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In lugnet.lego, Jim Green wrote:
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Well, the idea was in the same vein as that old adage... “Those who laugh
together, stay together” I figured if I could get my colleagues laughing
about these issues, they would stick in their minds a little more. Greg and
I also tried very very hard to create humorous, but descriptive ways to get
certain points across.
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Yes, laughing does foster fondness and I genuinely applaud your efforts---the
comic is good work and the folks here really are enjoying it with enthusiasm.
Yet, not that I disagree with your communicated purpose or greater hope, but
I feel that maybe laughing at AFOLs isn’t especially appropriate at this
specific time for the company
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Laughing at and laughing with are much different things.
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... when the community is communicating a
feeling of betrayal over color changes and at seeming attempts to create
division (by endorsing of a non-existent fan site).
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I guess, you could interpret the “AFOLnet” callout this way, but honestly, that
thought had never crossed my mind until I just read it here. As mentioned
elsewhere, the point of using AFOLnet was to not use LUGNET. I was trying to
show that the fan community is large and vast, and there are sites out here
other than LUGNET. This is no reflection on LUGNET at all, I love LUGNET. It was
a tactic to get people to think things other than AFOLs = LUGNET.
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These specific concerns are threaded elsewhere---it’s not my wish to pursue
them here. Nonetheless, it just doesn’t seem in good taste that our issues
would be made known by means of a comic. We can laugh at ourselves but AFOLs
are not funny monkeys.
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I’ve been amazed as I come out of my “comic dark age” to learn what a comic has
become. People like Greg have elevated what was previously a slapstick humor
delivery mechanism to a true art and communication form. I read two books last
year by Scott McCloud that talked about the depth of the comic form... in comic
form. It was brilliant. I’ve seen a number of presentations by former Web
co-workers in the last year that have used comics and comic illustration to help
show clients the Web development process flow. One of the best
Web Usability books I’ve ever read makes ample use of comic illustration to
keep a dry subject entertaining.
Just because it is a comic doesn’t mean I turned AFOLs into “funny monkeys”.
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But to a greater point...
Jake, you were one of “us” and may well understand our motivations. It is our
best hope that this is the case now that you have crossed the line and are
with The Lego Company. And that you are specifically charged to foster
communication between AFOLs and Lego, there is a trust that you will go to
bat for us and communicate our passion for this hobby... as I know you must.
It may as well be an understatement.
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Well, first off, I’m still a fan, much to my wife’s chagrin... she wants the
LEGO room back for a guest room. :)
But yes, that’s my task. I’ve been doing this since I started with LEGO 3.5
years ago. In the last year +, I’ve been able to focus 100% on exactly what you
describe. And as I mentioned in my keynote, there’ll be hits and misses along
the way. So long as there are more hits than misses, we’re doing good.
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I just find it strange that you would choose to communicate within the
company in this way, with a joke book, to folks who may not know exactly the
mind of the AFOL or who see us as a curiosity. Maybe the idea just needs
better clarification, but right now the method gives me less confidence about
what you convey to your colleagues about AFOLs in general.
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But this goes back to trust. You’ve got to trust that I know your needs and
desires and issues. You’ve got to trust that I’m finding the best way to
communicate that need. I fight for some AFOL-related issues, literally every day
I come into the office. Every day. Often multiple issues. Now believe me, I’m
all over anything that reduces the amount of friction on a given subject.
The comic did more to get people to understand and recognize the issue than any
document or powerpoint could have ever done.
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AFOLs are, for better or worse, somewhat eccentric - just like all
enthusiasts of any subject (As I often say: “everyone has their
hobby/weirdness”). The original task for this piece was to show that while
it may be unknown, it’s not strange, it just “is”.
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Is this really a new concept for Lego? To think, they would at least know us
by now. Maybe they don’t care who we are?... we are after all just a footnote
in their strategy. Will a comic fix that?
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They do know who you are, they know you’re out there, but they’re not exactly
sure why, or what they can do to help. As our efforts to promote internally
increase and sink in, they become more and more impressed. Sure they care. They
care big, and more now than ever before. You were barely a blip on the radar a
few short years ago, and are now a (big) footnote. My task is to make sure that
we continue to grow that even bigger.
Will a comic alone “fix” that? No. But like any change, you have to use all the
tools in your toolbox. The comic is a very very good tool for the task.
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It strikes me funny that we are this untapped marketing powerhouse that they
occasionally look askance at. This is something I know you can’t answer
(though ex-employees maybe can), but who are we to Lego, really?
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How do colleagues view thee... good question. In years past, they haven’t
thought much one way or the other. One of the biggest reasons LEGO Direct was
formed was to start to create a culture of consumer awareness, understanding,
and interaction. That includes the AFOLs as well as the kids.
But overall, mindsets have changed more than you can imagine in that 4 years. To
colleagues (after all, we’re not talking about a “big company”, we’re really
talking about a large group of people), you are an intriguing audience, a barely
tapped marketing powerhouse. They know you are incredible brand evangelists, but
aren’t quite sure how to work with you, how to address your needs, or if you
even want a relationship to exist. That’s where I come in. I’m working hard to
carry the messages from the AFOLs to the company. And vice versa for that
matter.
What’s terrific is that after 3+ years of carrying that message, we’ve clearly
passed a Tipping Point. The enthusiasm to talk, work with, and engage the AFOLs
is now higher than it’s ever been. (Please don’t let the color change issue
completely wipe out that progress in your minds)
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Jake, no need to justify, you are a die-hard AFOL, and I apologize that how
I may be communicating is leaning near being personal for you. Please know I
would never insult you, Lego brother, but I just don’t trust your employer
and you are in a crucial position. We count on you and want you to do a good
job... for us. You have the unenviable position of having thousands of
backseat drivers watching your every move. Tree!
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Nah, no worries. I’ve got an uber-thick skin, and I’m man enough to accept help
and feedback when given! It takes a lot to insult me! (Derek, your feeble
attempts to bring my Mom into the mix were unsuccessful)
:)
I hate to keep mentioning this, but much of this comes down to trust. You have
to trust the guy driving the car, and he has to listen to the info coming in
from the backseat.
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Not sure that I did a very good job explaining originally. The comic will
have to be tweaked to make it work for the new audience (sleepers) rather
than the original audience (LEGO colleagues). My colleagues got most of the
inside jokes, but like you mention, it might not be the right mix for the
general public. There have been a TON of terrific ideas posted in this
thread already to help tweak the content for this purpose.
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I would work on that.
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Absolutely! That’s a big part of what this thread is all about. I was hoping to
get ideas for new strips and content like the ones that have come in already.
After all, I’m a fan, but not the only fan with ideas about how to tell the
world about our rockin hobby!
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Development
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: AFOLs - The comic!
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| (...) I trust the guy *driving* the car. But at this point, I don't trust the guys that *own* the car as far as I can throw them. And even if the driver is listening to the passengers, the owners sure aren't. -- Tom Stangl *(URL) Visual FAQ home (...) (20 years ago, 27-Feb-04, to lugnet.lego, lugnet.general, lugnet.org)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: AFOLs - The comic!
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| (...) Yes, laughing does foster fondness and I genuinely applaud your efforts---the comic is good work and the folks here really are enjoying it with enthusiasm. Yet, not that I disagree with your communicated purpose or greater hope, but I feel (...) (20 years ago, 27-Feb-04, to lugnet.lego, lugnet.general, lugnet.org, FTX)
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