Subject:
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Re: LEGO is listening! (was...are you listening?)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego, lugnet.dear-lego
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Date:
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Sun, 5 Nov 2000 16:09:42 GMT
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Viewed:
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316 times
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"John Robert-Blaze Kanehl" <johnNYblaze44@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:G3JzJv.DB4@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.lego, Frank Buiting writes:
> > "Ashley Glennon" <ashleyg@america.lego.com> wrote in message
> > news:G3HsC9.JG@lugnet.com...
> > >
> > > The LEGO Company IS listening. I have spent some time reading the • posts
> > > here tonight and you can rest assured that the company is well aware of
> > > LUGNET and your concerns, desires and feedback.
> >
> > [snipped small part about time and appropriateness]
> >
> > > As you might imagine, the lack of time is one of the significant • factors
> > > that hinders our responses. To write a detailed response that caters • to
> > > your needs is quite a complex task. Some of your questions would • require
> > > volumes to answer rather than a short, quick message. Case in point:
> > > "Juniorization." I can tell you right now that kids have told the • Company
> > > that they have less time to build and want things that are faster to • build,
> > > therefore the Company has created what you call "Juniorized" sets.
> >
> > I was wondering, reading those two paragraphs...
> > 1) LEGO asks kids what they want and 2) LEGO is apparently listening to • us
> > too... so how big is the adult market share? I mean ofcourse I understand
> > that LEGO is mainly a toy and children are their 'real' target audience, • but
> > if it's worth listening to AFOLs comments then I guess the AFOL market is
> > also valuable. Perhaps it is time for LEGO to realise that they did well
> > enough in the past that yesterday's kids are still that much attached to • the
> > product today and turned into AFOLs...
>
> EXCELLENT POINT!
>
> Ironic how Many large Toy companies have been complaining that their
> "opportunity years" to sell to kids have declined by 50% and Lego can't • beat
> off 20+ year buyers with a stick.
> Lego made a great product, marketed it pretty well for quite afew years, • and
> now, when they can reap the reward of customers w/ brand loyaly and deep
> pockets, they ignore the customer base they cultivated.
What I also meant that they can repeat this trick over and over, if they
make their products more satisfying on the long term. Parents and kids have
to see that LEGO could provide them with all the toys they need - just get a
bunch of bricks and build the toy you have in mind. Unfortunately with the
trend LEGO is following today, the many scattered themes do not feel like
'one system' anymore.
Small and easy to assemble sets only keep the kids attention for a short
time, if a theme is around for such a short time noone is able to attach to
it. I think they're doing great with their 'Adventurers' them in this
respect - while there are many different 'subthemes' it's easy to mix and
match these sets and identify them as one big theme. Likewise there have
been many playthemes within the 'Town' theme but they fit in the overall
theme. To me, as a Town fan, I do not feel the current city center sets as
part of the existing Town theme (they do not mix and match as well with the
80s town sets) but a whole new theme and therefore those new sets do not
appeal to me. This prevents me from buying those sets and I'm sure many
parents will not buy sets for their kids that don't match their current
theme preference.
> > So, any guesses about how big the AFOL market is? Does LEGO have • marketing
> > data on that, or have they never thought of adults as their target • audience?
> >
> >
> I doubt that Lego has any reliable data, but a cursory trip through Lugnet
> readily shows people spending big $ (and all over the world too).
>
> By extentsion, if Lego marketed to adults, then wouldn't those same adults,
> in turn, coplete the circle and buy Lego for their children?
My point exactly!
> Satisfy the adults a little, and they raise a new generation of Lego • fans.
> A renewable market base and revenue stream w/ minimal effort...
I think that many of the adults queries are not that much different. Even
though LEGOs marketing department says different I don't know many kids who
like the direction LEGO is heading with their new sets.
The idea has been mentioned here more often but I would bet that if they put
out a 'classic' set for one year, that those outsell all the new sets
they're putting out. It would be a nice test :-)
> > > It is a fact that the Company could improve our online communications • to
> > > you. Perhaps Brad and I will have an internal discussion about this. • My
> > > guess is that you may not require a response to every post but you • would
> > > certainly like to know we are listening.
> >
> > I'm happy to know LEGO is actually listening :-)
>
> It's reassuring to know our endless shopping exploits, pontificating, and
> posturing are being viewed by someone.
>
> > Perhaps it's an idea to post something monthly, I think many of us awould • be
> > happy with a post that briefly addresses some questions asked here and a
> > short description of plans etc. I would be happy with a regular posting • like
> > one you just posted.
> >
> > --
>
> I think a monthly posting would be GREAT! As a matter of fact, I thought
> that was part of the idea of Brad making contact. To open a dialog or • goose
> sales. I realize schedules are tight all over, but a few sentences that
> don't reveal company secrets or priveldged info. would be nice. When I • was
> a salesman, I always maintained open communication with my customer base;
> especially a loyal customer base that spends ALOT.
> In many businesses, it is INEXCUSABLE and paramount to DEATH, to "blow • off"
> loyal customers.
Agreed. I think LEGO is just starting to realise the AFOL market is big
enough to cater for and therefore dialogue with that customer base has just
started.
--
Frank Buiting
Visit the LEGO Lexicon: http://members.chello.nl/~f.buiting/lego/
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