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Subject: 
Re: TLG investigation 1st answers
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.general
Date: 
Fri, 19 Feb 1999 19:48:11 GMT
Viewed: 
1471 times
  
Jeroen Ottens writes:
...
The point is: This is an investigation. My personal wish about the outcome
(biased by the fact that I am an AFOL) is not hard to guess I suppose. The
best thing would be that this investigation would lead to some real
communication instead of one person filtering messages. So I will strive
for that.

I think that would be great!  I really hope that this semi-official discussion
can lead to something more official - even just an official statement that
AFOL's _exist_ would be light years ahead of anything to-date.

So far I have summarized your reactions in a couple of categories:
- Acknowledgement of the AFOL-community by the Lego group
- Rereleases of old sets
- Bulk piece ordering and/or better service packs
- Better set designs by Lego

To begin with the last:
Lego develops for kids, not for adults. Kids have developed as well through

We understand that, but I think most of us would agree that TLG has been
dropping their standards over the years - marketing to the lowest common
denominator.  10 or 15 years ago, Lego appealed to everybody - kids and adults,
now it's just appealing to short-attention-span nintendo brats.

the years. Old sets simply don't sell. If you ask for better sets, you ask
for bigger sets with smaller (unprinted) bricks for yourself. My question
is: Does Model Team fill that need (if only partial)? I mean is that a good
direction?

The problem with Model Team is that it aims for a very specific group - modern
vehicle fans.  I hardly ever even glance at the MT sets on the shelf, because
the theme doesn't appeal to me.  Now if MT were to expand out into buildings,
or other genres.... I'd LOVE to see a MT (castle) gatehouse, or a MT x-wing, or
any number of things that aren't trucks and helicopters.

Bulk piece ordering/better service packs are not be commented on by me.

I think I'm not alone in finding this forboding...does this mean that it's like
the other themes, and you don't have time to hunt down the answers, or does it
mean that you've been given an offical position of "no comment"?

Rerealese of old sets. I my opinion that is a setback. It would be better
to increase the appeal of new sets, than to rerelease old sets, but maybe
collectors don't agree with me on that one.

I don't really think most of us would care, except for nostalgia, so long as
the model quality went back up.  Although I suspect that if TLG did do a
"Classic sets" line, it would sell very well - I _know_ that if 6067 (as an
example) went back on the shelves here, they would disappear in short order. :)

Acknowledgement of the AFOL community. I think this the pivotal point.

Yes!  TLG has a huge resource here, for sales, ideas, research, feedback, (the
list goes on) and they just refuse to see it.  I mean, come on, TLG!  We're
practically begging you to use us!

Without acknowledgement nothing will change. I will try to get that message
through within Lego. Of course I can't promise anything. Lego is just a
company that has to make profit and fact is that there are more kids
playing with Lego than adults.

Yes, but there are some other factors than sheer volume:
1) AFOL's may be a fraction of the market, but kids (as individuals) spend a
fraction of any given AFOL - By ignoring AFOL's, TLG is cutting itself off from
a large market with a much bigger allowance :)
2)AFOL's are parents. (& aunts & uncles & neighbors & ...)  For every AFOL,
there are several kids that the AFOL influences either for or against Lego as a
toy.
3) most AFOL's grew up loving Lego, and either stayed that way, or came back to
Lego because it's quality and appeal was _not_ just for kids.

I just can't quite grasp the concept that Lego doesn't want customers that
aren't kids.


James
http://www.shades-of-night.com/lego/



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: TLG investigation 1st answers
 
(...) a (...) Actually, that's a good point, I am not just an AFOL, I am very much an ADVOCATE of LEGO, so ignoring the fact that I spend $1000's on LEGO for myself, I also... 1. Buy it for my sons, they have Primo, Duplo and Toolo and now some (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)

Message is in Reply To:
  TLG investigation 1st answers
 
Hi everybody, Thanks (again) for your overwhelming responses. I have had over 100 responses within 4 days and still counting... A lot of questions have been asked, most of them I can't answer unfortunately. All questions regarding comments to be (...) (26 years ago, 19-Feb-99, to lugnet.general)

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