To LUGNET HomepageTo LUGNET News HomepageTo LUGNET Guide Homepage
 Help on Searching
 
Post new message to lugnet.generalOpen lugnet.general in your NNTP NewsreaderTo LUGNET News Traffic PageSign In (Members)
 General / 12076
12075  |  12077
Subject: 
Re: Introducing LEGO Direct
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego
Date: 
Mon, 13 Dec 1999 22:03:44 GMT
Reply-To: 
JOHNNEAL@USWEST.nomorespamNET
Viewed: 
7638 times
  
Eric Kingsley wrote:

<snip>


IMHO think that if Town were unjuniorized it
would have a good chance of building a large following with older girls.

<snip>

I know I'll prolly get lit up good for this, but here goes.  Generally speaking, I
don't see LEGO as being a toy sought out by girls.  Now before you ignite the
torches, let me explain.

First, take an empirical look around lugnet and rtl.  What you find is about (I'm
guessing, of course) 99.x% males.  I'm not sure exactly what that means, but it
means something.  LEGO attracts guys.  Now I'm NOT saying that it doesn't attract
females as well, just not nearly as much.  I would be very interested to hear from
AFOLers such as Tamy, Julie KrenZILLA, and Jody, Suz, etc. as to how they got into
LEGO.  My little hypothesis is that they were mentored into LEGO.  That is, a
parent or an adult actively initiated and encouraged the child to play with LEGO.
And, of course, being the perfect toy for boy or girl, the child was hooked.  That
is at least how *my* daughter got into LEGO.  I don't think that she would have
sought it out on her own.

I hope you all don't think I'm being sexist here because that isn't my intent
(although I *do* believe that boys and girls are not "equal", ie the same, but are
very different by natures).

My point is this:  the themes of the LEGO sets are prohibitive to capturing the
interest of girls.  Girls don't respond to conflict and aggression, which is
basically inherent in every theme.  Even town, the tamest of the themes,
experiences robberies and accidents and emergencies with  astounding regularity.

That is why I think Belville, Paradisa, and Scala appeal to girls.  No conflict,
just fun in the sun, going to the beach, riding your horse and just hanging out.
As for the colors, well, there is scientific evidence (although I know not where)
that pastel colors have a soothing effect upon people.  It fits in well with that
theme.

Belville and Scala notwithstanding, if TLC wants to get girls interested in LEGO,
they are going to have to convince their (the girls', not TLC's;) parents to buy
it for them and encourage them to play with it, because, although action and
conflict themes with naturally attract boys, it won't girls, IMHO.

-John <donning flame suit>



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Introducing LEGO Direct
 
(...) Part of my frustration is that it's difficult to _find_ Lego system toys that are generally appealing to girls. Almost all of the sets are fire trucks, police stations, race cars, or space/castle/pirate sets, and as someone else mentioned, all (...) (24 years ago, 13-Dec-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)
  Re: Introducing LEGO Direct
 
(...) Well I am not going to light you up at all because I agree with most of what you say. I actually think that other than a few slight differences our views on this subject are very similar. I agree that LEGO is not sought out by girls. I really (...) (24 years ago, 13-Dec-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)
  Girls and LEGO (was: Re: Introducing LEGO Direct)
 
Hi John and everyone, Before I respond to John's letter, I'd like to say this: As a girl, not so long ago fitting in the Scala and Belville age range, with three (both older and younger) sisters and three girl cousins, I have to say that I agree (...) (24 years ago, 14-Dec-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego, lugnet.belville, lugnet.scala)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Introducing LEGO Direct
 
(...) I do not know where you are from so I can't make any assumptions based on your market but in the US you almost never see either Belville or Scala in stores and usually when you do see it its in a specialty store (in my experiance anyway). I (...) (24 years ago, 13-Dec-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.dear-lego)

207 Messages in This Thread:
(Inline display suppressed due to large size. Click Dots below to view.)
Entire Thread on One Page:
Nested:  All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:  All | Brief | Compact

This Message and its Replies on One Page:
Nested:  All | Brief | Compact | Dots
Linear:  All | Brief | Compact
    

Custom Search

©2005 LUGNET. All rights reserved. - hosted by steinbruch.info GbR