventually fade away and you'll be
back where you started. Your product is already the coolest toy on the
planet. You don't need George Lucas or J.K. Rowling hawking it for you. It
stands on its own.
Lose the noisy barrage of cluttered box graphics. Simple, well-lit
photographs sell your product much better than a lot of cartoony "action"
lines. Kids have WAY more imagination than many people think. Believe me,
if the set builds a wicked cool race car, the child will turn their whole
house into the Indy 500!
Jack Stone needs to be stopped right now. You are not Playmobil, you are
Lego.
Features I would add:
The flip-top box was invaluable to me as a selling point. Being able to get
a closer look at the pieces in the set was often what tipped the balance in
me pulling out my wallet. Sometimes even good photographs just don't
provide the inventory information that I want.
Bring back the Mini-figure box sets that you made for Castle and Space.
Those of us who want to build armies of spearmen or platoons of space
rangers LOVED these sets as an inexpensive way to increase the population.
Don't forget Town as well!
Speaking of which, we desperately need more Town sets that aren't police,
fire, or car repair stations. Are the citizens of Lego City all criminals,
pyromaniacs, and car abusers? How about an amusement park theme with all
kinds of sets designed like different rides? The smallest set could be a
cotton candy stand and the biggest could be a rollercoaster!
Expand the 9V electric system with cool stuff like smaller battery boxes
(say 2x4 or 2x2 size) that can run off camera or calculator-sized batteries.
I'd love to be able to build a big spaceship that had working landing lights
on it! Oooh! Oooh! How about longer fiberoptic cables? Then you could
have little pinpoints of light flickering all over the model! My favorite
electric piece is the backlit 2x2 medium-slope computer panel from #6781
SP-Striker. Pretty please can we have another one of those?
The X-pods are one of your best products in years. Not only is the carrying
case for the pod very useful as a part, but most importantly the sets teach
the value of creativity and inventiveness using recombinations of a small
selection of parts. I've had a blast trying different configurations of the
Monster Pod. It rocks!
Overall, make more sets like the Designer line that encourage rebuilding.
Most of the sets you produce now are more like toys that you build and then
just play with as opposed to toys that be rebuilt and then rebuilt and then
. . .
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them • for
> more money?
Heh. Wanna make more money? Look at the product line in the late 80's.
You put out sets like that again and you'll bankrupt me. Everything about
the 80's product line was awesome. Look to your history to find a clearer
path to the future.
Bring back Castle sets that could be linked together.
Make new, awesome Space sets with great action features that DO NOT require
specialized and therefore limited-use pieces.
Town sets that don't involve cops, firemen, or car repair shops (oops, said
that already!)
Technic sets that AREN'T cars, trucks, or other such vehicles. Technic has
WAY more potential than just churning out yet another 4x4 off-road vehicle.
Oh, and lose the faring and other limited-use pieces. You take that
distracting eye candy off and the models look crappy. Lego is about the
bricks, so use more of 'em.
> * What new products would you launch?
More realistic Castle sets. KK2 looks WAY too much like a Power Rangers
knockoff. Remember, fads die.
Space sets without the silly color scheme of Life On Mars.
As for Town, see above.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn't now?
Colors in a much larger selection of pieces as opposed to new pieces in a
wide variety of colors. New pieces are great and new colors are great, but
too much of either results in a building system that is extremely limited
because of the limited selection of parts in too many colors. If you create
a new color, make it a priority to produce as many different pieces as
possible. Likewise, if you create a new mold, make it a priority to produce
that piece in as many colors as possible. If the Lego System is going to
live up to its promise, then the parts selection needs to be as complete as
possible. For example, handfuls of light yellow 2x4 low-slope bricks don't
do me much good if I don't have the roof peaks and 3x3 corners to go with
'em.
Bring back old gray, dark gray, and brown (you knew it was coming!). The
backwards compatibility of the Lego product in THE cornerstone of its appeal
for me. This compatibility applies just as much to color as it does to
"clutch." You say the kids liked the new colors better, however I don't buy
that. Every time I've looked at the pictures of things kids have built in
the Lego magazine, I see rainbow after rainbow. Kids (your target market)
don't seem to give a hoot about color. They just grab the bricks and build.
You also say the new colors better balance the existing color palette. That
may well be, but from most of what I've heard and read in the AFOL
community, you're the only ones who care. If you want customers for life,
then you need to return the commitment with the same consistency. Old gray
was rockin' hard for 40 years. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked • them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
> ---
> Jake McKee
> Community Liaison
> LEGO Community Team
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> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes, bricks and thinks to build a real world, and let (my) child "work" with his
impressions of the world.
> * Why / Why not?
Because it is educational, meaning that (my) child will think, discover the
world and process this - it should also open his mind to see things, and
remember them for later to recreate them.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Whatever fits above. Real things. That is town train etc... but also SW and
harry potter - it is as real as the films. Get my drift?
The child would see more than action.
Technic would go for construction sites.
But such as Bionicle would not go - there is no reality in it.
We should keep in mind, that when we repair our home, our children will go along
with a plastic hammer.
Therefore - after being in the cinema, driving to town or a museum - that is
where the ideas come from.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
More parts, less specialised parts, smaller service packs.
> * What new products would you launch?
More city/town - an more real buildings!
I would skip the idea of non-realistic trains and buildings.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
More service packs - or smaller parts. I can think on 10000000 items I'd like to
buy as assecories.
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
hope so
To illustarte what I am thinking - then new house - 4880 if I am right - is a
good step. A real house - the interior is missing, but could be as "smaller
additional sets" - an option to customise a home!
More houses like that - with options.
And more sets with adiitional parts - as needed. E.g. the train sets for a car -
I do not need the baseplate (6x28 black), but I need the wheels and couplers -
I'd like to see those as single sets.
Same - more windows - I have enough doors. And more colour variations.
Other parts for that.
If I had a child (hope soon to have), HE would get some houses, or the street
(legend set), the guarded in and he would have a good town - next to that 2
green passenger cars (not available any more????) and similar engine and tracks
- wow - a small city with train.
SHE would get e.g. Beville 5848 - a set with options for HER.
This should state my point.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes. I have three nieces and I still buy lego for them as presents. Additionaly
my wife is expecting now and we will be buying for our own doughter in a few
months if we still could find some meaningfull stuff. (definetely not clickit
thingies!..).
> * Why / Why not?
Because I still believe in Lego. But to say the truth, it is becoming more and
more difficult to find the real thing between all the garbage. The universal
sets (both Duplo and Lego) that are most appropriate to introduce smaller kids
to creative world of Lego, is quite sparse nowadays (but yes, you are doing good
by introducing these creator and designer series).
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
I won't. The beauty lies inside the basic idea of Lego. It does not require any
additional features, as long as you don't give up The Basic Idea (i.e. Lego is a
construction toy). Still Remember the old marketing slogan of yours?
"A new toy everyday".
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
You can't sell them for more money. Prices are quite high even now (rediculous,
one might say, especially in my country. 70 USD for Jango Fett technic set
anyone?..)
All you can do is reducing your costs (smaller packages, less packaging material
- children can do quite well without numbered and printed bags, less new molds
every new year, less complex printed parts, etc - I'm sure you have enough VA/VE
engineers, just listen them) or increasing sales volume (more core products
instead of not-lego-anymore contraptions)
Geting rid of distributers would be another idea. They are undermining your
business, I can see that clearly from the changes in last several years in my
country. While you had your own office in Istanbul, and allow every shop owner
to do their own importing, Lego was only 10-20% expensive when compared to the
European price levels. All the toy shops in big cities, even quite small ones,
were selling Lego (which showes me Lego was a good selling and popular product
at that time). Now there is an authorized Lego distributor (Adore) for the last
several years and prices skyrocketed as soon as they took over. 70 USD for Jango
Fett, 490 USD for Mindstorms robotics Invention set, 200 USD for 8455 Backhoe
Loader are some prices that I can remember from my visit to nearest shopping
mall last weekend. Result? Nobody except some very few shops selling Lego now.
All the others, including toys'r'us shops, filled their shelves with megablocks
and other knock offs.
> * What new products would you launch?
- More Model Team type of sets, but not trucks or racing cars only. Planes,
ships, (especially) buildings, whatever. Your recent popular planes sets or
building bonanza set for example are the best sets that I've seen for a long
time. And we don't need any new big one-purpose pieces in nth different shade of
an already existing color. Development is always good, but over development is
confusing and frustrating to say the least.
- Normal Town sets. I have more than 600 minifigs, and 1/2 of them are
policemen, firemen and racers.
- More historical themes. Vikings are looking quite good, but how about some
oriental stuff like Indians, Arabs or Ottomans (I would definately like that
one)?
- I will have a baby girl in three months and I already have two girl nieces.
Intorduce more sets that can attract girls. Sets featuring buildings and houses,
normal town sets, whatever. Just give them something to build, not just to play
with. I certainly don't want my doughter to play only with some Lego branded
Barbie knock offs. If I wanted, I would definetly buy the real one. And I asure
you, I will never ever buy a clickit thingy.
- Isn't it the time already passed for an able, powerful cad software of your
own (i.e. look around for very fine examples already available)? Don't you think
it is more valuable and more to-the-point than other software of yours like Lego
Island game that no one wants to play with?
- Licencing is not always a good idea, but if selected wisely, it hits the
available fan base hard. Star Wars Lego was a dream come true for us 30+ adults,
and almost all of the sets that I bought since you introduced them are SW Lego.
Not because I'm a die hard SW fan, but they are the almost only old-schoolish
Lego sets you produced in the recent years (to say the truth, your line is going
better and better for the last two years with all these universal sets and
stuff). Point is? continue with intelligent licencing. What about, for example,
sculpture type of sets featuring heros and figures known all around the world? I
think, say, introducing Lego sculptures of famous computer game heros makes more
sense when compared to introducing nothing but average Lego computer games.
- What about your most intelligent recent move that we call Mindstorms? When did
you introduced a new Mindstorms set lately? In 2002? Why do you let this most
promising idea die alone in the back? Isn't that creativity what Lego is all
about. Ýsn't that Mindstorms is creativity in extreme?
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
- Get rid of the things like clickits, etc (too many to list unfortunatelly).
They are not Lego. Focus more into your core area. You are the king of the
construction toy business, so grab it. Do not return into a general toy company
doing everything but not doing any of them good enough to be a #1 product. You
already have your #1, do not lose it.
Selçuk Göre
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| |
|
* Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Yes
* Why / Why not? They promote creativity as well as imagination.
* What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO? More
basic types of blocks, etc... with more examples of how the basic can be used to
make the complex (your large scale models used at Disney and at the LEGO Parks).
* How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
more money? Make them more complex, larger, and closer related to the actual
'things' they represent.
* What new products would you launch? Sets that grasp the graduation between
PRimo and Duplo (Duplo and Jack Stone - Basic - technic - etc.) containing more
than one kind of LEGO brick. This way (especially the very young) can graduate
into the use of the more complex sets as well as the older fans can understand
the use of two or more types in one creation.
* What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now? Sell everything by the piece. If
it is a hard to produce (expensive) piece, charge more. Also have more fan input
at the imagination stage of set production: Here are some examples of the sets
we may produce next year (generic) vote for your favorite - or add in your own
new ideas. Even the posibility of a contest comes to mind.
Play Well!
Gene
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
(Bon Snippage)
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
> * Why / Why not?
I already do, because LEGO toys can be anything a child can imagine; they
drive kids to be creative, and can be used over and over in many different ways.
And as a child grows, and can use smaller elements, the larger elements from
Duplo can still be used, so they never really lose functionality.
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More availability at the store level of basic building sets; piece packs
for individual elements; more lower-priced basic sets in greater combinations.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I wouldn't - I believe most of the cooler sets are too pricey already. The
average parent doesn't have $70-200 to go out and buy a set, except MAYBE on a
special occassion like a birthday or Christmas. AFOL spending habits are
another story - we'll save up if we want something, but for us average Joes that
reduces the amount we can spend on a more regular basis.
> * What new products would you launch?
The moonbase idea lends itself to a product line - sell basic link/support
kits in various styles and sizes (1-4 links), then expansion sets to fit
different purposes (habitat, factory, meeting places, etc). More classic castle
sets (not Knights Kingdom) along the same lines - base kits then expansion
material; more train-inspired creations.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
Making available at local stores the variety of stuff that is now for many
of us only available via S@H.
Not so strongly grouping sets and pieces by gender - there are many fine
examples of how Belville, Clikits, and Bionicle pieces have been and SHOULD BE)
used cross-theme in town, space and mecha realms.
> So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them, so
> you know the responses will be listened to!
>
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
Thanks for listening!
Peace and Long Life,
Tony Alexander
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback.
> She'll manually include this in the results as well.
I actually did get a chance to fill out the survey, but I found myself itching
to post on some of this anyway.
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yep! Of course, it depends on the child, but in general I think it fits most
kids.
> * Why / Why not?
1) Being an AFOL, I of course have to spread brand awareness and loyalty
2) Lego can be an educational toy
3) Kids typically don't *think* of it as an educational toy, so they're more
likely to enjoy it than, say, a book like "Fun With Math!"
4) Some sets are universal-- they'll be as good in 20 years as they were today,
unlike Power Rangers action figures or whatnot, which will most likely be out of
fashion.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
More focus on the imagination perspective. Less on "here's the set you'll be
getting" and more "here's some of what you can do with this set". And of course,
beyond that, "here's what you can do with lots of *Lego*". That's Lego's
identity.
If marketing wants to *change* Lego's identity, and market to the fad-world of
toys, it needs to go the way of MegaBloks. More juniorization, lower quality
plastic, less thought into sets, lower price point, bigger, flashier graphics,
and exaggerated fantasy themes. But I don't think anyone here on Lugnet wants
that to happen.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
I don't really think you can. People's impressions of Lego value have already
been set, and even if they haven't, they'll be set by the neighboring shelves of
MegaBloks. Go much higher and you'll lose business, I think.
I suppose the true way to do it, however, (if it's possible) would be to
increase brand loyalty. Better commercials targetted at kids to really make them
want *Lego* products specifically. Parents *will* pay it if the children are
insistant (although they'll probably buy less).
> * What new products would you launch?
I'll skip this one-- I think many of the ideas have been posted, and a few that
I haven't seen posted I know are getting pitched to the company anyway.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
- Tighten up the design process. Less time from start to finish. My guess is
there's too many steps in the process, resulting in lofty design costs,
overanalysis, for not enough gain.
- Allow marketing of some more violent toys. That's just a hunch. I don't think
mattel or hasbro as a brand suffers because they just-so-happen to make *some*
violent toys; my guess is Lego wouldn't suffer sales-wise by doing the same. But
the group you're primarily marketing to (young boys) *LOVE* violent toys.
- Generalize the existing themes. One selling point of construction toys is that
repeat sales of the same item are allowed. The child already has this? That's
ok! Buy another one! However, when themes contain specialized characters,
scenes, etc, repeats are more taboo. Plus, generic themes blend together more
easily. The chances a child likes a Harry Potter set are likely to be totally
unrelated to whether they'll like an Alpha Team set. Make the themes more
generic, and you'll encourage kids to branch to other Lego product themes.
- Stop with the new colors already. Use what you've got, don't come up with new
colors specifically for some new theme. Fewer colors make your products more
generic, more versatile, and more integrated into a building system.
- Include instructions for neat alternate models. Or at least pictures of more
cool alternate models. Encourage kids to use their imagination, rather than just
building what's on the box. It'll help kids appreciate the fundamentals of a
building system rather than just the appeal of the product.
DaveE
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
| |
- Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
|
Not at this time.
Because I am afraid that IMHO the themes are too specific and not enough of the
Basic type brick/plate system functionality that brought me into the Lego world
exists today. Plus let’s face it - even Lego can not complete with the short
attention span of most children today and the vast amount of electronic
diversions that exist, i.e. video games, DVD’s, PCs, online chatting, etc.
| |
- What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
|
A return to core Basic and System sets and a corresponding reduction in endless
theme diversity.
| |
- How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
|
More use of basic pieces and less use of a special piece when 3 or 4 could
accomplish the same thing. I liked that part of it a lot when I was a kid and
it helped me enjoy the sets longer I believe since it made for more variety out
of the box when making alternative models, both of my own design and what was
shown on the back of the box.
These are just the ramblings of an old man who fondly remembers asking for Lego
Basic and System sets for gifts on holidays and being really excited to rip
open the boxes and start building them even before I was finished opening up the
rest of my presents. :-)
Bob
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* Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes
* Why / Why not?
For my son, because he will inherit my collection. For others, because I think
it is a good toy, and between lego.com, bricklink and other sites I know where
the deals are.
* What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
Probably more advertising focusing on the expandability, interchangability of
the sets and lines, with subtle marketing to collect them all (like Bionicle,
castle). The fact that lego can be an action hero line, construction bricks,
toy cars. models, etc. You are a boom economy business though, which is tough.
* How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
more money?
I do think there is a general feeling that your products are already sold at a
premium price. If you continue to make good quality, well designed, playable
sets then I will buy them for your asking price. I also think a bonus bag of
pick a bricks was a good idea.
* What new products would you launch?
More vintage style town sets. Also more Star Wars figure packs. Those are my
favorites, but I don't see those helping with your market share. I would guess
bionicle and the castle stuff are probably your biggest moneymakers.
* What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
I can only really tell you that for me, if you were to offer vintage sets for a
reasonable price, you would have more of my money.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
No.
> * Why / Why not?
I only know one 0--11-year-old, and he already gets as much Lego as he
should from his father. If, hypothetically, I did need to buy a toy for a
kid (any age) it would be Lego.
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of
> LEGO?
A mini catalog in every small Lego set.
A medium size catalog in every Lego set at the $10 or more price point.
There has not been a new medium catalog since 2003. This is absurd.
When I was a kid, I spent hours poring over the Lego catalogs. I
collected all of them, even multiple copies of the same catalog. I could
identify almost every set in them by name, even in themes about which I
didn't care. I would create want lists on my father's typewriter,
consisting largely of Lego set names[1], and post them on the
refridgerator---because I knew about the sets from those catalogs. If the
set was in stores, but not in the catalog, I wouldn't know about it. If
set was in the S@H catalog, but not in the in-set catalog, I probably
wouldn't know about it (and almost certainly wouldn't buy it)[2].
Because of the catalog, I knew about the whole intended progression of
Lego development from DUPLO to simple BASIC to advanced BASIC to LEGOLAND
to TECHNIC and Model Team. I had access to great catalogs like 1986
http://library.brickshelf.com/scans/catalogs/1986/c86nl-2/index.html
that had clear, well-lit pictures of each set, would show cool scenes that
could be built out of enough sets and bricks, and even clued me into the
ability to buy addional elements straight from TLG via the mini S@H
catalog in the back. This catalog even showed that TLG respected its
customers enough to make a different catalog for each country, instead of
throwing one, largely text-free and thus uninformative, catalog at all of
Anglo-America (or the entire western hemisphere?).[3]
TLC showers me with five or more different S@H catalogs a year---catalogs
that, because of their frequency, offer very small marginal increases in
product offerings (and, hence, interest from me) but at the same time TLC
won't give the average consumer a chance to learn about its products by
including a much smaller and cheaper catalog with the sets for which
people have already paid money.
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them
> for more money?
Make them high-tech and "cool" and market them exclusively through The
Sharper Image. Granted, that would mean laying off all but a handful of
existing employees and reducing sales to the order of thousands of units,
but Lego is already high-priced; it can be a mass-market toy that competes
with the competition on price and has an advantage in quality, or it can
be an expensive niche product for adults with more money than brains.
> * What new products would you launch?
From at least the 1970s through the Max and Tina Creator sets of the early
2000s, Lego produced Universal/BASIC/FreeStyle/Creator/whatever sets that
included a mix of basic elements and more specialized pieces like doors,
windows, wheels, and generic figures, together with instructions or idea
books to build structures, vehicles, etc. for the figures. These sets
were interesting to play with on their own, and filled in gaps in LEGOLAND
(as the basis for houses and generic town buildings). They especially
provided appealing sets for girls[4]. Since 2001, there have been an
astonishing number of SKUs[5] in the Creator line
http://makeashorterlink.com/?H5C365CEA
(and the Designer line). . .of bricks. Only 4406 and 4407 (which are
overpriced and conspicuously lack minifigs) harken back to the older idea
of FreeStyle semi-specialized figure-oriented elements mixed with bricks;
the rest are oriented toward building brick-built figures, animals, etc.
Many say "Rah-rah, this is Lego's core concept", but those sets leave me
cold---and would have left me cold as an eight-year-old. As an adult, I
buy them---*to provide parts to use with my minifigs*. I certainly
wouldn't buy them for a kid, unless said kid could use them similarly.
So I would release at least a few generic, minifig-based sets like 4128 or
4151.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isnt now?
Making themes permanent.
I've said it before, and I'll no doubt say it again: if the Ninja
interregnum had come ten years earlier, I would have gone into my dark
ages five years sooner and might never have come back. After a few early
space sets, I was Castle all the way. As a nine-year-old, I lacked the
imagination to consider buying set 805 or to realize that, indeed, all
other themes are spare parts for Castle. If TLG had not been willing to
sell me Castle, I would have simply redirected more of my parents' money
to Transformers and Construx.
I believe interest in one or two themes to be common among heavy Lego
users. You may be able to hook a kid into buying a few Orient Expedition
sets, but if, when the next Christmas or birthday comes around, those sets
or similar sets are not on the shelves the kid will be upset that he can't
expand his usable collection. To get a single new purchase out of him you
will have to hook him all over again on Alpha Team Arctic---until he
figures out that that, too, will be gone in six months, and gives up on
Lego in disgust. Is it coincidence that the two strongest Lego themes,
Star Wars and Bionicle, are also the two longest-lived of current themes?
--
TWS Garrison
Remove caps in address to reply.
[1] Okay, "Cash" was always the first item on the list. . .but the only
thing I remember doing with cash before high school was putting it in the
bank and taking it out to buy Lego.
[2] I have three S@H catalogs from my childhood (a time with eight years
of much Lego acquisition). I don't remember ever asking for or getting
anything out of any of them.
[3] As TLC did when they last deigned to inform their customers of their
products in catalogs of the early 2000s.
[4] Look at a kids' play area at a train show some time---the girls will,
half the time, tend to build houses and role-play with the figures.
[5] Consider that most retailers have, at most, two sizes of buckets and a
tub on the shelves; generic buckets of generic bricks have no reason to be
phased out and replaced (and 4105 has, indeed, been going strong for
years). In light of that, the number of different buckets and tubs
released over the last three years is astonishing.
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
SNIP
| |
- Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
|
I already do & I look forward to having kids so i can buy more
Best toy/hobby EVER!
| |
- What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
|
NONE - in fact go back to Basic & Universal sets like
730 & 725.
By the way, these sets would make great Legends.
| |
- How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
|
Sets should proportionally have more inexpensive classic/traditional parts to
keep actual cost down, but piece count & therefore bring retail price a
little higher. Classic/traditional parts include: bricks, slopes, plates,
& classic/traditional specialized pieces (hinges (NOT click-hinges),
car bases, wheels & axles, antennas, tools, etc). Don’t introduce
built-up/specialized pieces & new colors so often.
| |
- What new products would you launch?
|
Classic Space, Classic Town, & Classic Castle (nostalgia is the new ‘new’)
| |
- What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
|
Transition the current range of bulk tubs to have more of a classic
‘spread’ of parts: more like Universal/Basic sets of the 1980’s & 90’s
than just rectangular bricks (yes i know there are slopes, but not enough
other classic/traditional specialized pieces as mentioned above).
Eliminate non-building-toy lines (shoes, games, etc.-if a manufacturer
wants to buy a license from LEGO, fine, but LEGO shouldn’t be bearing the
startup costs). Bring back finger hinges & 1980’s & 90’s style piece range &
set styles.
| |
So dangerous questions, to be sure, but the office of the CEO has asked them,
so you know the responses will be listened to!
Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team
|
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In lugnet.general, Jeff Szklennik wrote:
| |
In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
|
SNIP
I’ve thought about this some more, maybe add $1 to sets over $10 so the small
‘impulse’ sets don’t change. OR raise the average price per piece some fraction
of cent (or 1 cent if absolutely neccessary). PLEASE DON’T MOVE ANY NEW
PRODUCTION TO CHINA!!!!!
| |
| |
- How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
|
Sets should proportionally have more inexpensive classic/traditional parts to
keep actual cost down, but piece count & therefore bring retail price a
little higher. Classic/traditional parts include: bricks, slopes, plates,
& classic/traditional specialized pieces (hinges (NOT click-hinges),
car bases, wheels & axles, antennas, tools, etc). Don’t introduce
built-up/specialized pieces & new colors so often.
|
snip
snip
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
| |
- Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
|
Definitely. In fact, LEGO is essentially the ONLY toy I buy as gifts for
children.
It is a great toy. It teaches creativity and should be part of everyone’s
childhood. And I give it as gifts because many parents do not buy it due its
high price. Several times I’ve heard, “Thank you, this is my child’s first LEGO
set”.
| |
- What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
|
Here is where I think LEGO needs the most work. I was never a believer in
advertising, but now I think I am. As far as I can tell, LEGO’s advertising is
essentially non-existant. I have two toddlers, who watch 1.5 hours of TV a day
(Nickelodean: The Backyardigans, Dora the Explorer, and Blue’s Clues). How
many Dora the Explorer DUPLO commercials have they seen? ZERO. One would think
that during the Dora the Explorer show would be the perfect time to advertise
the Dora Duplo.
How many people know of the “LEGO” bricks that were on the two Mars rovers?
This is probably the most amazing example of “product placement” ever achieved.
Yet it was never emphasized by the LEGO company.
When the Mars rovers landed, the Technic LEGO Mars Rover was on CLEARANCE at
Target. When Spirit landed, I was hoping to see a advertisement in
TRU/Target/Wal-mart/anybody’s weekly store circular: “Celebrate the historic
landing of the Mars Rover with the LEGO MER, on sale now for 25% off!”.
Instead, there was nothing.
As far as I recall, LEGO was Fortune Magazine’s “Toy of the Century”. Let me
repeat that: “TOY OF THE CENTURY”! Why isn’t there a sticker on EVERY box of
LEGO proclaiming this incredible distinction? Rather than a ton of blurred
action graphics, every box should have listed on it the awards that the LEGO set
has won.
Make promotional banners for stores, promoting LEGO’s involvement in the First
LEGO League, in classrooms, etc. Show how the LEGO company contributes to
education, and by extension how your (the consumer’s) purchase will help educate
their own kids, now and in the future.
I understand the value of being humble ... and the danger of being cheapened by
poor advertising, but it will not hurt to toot your own horn a little. LEGO is
a great company and makes a great product!
| |
- How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
|
First off, I don’t think you’ll ever be able to sell LEGO for more money.
(What planet are you guys on?) The main reason that MEGABLOCKS is taking your
market share is that it is substantially cheaper. Definitely cheaper quality,
but also a substantially cheaper pricetag. I firmly believe that LEGO should
NOT lower its quality. But you have to educate consumers as to WHY they should
pay extra for LEGO vs Megablocks.
Have a sticker on each box that says “Quality so high, you’re childrens’
children will be playing with these bricks.”
I think LEGO should institute a lifetime (or maybe 25 or so year) guarantee.
“If any of these bricks crack or break, we’ll replace them FREE!” Add some fine
print if you’re worried about the guarantee being abused (must keep original
receipt; subject to availability; certain exclusions apply; etc.).
Emphasize the SYSTEM aspect: On 4+ sets, put wording like “These bricks are
compatible with the LEGO bricks your child will be buying as teenagers.” On
Technic sets, put wording like “These bricks are compatible with the LEGO bricks
you played with as a young child.” Show pictures of creations made by combining
sets from different lines to emphasize the System aspect.
All things being equal, people will naturally buy the cheaper toy. You must
convince them that all things are NOT equal, that LEGO is in fact a superior
product, both in quality and in educational value/opportunites (there are no
Megablocks robotics competitions).
If anything, I think you should lower prices by about 20%. There’s a saying
“Fast nickel; slow quarter”. I don’t know how regular consumers think, but I
know that I can eventually get almost any retail set at 20-50% off MSRP ...
eventually ... either through a sale or clearance. The base MSRP is simply too
high.
I also think there should be many more sets in the $5 - $10 range. I’m sure
this is part of the accessibility/penetration/success of Bionicle.
Personally, I think the Jack Stone/4+ line is a good idea. I have two toddlers,
one 3 years old, one 1 year old. Although the 3-year-old is dexterous enough to
manipulate regular LEGO bricks, it’s not yet safe to have such small pieces
around my 1-year-old. The 4+ line is perfect for my situation, as they are
enjoyable for both my children. But, the juniorized pieces-made-of-other-pieces
should not crop up into the higher lines, for many reasons. If nothing else,
having more individual pieces drives up the piece-count, which makes the sets
compare better to Megablocks. (i.e. A consumer might say: This $20 LEGO set
has 180 pieces, whereas this $20 Megablocks set has 300. So the Megablocks is a
better value.)
| |
- What new products would you launch?
|
I would definitely emphasize the Designer sets, like land busters, air blazers,
building bonanza (the cottage house), etc. These are the types of sets that I
give out as gifts (question 1), rather than less-general sets like alpha team.
The toy market to 30-year-olds is booming. TLG: Realize this. Everywhere you
look are products marketed at 30-year-olds: Atari 2600/5200 reissues, Muppet
show figures, Original Transformers reissues, etc. TLG: make more AFOL-oriented
sets; and not just sets that are focused on your primary target (kids) but also
happen to appeal to adults. Make some sets that target adults only: Make a
$400-$500 UCS Millennium Falcon or UCS AT-AT. (People pay $1200 for the Code 3
(or is it Master Replicas) collectible AT-AT.) I’m not saying that TLG should
abandon the primary (kids) market but rather should expand to include an
adult-only focused line (ie expand UCS).
You saw the high sales of the Imperial Star Destroyer. Now, however, I think
the sales of the UCS Death Star will be lackluster, and TLG will view this as a
reason to kill the UCS line. (The house-of-plates model is not overwhelmingly
appealing and the gray color-change has really soured many AFOLs, the prime
market for the all-gray Death Star.) Do a little bit of AFOL focus grouping,
and you’ll learn that people want a UCS Sandcrawler, or UCS Darth Vader bust, or
UCS Millennium Falcon, or AT-AT, or A-Wing, or Eiffel Tower, or Apollo CSM or
Lunar Module, or ...
I think TLG should license more AFOL creations: Regarding the UCS models
suggested above: Gareth Bowler or Shaun Sullivan or Reto Geiger or many others
have amazing UCS creations. (Nathan Sawaya’s Death Star II would have been a
much better model for production.) License some of their creations for low-run
S@H exclusives: It would generate an incredible feeling of goodwill from the
AFOL community. And AFOLs WILL buy them.
Make AFOL-only contests like the LEGO Factory, that are open only to adults.
| |
- What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
|
One word: Marketing
(See discussion above)
Two words: Old Gray
(Remember just a few years ago, when LEGO was introducing new colors at the drop
of a hat. Well I suggest that you introduce 3 new colors, which just happen to
be identical to the old gray, dark gray, and brown. And simply use up the
remaining supply of new grays and brown, and when they are depleted, discontinue
the new colors. Or designate the new colors as different names, and restrict
them to say Bionicle, which I’m sure was the driving force in the color change
decision in the first place.)
Three words: Studded Technic Beams
(The studless system is more like building with K’Nex than with LEGO. Keeping
the Technic system primarly studded emphasizes the System aspect and consistency
with the rest of the LEGO line.)
Four words: More UCS sets please
I hope TLG will be back in the black soon. And thanks for listening.
-WWWally
(PS: Please change the grays back.)
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In lugnet.general, Walter Walters wrote:
| |
| |
- How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
|
First off, I don’t think you’ll ever be able to sell LEGO for more money.
(What planet are you guys on?) The main reason that MEGABLOCKS is taking
your market share is that it is substantially cheaper. Definitely cheaper
quality, but also a substantially cheaper pricetag. I firmly believe that
LEGO should NOT lower its quality. But you have to educate consumers as to
WHY they should pay extra for LEGO vs Megablocks.
|
A point worth mentioning is that the difference between LEGO quality and
MEGABLOKS quality is not as great as the difference in price, and that’s the
real problem. As long as the consumer perceives that MEGABLOKS are good
enough relative to the price, then MEGABLOKS will continue to sell well.
| |
Have a sticker on each box that says “Quality so high, you’re childrens’
children will be playing with these bricks.”
|
I’m not sure that this is a good idea. Current marketing across the industry is
enslaved to the IT-MUST-BE-NEW mantra; if a toy is perceived as spanning the
generations, then it may (inaccurately) seem to lack value for the current
toy-of-the-minute crowd.
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I think LEGO should institute a lifetime (or maybe 25 or so year) guarantee.
“If any of these bricks crack or break, we’ll replace them FREE!” Add some
fine print if you’re worried about the guarantee being abused (must keep
original receipt; subject to availability; certain exclusions apply; etc.).
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If LEGO doesn’t already support this policy, they should start doing so
immediately, because their chief competitor has had
such a
policy for quite a few years:
Q. What is the Mega Bloks lifetime warranty?
A. We at Mega Bloks Inc. are 100% committed to our product’s safety and
quality. Mega Bloks products are guaranteed against defects in material and
workmanship, with the exclusion of electronic components. As the original
purchaser, if you encounter such a defect in the course of normal use we will
replace it for you free of charge. We ask that you send the item to the nearest
Mega Bloks office including your proof of purchase.
HTH
Dave!
Hey, that’s a nice hammer you’ve got there, buddy.
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My first-ever Lugnet post, hoping I do this right:
Jake's questions have been answered with many of my thoughts already so
I'll just add a few tidbits.
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Absolutely. I have kids 8, 10, and 12. All love them.
> * Why / Why not?
Toy of the Century. They teach math and engineering, patience, visual
perspective, 3D conceptualizing, ...
The neighbor kid was over not long ago. We were all in the basement
building fun stuff. "Wow! You guys have family Lego night? That's
really cool! At our house, we just scream at one another."
> * What new products would you launch?
A set of ball contraption units that could be strung together. Based on
the stuff with which I have been tinkering, this could great. While
demoing my ball machine at the Air and Space Museum in Washington last
weekend, I never got a break. Two people deep at the table at all
times. Math teachers loved me because I showed the kids a use for the
Pythagoran theorem. History teachers loved the Archimedian screw. "All
these parts are Lego?" they would ask.
My 12-year-old really loves the stuff that moves and the Rube
Goldberg-ness. This could lead from the toys of the 0-11 crowd to what
us grown-ups do. Might help to quell the dreaded 'dark ages'.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
1. I know that Lego is international and this makes text difficult but
it might really help to have more text in instructions so kids see *why*
they are doing what they are doing. Things like "This last beam forms a
right triangle with the beam in steps 4 and 6. Note that the distances
are 6 studs, 8 studs, and 10 studs and that 6^2+8^2=10^2. This is the
Pythagoran theorem and guarantees that the plates you add in steps 12
and 13 will be perpendicular." Or something like that.
Explain the geometry to the kids so they understand that the holes or
studs or whatever lining up exactly isn't an accident. That seems to be
the biggest problem with building complicated models for kids; they
don't understand that six studs long equals 5 bricks high and what that
could do for them. Heck, some of them don't understand that 3 plates
equals 1 brick.
A ton of resources are available now via the web but the kid sitting on
the floor in the family room isn't going to do a google search to see
why plates line up. And Mom and Dad might not know so they might not be
able to help either!
2. Open Pick-a-bricks in the Raleigh, NC, Nashville, TN, Overland Park,
KS, and Dayton, OH. (I have my reasons.)
3. Stay focused on it being a *building* toy. Give Mom and Dad a
reason to buy more than one copy of a set. "Buy two; they're small."
4. As AFOLs, we tend to make things with tons of bricks. This is
really cool. But show the people that it is possible to make some
really cool stuff without tons of bricks. Multiple designs with the
same set are great.
5. Add two new greys and a new brown. :-)
Thanks for the opportunity to post.
Rafe
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My first-ever Lugnet post, hoping I do this right:
Jake's questions have been answered with many of my thoughts already so
I'll just add a few tidbits.
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Absolutely. I have kids 8, 10, and 12. All love them.
> * Why / Why not?
Toy of the Century. They teach math and engineering, patience, visual
perspective, 3D conceptualizing, ...
The neighbor kid was over not long ago. We were all in the basement
building fun stuff. "Wow! You guys have family Lego night? That's
really cool! At our house, we just scream at one another."
> * What new products would you launch?
A set of ball contraption units that could be strung together. Based on
the stuff with which I have been tinkering, this could great. While
demoing my ball machine at the Air and Space Museum in Washington last
weekend, I never got a break. Two people deep at the table at all
times. Math teachers loved me because I showed the kids a use for the
Pythagoran theorem. History teachers loved the Archimedian screw. "All
these parts are Lego?" they would ask.
My 12-year-old really loves the stuff that moves and the Rube
Goldberg-ness. This could lead from the toys of the 0-11 crowd to what
us grown-ups do. Might help to quell the dreaded 'dark ages'.
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
1. I know that Lego is international and this makes text difficult but
it might really help to have more text in instructions so kids see *why*
they are doing what they are doing. Things like "This last beam forms a
right triangle with the beam in steps 4 and 6. Note that the distances
are 6 studs, 8 studs, and 10 studs and that 6^2+8^2=10^2. This is the
Pythagoran theorem and guarantees that the plates you add in steps 12
and 13 will be perpendicular." Or something like that.
Explain the geometry to the kids so they understand that the holes or
studs or whatever lining up exactly isn't an accident. That seems to be
the biggest problem with building complicated models for kids; they
don't understand that six studs long equals 5 bricks high and what that
could do for them. Heck, some of them don't understand that 3 plates
equals 1 brick.
A ton of resources are available now via the web but the kid sitting on
the floor in the family room isn't going to do a google search to see
why plates line up. And Mom and Dad might not know so they might not be
able to help either!
2. Open Pick-a-bricks in the Raleigh, NC, Nashville, TN, Overland Park,
KS, and Dayton, OH. (I have my reasons.)
3. Stay focused on it being a *building* toy. Give Mom and Dad a
reason to buy more than one copy of a set. "Buy two; they're small."
4. As AFOLs, we tend to make things with tons of bricks. This is
really cool. But show the people that it is possible to make some
really cool stuff without tons of bricks. Multiple designs with the
same set are great.
5. Add two new greys and a new brown. :-)
Thanks for the opportunity to post.
Rafe
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In lugnet.general, Jake McKee wrote:
> If you're still interested in helping out, my colleague running this data
> collection effort has asked me to post the questions below for feedback. She'll
> manually include this in the results as well. Feel free to answer them in line
> or email them to me.
>
> Thanks so much everyone for showing that the AFOLs are a force to be reckoned
> with!
>
> * Would you buy LEGO toys for children 0-11? Y/N
Yes.
> * Why / Why not?
It's one of the most creative toys on the market ("It's a new toy everyday").
>
> * What feature(s) would you add if you were the marketing director of LEGO?
1)A magazine aimed at AFOLs. I was hoping the current LEGO magazine would
improve with Brickmaster, but each issue seems more anemic than the last.
2)The return of Idea books. It's been years since the last Idea book was offered
and I do miss them. I would actually like to see theme specific Idea books.
Castle or Space or Town Idea books would be great. Even cooler would be if they
included some AFOL designs. Also, Idea books in the past contained sticker
sheets. Imagine say, a Star Wars Idea book with sticker sheets that included
face and torso sticker designs of characters that fans want but aren't likely to
get in sets (Queen Amidala, EPII Padme, Dr. Evazen and Ponda Baba, etc.). Or, a
Harry Potter sticker sheet with face and torso designs for Ravenclaw and
Hufflepuff students.
>
> * How would you change existing LEGO products if you wanted to sell them for
> more money?
More money? MegaBloks is taking a big chunk of your business and you want
to sell sets for more money?
Actually, there is one group of sets that I would be willing to pay more
for - Star Wars Minis. I would pay a few dollars more for them if they
contained:
1)Elements to make a display stand, along with an info sticker (like in the
UCS sets).
2)A minifig that is associated with the vehicle and could be displayed with
the set. For example: Mini AT-AT with Snowtrooper or Mini Slave I with Jango
Fett. This would be a great way to get out minifigs that fans want but may not
get otherwise (Mini Royal Naboo Starship with Queen Amidala, Mini Trade
Federation Starship with Nute Gunray, Mini Sandcrawler with Jawa, etc.)
>
> * What new products would you launch?
1)When Knights Kingdom is done with...a generic Castle theme.
2)For good of ill, licensed products for toy lines are here to stay. You
don't want too much, but some licensing is necessary I think. The Lord of the
Rings would have been a great license. I know, I know, TLC thought is was "too
dark". But, I don't think LotR LEGO sets would have been too dark (and certainly
not as violent looking as the upcoming Dino theme). Most kids who didn't see the
films still knew a great deal about them and I believe most adults wouldn't have
had any qualms about buying LotR sets for their children (not to mention LotR
fans buying sets for themselves and potentially becoming AFOLs in the process).
Another strong license would have been DC Comics. Especially Batman. I
still hold out hope that when the Playalong/Art Asylum license expires, that
LEGO will pick it up.
3)A 'Town and Country' theme. Emergency and Construction themes are fine
but, enough is enough. Lets see some houses and businesses. How about a Zoo
subtheme with new animals in the style of the LEGO horse and crocodile. Let the
Town and Train themes compliment one another.
4)New Duplo themes. The Duplo Castle theme is wonderful. How about a Duplo
Space theme or Duplo Adventurers?
5)Girls minifig themes. I know that TLC has tried minifig themes to appeal
to girls in the past with limited success, but I still think it's possible to
do. Playmobil does it. And while Playmobil and LEGO are two different types of
toy lines, they share many similarities.
Imagine a LEGO theme similar to Playmobils Victorian Dollhouse theme. Each
set in the theme could be a modular room with brickbuilt furniture that could be
all be assembled into a dollhouse (minifighouse?).
>
> * What should LEGO be doing that it isn’t now?
1)Building a LEGO store in the Charlotte, NC area. ;)
2)Selling more 'bulk' brick packs on Shop@Home. I would like to see roof
packs in a variety of colors. Tile packs in more colors also. And i would really
like to be able to buy basic bricks in Dark Tan.
> Thanks again, everyone. This incredible response has made my week.
>
> Jake
Thank you, Jake.
Ken
>
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