Subject:
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Re: Nicely now. What do you think of the new colors?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego, lugnet.general
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Date:
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Thu, 15 Jan 2004 07:04:43 GMT
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In lugnet.lego, Jake McKee wrote:
> It's only a couple of weeks in the new year, and it looks like it's going to
> be an interesting 2004!
>
> I have a request, but before I go any further, let me say that personally, I
> understand the concerns surrounding the color changes. I know many of you
> think of me as a marketer here to shill products. I'm an AFOL too with a
> healthy collection of light and dark gray, so I can understand your concerns.
>
> As both my duty as the Community Development Manager, and as an AFOL, I'm
> interested in helping to make sure that the LEGO Company fully understands
> the issues you have as well. I'm looking for your help to deliver the
> message. To be totally clear, this is me asking in order to have answers
> ready if and when my colleagues ask.
>
> I would ask that you reply to this thread with your thoughts and feelings
> about the color issue, both for and against. One post per person, I would
> think would make sense. I would ask that the debate be restricted to other
> threads, and that all posts be rational, calm, and non-hateful. This will
> ensure that I can more easily pass along the information, and that the
> message isn't bogged down in debate.
>
> Please understand that this is simply a fact/feeling/thought finding mission,
> and does not mean that the decision to change colors is going to be changed.
> Many of you have asked for the latest status information. There is nothing
> new to report at this point. The color change is proceeding as planned, and
> sets are rolling (and have already rolled) off the line with the new colors.
>
> But I know that you don't like this answer, so please use this opportunity
> (as well as continuing to direct complaints and feedback through LEGO
> Customer Service) as a way to have your voices heard.
>
> Again, we are not changing the colors back, and from what I know now, we
> aren’t considering it. This is an information gathering mission only.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help!
Jake-
Brave man, you, broaching this, and I appreciate it a great deal.
I made my feelings understood in the informational bit regarding
the restructuring moves, but I'll put it here again for reference.
As with so many things, our criticism of this move--vehement though
it is--is in no way a dislike of LEGO or of you (as you of course
know). Rather, we appreciate it and feel that our voices will at
some level be heard and considered, even if it comes to naught in
the end. That is a positive thing, so it's not love or hate--but
rather a shade of grey (heh) where close friends must be honest
with their feelings.
But in short, I fulminate about the color issue because I *live* grey.
I use a lot of grey. A *lot* of grey. Both light and dark greys,
of which I own somewhere over 500lb of each. This change affects
me *dramatically*, where the mismatch is just enough to make large
constructions look sloppy and "new" condition bricks and plates
appear old. It is also not a complementary mismatch; it is as
though a slight yellow tint is being replaced with a slight blue
one, instead of a move towards neutral that would be less jarring.
The result is that I can barely use the new dark grey except in
very out-of-the-way details on non-dark-grey backgrounds. Same
with light grey--on large constructions it's useless outside of
very carefully circumscribed applications. Brown will be a whole
new problem, but as I have not yet seen the new brown, I reserve
judgement on it. I do not own nearly as much brown as I own of
the greys.
To date I have heard two family complaints--one from my sister, and one
from my cousin--about the LEGO they have bought for their children
having a "problem" with the greys. I may be hearing this concern
because they know how tuned-in I am, but the company may only hear
a tiny number of these complaints that sound for all the world
like concerns over LEGO's quality control. You can tell us until
you're blue in your faces, but we understand the *quality* has not
diminished significantly pretty clearly. The average consumer does
not; all they'll know is that the new bricks don't match, and that
*will* do significant damage to public perception. Again, you may
hear only rarely any comment made about the color change by the
average consumer, but please don't think it's gone unnoticed because of
that. I have never ever heard a complaint about the color palette
being too bland from a consumer before; I doubt I will hear anyone
now saying "wow, the greys are a lot nicer now!" if they say anything
acknowledging the change overtly.
The color change has prevented me from investing in any new 2004 sets;
I now go completely to BrickLink for my buying needs, or I purchase
older bulk packs and sets. Although the pieces in the new sets have
me very excited--the new Millennium Falcon being at the top--the colors
prevent their use in display quality (or even aesthetically enjoyable)
castle, building, or large ship MOCs. As a result, I do not expect to
be buying any new sets that use the changed colors extensively (well,
I'll *consider* it at 75% off...)
In short, I cannot see any positive benefit for LEGO in the color change
out of those that have been proffered. I can only conclude that it is a
reason that has not been shared with us--and perhaps has not even been
shared with you--that has dictated such a change. And that saddens me,
because if it is a move for greater profitability it will backfire
horribly, damaging customer confidence in the LEGO brand in the process
--and the crucial role of a senseless change that destroyed the
chromatic compatibility of existing collections and new sets in that
disaster may not be realized until it's too late. The hallmark and
strength of LEGO has long been the consistency of its lines--is that
philosophy being once again jettisoned, just as the company is finding
its feet afresh?
LEGO, I beseech thee--reconsider this!
all best
LFB (The Gigantic Friggin' Ship Guy)
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Nicely now. What do you think of the new colors?
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| It's only a couple of weeks in the new year, and it looks like it's going to be an interesting 2004! I have a request, but before I go any further, let me say that personally, I understand the concerns surrounding the color changes. I know many of (...) (20 years ago, 15-Jan-04, to lugnet.lego, lugnet.general, FTX) !!
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