Subject:
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Re: Juniorization Lives, and comments on marketing strategy
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.dear-lego
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Date:
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Sun, 4 Feb 2001 20:51:57 GMT
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Viewed:
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1896 times
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A few people have asked if Town is going to turn into Duplo, and the
mini-fig will be left out. Well, I believe it has already happened. Can
anyone say "Racers"? And on another post: kids wanting more complex sets.
I was in a local Super Wal-Mart yesterday, looking at the Lego aisle. I was
making comments about the sets to a friend, when I noticed a small kid (6-8)
holding the Recon Mech RP and discussing it. He said to his mother that he
wanted something more complex than the Red Planet Protector (that he owned),
something more challenging to build. And then his mother stated that they
would have to wait until next week to get the RM RP, because he had already
spent his allowance. So A:Juniorization isn't as popular as Lego apparently
thinks, and B: Sets like the LoM theme are perhaps a little too simple. Has
Lego actually asked children what they want, or just asked their market
analysts? Where a they getting their information from?
In lugnet.dear-lego, Tim Courtney writes:
> Dear LEGO -
> From what we've heard we haven't seen the last of Juniorization. I'm very
> disappointed about the news re: the Jack Stone line. I wasn't too excited about
> the line to begin with (because it isn't my thing), but to hear that its
> Juniorized AND Creator figs makes me cringe.
>
> I've had many a phone conversation with friends who are all passionate about the
> brick, across the spectrum here on LUGNET. In most of these conversations, we
> discuss LEGO's marketing strategy and how it relates to the market, what our
> feelings on good strategies would be, etc.
>
> You know our take as a community on the decline of the product line over the
> past 5 years or so. 2001 looked like a bright light for us, with less
> Juniorization, but the Toy Fair revealings seem to shoot our hopes down.
>
> I feel that for LEGO to survive in the current toy market, it is imperative that
> it remain true to its roots - Only the Best is Good Enough, and making sure
> EVERY piece is compatible in a complete system of play. Juniorization defeats
> the purpose of having a construction toy. DO NOT MARKET IT for your entire
> range of products. If you are to keep Juniorization, keep it in the 4-6 age
> range and after that provide more challenging, stimulating products. Take for
> example the Town of 6+ years ago - it was very well done. I have a Truck Show
> yellow Limited Edition truck on my desk which to me embodies what Town should be
> built like.
>
> Its my strong opinion that kids should rise to the bar of the stimulating system
> of play LEGO provides, instead of LEGO stooping to their level. With the
> latter, the kids do not develop, and they fall further victim to the mindless
> pop culture and video game generation. You can still sell intellectually
> stimulating construction toys to kids and turn a profit, you don't have to make
> your product mediocre to move it.
>
> Pump LEGO in education. You have Dacta already, but how many people know Dacta
> exists, really? Market Dacta on Saturday morning and prime time sitcoms - do
> short segments (similar to NBC's The More You Know) as educational tidbits
> integrating LEGO Dacta products - so the parents and kids know its out there,
> and the teachers are encouraged by it and want to use it in the classroom. The
> parents and the kids will go to the teachers asking about it, and the teachers
> will know what they're talking about.
>
> Pumping Dacta and getting it distributed to a wider range of schools will
> increase LEGO sales across the board. Kids play with LEGO at school so they
> want to play with it at home. The stuff at school is challenging so they are
> challenged to build better models at home. Once kids reach school age, this
> eliminates the percieved 'need' for juniorized models.
>
> Give the kids something they can be creative with - don't rely on all licensing.
> Licensing is good for companies now, but if you rely too heavily on it you lose
> your distinct identity which you claim to want to protect. Balance.
>
> Another good strategy is create products for the older kids which will ensure an
> AFOL market 10, 15, 20 years down the road. You don't want to make products so
> bad that when adults look back on the toy they had when they are kids they don't
> see the possibilities like adults do now. You want the AFOL market because even
> though small, it is substantial. And you want the AFOL market to grow in
> numbers, these are the biggest spenders.
>
> Leave no one out - but keep your product educational and stimulating. Strive to
> bring people to the next level of difficulty product, instead of providing
> ready-made solutions with one-purpose parts - such as that hideous car base for
> Town Jr.
>
> When I read the Children are our Role Models announcement:
> http://news.lugnet.com/lego/announce/?n=27
>
> I became sick. I quote this paragraph:
>
> --
> Within very short time, the LEGO brick has twice been named Toy of the Century.
> Fortune Business Magazine was the first in November 1999; then in January 2000
> came the award from the British Association of Toy Retailers (BATR). We are
> naturally proud of the honour, which imposes on us an obligation to continue to
> do our best in the new millennium to strengthen the famous LEGO brand and to
> stimulate children's imagination, creativity and enthusiasm through play and
> learning.
> --
>
> You market dumbed-down products while claiming to be stimulating kids
> 'imagination, creativity, and enthusiasm through play and learning.' And
> further down...
>
> --
> The basis for all LEGO products and activities is our belief that children and
> their needs must be taken seriously. We see it as our most important task to
> stimulate children's imagination and creativity and to encourage them to
> explore, experience and express their own world - a world without limits.
> --
>
> A world without limits - provided it remains limited by Juniorized products
> which you must market. I'm sorry but I don't see how single-purpose parts
> stimulate imagination. Just how many Juniorized sets can you take and create
> something you see posted on LUGNET with? That's imagination, not pre-fab toys.
> Go back to your roots, the concept is sound and it will not fail you if
> implemented correctly.
>
> --
> We see children as our role models. They are curious, imaginative and creative.
> They embrace discovery and wonder. And they are natural learners. These are
> precious qualities that should be nurtured and stimulated throughout life.
> --
>
> Are you nurturing and stimulating this with a Juniorized product line?
>
> I hope you understand my point. This is only the tip of the iceberg on my
> feelings about LEGO's marketing. One last thing - involve the AFOL community
> more. We're amazed at the involvement you've given us this far, but lets
> increase that. You can get fresh enthusiasm and creativity to enhance your
> ventures in the toy market and in your displays and events worldwide. I'm sure
> that many an AFOL would love to be involved with the company on some level.
> --
>
> Tim Courtney - tim@zacktron.com
>
> http://www.ldraw.org - Centralized LDraw Resources
> http://www.zacktron.com - Zacktron Alliance
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Juniorization Lives, and comments on marketing strategy
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| Dear LEGO - From what we've heard we haven't seen the last of Juniorization. I'm very disappointed about the news re: the Jack Stone line. I wasn't too excited about the line to begin with (because it isn't my thing), but to hear that its Juniorized (...) (24 years ago, 2-Feb-01, to lugnet.dear-lego) !!
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