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All,
Sorry for the delay in getting posting this info. I’ve been crazy busy lately
(when you aren’t traveling, people are actually able to get ahold of you!), and
still trying to catch up.
There has been some question about the releases of Dino Attack and Vikings.
Vikings will be launching mainly in Europe. It’s pretty likely that we’ll carry
the Vikings line worldwide through Shop At Home. (It looks like a done deal, but
I’m still awaiting final final confirmation) There is, of course, a chance that
LEGO Stores and/or very limited retail could happen, but I don’t have any info
on that at this point - as you’ve seen in the past, these things tend to shift
around.
Dino Attack will be carried only in North America. It will not be sold in Europe
through retail or Shop At Home.
First off, to clarify (and save the need for me to don my fireproof suit), you
WILL be able to acquire Vikings in North America this year - just not through
retail.
Secondly, I’m sure you’re wondering why we’ve taken this course. Long story
short, it’s the right strategy to try, business-wise.
Dino Attack is a line meant to appeal to North Americans consumers (i.e. NA
kids). Vikings is a line meant to appeal more to European consumers (i.e. EU
kids). We tend to try to release all product lines globally. Sometimes this
works fine, sometimes not so much. The idea here is to create lines that appeal
in a large way to each major region.
In addition, there is a metric ton of business decisions that went into making
this call. I can’t/won’t get into all of them here, but you have to believe that
this wasn’t a decision taken lightly or without thought. As the company works to
regain its profitable status, we are listening more and more to both
customers(i.e. Target, TRU, etc.) and consumers (i.e. kids and AFOLs) about what
they’re interested in seeing on shelves.
Perhaps this divided strategy is a terrific idea, perhaps not. But it’s a
direction we simply must take in order to see what happens. Again, I won’t argue
the business thinking here, there’s simply too many issues that factor into the
discussion - many of which I can’t share.
I know that some of you might be dissapointed that one line or the other is not
on shelves in your local stores, but hopefully you can understand the importance
of getting our feet back under us. We look forward to your help and support in
this crucial year.
Jake
---
Jake McKee
Community Liaison
LEGO Community Team
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In lugnet.lego, Jake McKee wrote:
[snip]
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First off, to clarify (and save the need for me to don my fireproof suit),
you WILL be able to acquire Vikings in North America this year - just not
through retail.
Secondly, I’m sure you’re wondering why we’ve taken this course. Long story
short, it’s the right strategy to try, business-wise.
Dino Attack is a line meant to appeal to North Americans consumers (i.e. NA
kids). Vikings is a line meant to appeal more to European consumers (i.e. EU
kids). We tend to try to release all product lines globally. Sometimes this
works fine, sometimes not so much. The idea here is to create lines that
appeal in a large way to each major region.
In addition, there is a metric ton of business decisions that went into
making this call. I can’t/won’t get into all of them here, but you have to
believe that this wasn’t a decision taken lightly or without thought. As the
company works to regain its profitable status, we are listening more and more
to both customers(i.e. Target, TRU, etc.) and consumers (i.e. kids and AFOLs)
about what they’re interested in seeing on shelves.
Perhaps this divided strategy is a terrific idea, perhaps not. But it’s a
direction we simply must take in order to see what happens. Again, I won’t
argue the business thinking here, there’s simply too many issues that factor
into the discussion - many of which I can’t share.
I know that some of you might be dissapointed that one line or the other is
not on shelves in your local stores, but hopefully you can understand the
importance of getting our feet back under us. We look forward to your help
and support in this crucial year.
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Jake,
Thank you for taking the time to post on this issue and clarify some concerns. I
am interested in the outcome of this strategy, and, whatever the case, I hope
that the Company finds some successes in the year to come. And now I hope you
successfully relax a bit before your next trip. ;-)
Down the road--if in any way possible--I (as well as others I’m sure) would like
to learn of some of the factors that influenced this decision and how (I know,
highly unlikely) the Design Team (is that the proper name?) decided on the
D.I.N.O. line as opposed to the purported Alpha Team Dino one or returning to
the Adventurers and/or Jurassic Park.
Now, as per your request, if I can offer help in ways other than posting here,
showing my MOCs at events, or buying product, please do not hesitate to contact
me. From what you wrote about Jorgen and what he and his colleagues have to deal
with, I can sympathize but that has not thwarted me from pursuing a dream of
being on that side of things. :-)
Sincerely,
Andrew P. Saada
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In lugnet.lego, Jake McKee wrote:
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All,
Sorry for the delay in getting posting this info. I’ve been crazy busy lately
(when you aren’t traveling, people are actually able to get ahold of you!),
and still trying to catch up.
There has been some question about the releases of Dino Attack and Vikings.
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Thanks for the update Jake.
And, bearing in mind this is a worldwide community, I see no reason why product
won’t spread around the world of its own accord.
I’ve certainly done my share of “transporting Lego product across international
boundaries” in quantities greater than could be considered reasonable for
personal consumption :) And I;ve mailed quite a few packages of stuff too. And
people have returned the favour.
So the official targetting of sets to particular geographic areas, which is a
strategy I fully understand, can be easily short-circuited by members of the
international community for the truely needy.
JB
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What will australia get?
I am assuming that Shop @ Home australia will get the same things as Shop @
Home europe.
And that australian stores will (as usual) carry whatever they think will sell.
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If a general release of Vikings in North America would act as a boat anchor,
then I really don’t have a problem as long as I can still obtain the Viking sets
via Shop at Home or LEGO stores.
Why Playmobil can offer Vikings (and fig packs...ooooo...sorry, low blow) in
retail stores and LEGO can’t I won’t bother to ask (especially since you said
you aren’t going to answer that kind of stuff), but thanks for being up front
and keeping us informed. :-)
-->Bruce<--
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For a company that is struggling to make ends meet, something is puzzling me...
Why two series? Why Dino Attack and the Vikings? Why not Vikings only?
Let me elaborate:
With the Dino Attack series, you have
New Set Concept - some unknown number of people sit around a table, throw around
ideads, and come up with Dino Attack. Money is spent, wages are paid.
New Set Design - some unknown number of designers sit around a work bench, build
some ideas, share their ideas, tweak their ideas, finalize the sets. Money is
spent, wages are paid.
New Parts Created - some unknown number modelers takes the requirements from the
set designers and creates master copies of some unknown number of never before
seen parts (like dino parts), molds them, dies them, creates molds. Money is
spent, wages are paid.
New Instructions Created - some unknown number of instruction producers
digitally recreate the sets, carefully mapping out the sets as accurately as
humanly possible, seperates the digital set into steps, sends the data to the
printer. Money is spent, wages are paid.
New Packaging - some unknown number of photographers take the final set designs
(plus previous prototypes in the case of toy fairs) and photograph them. Some
unknown number of digital artists then clean up the image, add appropriate artsy
backgrounds, sends the data to the printer. Money is spent, wages are paid.
Assembly - some unknown number of factory workers stop the production line,
reprogram and recalibrate the machines to produce the right parts for the Dino
Attack sets. The parts are collected, sorted and packaged. Lots of money is
spent, wages are paid.
Marketing - some unknown number of marketeers start brainstorming around a table
about how to properly advertise the product to their target audience. A
decision is made, a plan is constructed and implemented. Data is sent to
whomever is needed. Money is spent, wages are paid.
Delivery - some unknown number of employees and middle-men sort, package and
ship the new sets to their destinations. Money is spent, wages are paid.
While on the other hand you could have not created but one new LEGO series
(Vikings) and made it available world-wide. What would that have cost?
New Set Concept - no added cost
New Set Design - no added cost
New Parts Created - no added cost
New Instructions Created - no added cost
New Packaging - no added cost
Assembly - added cost for added volume
Marketing - added cost where maketing is extended into North America
Delivery - added cost where delivery is extended into North America
Seems to me the smart bet would be to go with one world wide series.
<plants tongue firmly in cheek>
OK, Jake. You have no more excuses. LEGO comes out with new Harry Potter,
Vikings, Dino Attack and a whole bunch of other new series all requiring new and
unique parts.
Bionicle requires new and unique parts with EVERY incarnation.
KK2 Maxifig knights are almost nothing but unique parts.
No more excuses Jake. New molds CAN'T be that expensive if LEGO is going
through all of this.
Cypress trees and pitchforks for everyone!
</tongue in cheek>
And that's all I have to say about that.
--Anthony
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<snippage>
>
> OK, Jake. You have no more excuses. LEGO comes out with new Harry Potter,
> Vikings, Dino Attack and a whole bunch of other new series all requiring new and
> unique parts.
>
> Bionicle requires new and unique parts with EVERY incarnation.
>
> KK2 Maxifig knights are almost nothing but unique parts.
>
> No more excuses Jake. New molds CAN'T be that expensive if LEGO is going
> through all of this.
>
> Cypress trees and pitchforks for everyone!
>
> </tongue in cheek>
>
> And that's all I have to say about that.
>
> --Anthony
Wow!!! Tony, you really threw the guantlet down! :D (how's that for a castle
reference?)
And while he's at it, how about retiring bley and dark bley. Oh and since
you're making requests, I want some new monorail track and blue baseplates
(that I can buy individually from shop@home).
;)
Thanks, Ben Medinets
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In lugnet.lego, Bruce Schlickbernd wrote:
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If a general release of Vikings in North America would act as a boat anchor,
then I really don’t have a problem as long as I can still obtain the Viking
sets via Shop at Home or LEGO stores.
Why Playmobil can offer Vikings (and fig packs...ooooo...sorry, low blow) in
retail stores and LEGO can’t I won’t bother to ask (especially since you said
you aren’t going to answer that kind of stuff), but thanks for being up front
and keeping us informed. :-)
-->Bruce<--
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actually to my knowledge Vikings will be in Retail stores as the order forms are
being done now they are currently Avail in Japan in retail stores and will be
available in Australia within the week in retail stores so not sure what Jake
has been drinking ???
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In lugnet.lego, Anthony Sava wrote:
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For a company that is struggling to make ends meet, something is puzzling
me...
Why two series? Why Dino Attack and the Vikings? Why not Vikings only?
Let me elaborate:
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snip
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And that’s all I have to say about that.
--Anthony
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Oh you tell ‘em Sava.
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I know that some of you might be dissapointed that one line or the other is
not on shelves in your local stores, but hopefully you can understand the
importance of getting our feet back under us. We look forward to your help
and support in this crucial year.
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Thanks for the clear information Jake. While I am upset that I won’t be able to
compulsively buy a Viking set everytime I go to the store, I am glad that they
will be available via SAH. The Viking line is one of the best, most exciting
themes TLG has come out with in recent memory, and I was already planning on
buying every set in the series at MSRP, so buying from SAH doesn’t bother me all
that much.
I think the core of the split themes is that, culturally speaking, what little
European kids want to play with different sorts of things than little American
kids. I think this is true - and hopefully this experiment will work. It saves
TLG money by not trying to sell items to kids that aren’t really interested in
those items.
It is always good to hear the official word on such things, and thanks to Jake
for tracking down all the important information and getting it to us in a timely
manner!!
-Lenny
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In lugnet.lego, Benjamin Medinets wrote:
> <snippage>
> >
> > OK, Jake. You have no more excuses. LEGO comes out with new Harry Potter,
> > Vikings, Dino Attack and a whole bunch of other new series all requiring new and
> > unique parts.
> >
> > Bionicle requires new and unique parts with EVERY incarnation.
> >
> > KK2 Maxifig knights are almost nothing but unique parts.
> >
> > No more excuses Jake. New molds CAN'T be that expensive if LEGO is going
> > through all of this.
> >
> > Cypress trees and pitchforks for everyone!
> >
> > </tongue in cheek>
> >
> > And that's all I have to say about that.
> >
> > --Anthony
>
> Wow!!! Tony, you really threw the guantlet down! :D (how's that for a castle
> reference?)
>
> And while he's at it, how about retiring bley and dark bley. Oh and since
> you're making requests, I want some new monorail track and blue baseplates
> (that I can buy individually from shop@home).
>
> ;)
>
> Thanks, Ben Medinets
Ben,
You forgot to ask for a pony. You can't forget the pony!
A bag of gold would also be nice.
LFB
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In lugnet.lego, Jake McKee wrote:
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Dino Attack is a line meant to appeal to North Americans consumers (i.e. NA
kids). Vikings is a line meant to appeal more to European consumers (i.e. EU
kids). We tend to try to release all product lines globally. Sometimes this
works fine, sometimes not so much. The idea here is to create lines that
appeal in a large way to each major region.
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Oh we could have a field day with this one.
Guns ‘n’ Pickups for the gun crazed middle America versus historical playsets
for sensitive Scandinavians?
Dinosaurs co-existing with humans for the creationist New World versus mythical
beasts for the barely Christianised barbarians of the Old World?
Forward looking, modern technology for the freewheeling United States, versus
backward looking swords and wooden boats for the hidebound EU?
Discuss - 1000 words.
But seriously, I have noticed several comments on the modern weapons in Dino
Attack. I guess in North America Lego has to compete with for shelf space with
Mega Bloks, who are definitely not shy about modern weapons, but it makes me
feel a little sad to see that kind of compromise with how I perceived Lego’s
core values. Sure the “enemies” are dinosaurs, but still...
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Mark Jordan wrote:
> But seriously, I have noticed several comments on the modern weapons in Dino
> Attack. I guess in North America Lego has to compete with for shelf space with
> Mega Bloks, who are definitely not shy about modern weapons, but it makes me
> feel a little sad to see that kind of compromise with how I perceived Lego's
> core values. Sure the "enemies" are dinosaurs, but still...
Old Ole Kirk is propably turning around in his grave about these
militaria sets. A stab in the back of every idea of childs play on which
Lego was founded.
Those galidorsaurs are only a very weak coverup for an attempt to cater
for a gun- and violence-oriented market.
Whats next? Clikits genital piercing sets? A new "gulf war" series, with
rag-headed iranians as enemies to be run over by Lego tanks?
My, oh, my. Whenever I think Lego reached the bottom line they dig the
hole deeper.
Yours, Christian
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now why was my post removed?
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In lugnet.lego, Christian Treczoks wrote:
> Mark Jordan wrote:
> > But seriously, I have noticed several comments on the modern weapons in Dino
> > Attack. I guess in North America Lego has to compete with for shelf space with
> > Mega Bloks, who are definitely not shy about modern weapons, but it makes me
> > feel a little sad to see that kind of compromise with how I perceived Lego's
> > core values. Sure the "enemies" are dinosaurs, but still...
>
> Old Ole Kirk is propably turning around in his grave about these
> militaria sets. A stab in the back of every idea of childs play on which
> Lego was founded.
>
> My, oh, my. Whenever I think Lego reached the bottom line they dig the
> hole deeper.
The arc was pretty clear from castle to pirates to cowboys to adventurers. Not
to mention Star Wars.
If I have snipped out your other examples of where Lego might go next, but I
think if you want to find out where Lego goes next, visit a toy store or
Wal-Mart's toy department and look at the other toys. TLG will do whatever it
takes to keep their shelf space.
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