Subject:
|
Re: Markets and juniorization
|
Newsgroups:
|
lugnet.general
|
Date:
|
Fri, 7 Dec 2001 00:35:33 GMT
|
Highlighted:
|
(details)
|
Viewed:
|
877 times
|
| |
|
|
In lugnet.general, David Eaton writes:
> In lugnet.general, Allan Bedford writes:
> > > In lugnet.general, David Eaton writes:
> > > > In lugnet.general, Bradley Dale writes:
> > > > My big question: Why does LEGO need today's kids? What if LEGO focused on
> > > > being such a good toy for ages 12+ that every teen and adult wanted to build
> > > > with it? Not just adults that are currently AFOLS, but everyone! I think
> > > > that would be really cool. Is it possible?
> > > >
> > > > Does LEGO really want a market that wants juniorization? :)
> > >
> > > Well-- it's not just about money for the Lego Company. It's about their
> > > values. I mean, if they found some new super-product that made them more
> > > money, would they drop the Lego product and make the new one? Nah.
> >
> > Um, yes they would. They already have. It's called Bionicle. It is so far
> > from their core product that it's not even readily compatible.
>
> No no-- I mean totally different. Things without kids as the focus. Think fax
> machines. Cars. Real estate. If they found a great new way to make a solar
> powered car that would revoloutionize the world, would they drop the
> contruction toy line and follow it? Nah. They'd probably just sell the idea and
> be done with it. Their focus is children.
Not that they would spend much R&D money on such products, but I see your
point now.
> > > It's just
> > > not their particular business. Lego's focus has (very nearly) always been
> > > kids. Not teenagers, not adults. Kids. They certainly don't turn away older
> > > people-- but they're not the focus.
> >
> > They are turning away older people right now. Their catalog is an afront to
> > any one over 12.
>
> Oh? I'm over 12. I like it. All of it? No. But check out some of the bulk
> items. The Guarded Inn. Pirate sets. The Sopwith Camel. The My Own Train stuff
> (great stuff!). Statue of Liberty. All appealing to adults. I think. Does the
> majority of the catalog intreuge me? Not really. Except maybe to get specific
> parts from a set that I need.
I guess I try to look at it with both my kid brain and my adult brain.
Neither one likes it at all. :)
> > They can't seem to realize that their fans *do* grow up and guess what??? Many
> > of us want adult level sets and/or access to bulk bricks.
>
> Still. We're not the majority of the money makers for them. And not their
> target market. And yes, they do give adults *some* of what we want. All of it?
> Nah. But some.
We're not their target market for only one reason... we've never been.
There is nothing stopping them from including us in their target market,
they just seem to prefer things the way they've always been. Ironically
this non-evolutionary attitude doesn't apply to the quality design work they
used to put into their products.
> And if it's *successful*, maybe they'll be encouraged to do it
> more. But they won't stop things like Bionicle and Jack Stone.
Let me set the record straight, because I think I'm being misunderstood. I
don't want them to stop making things *like* Jack Stone or Bionicle. It's
just that I want them to make thing like that BETTER. If Bionicle is
selling at all, it's in spite of crappy design, incompatibility with
traditional bricks, and a nearly incomprehensible theme. Imagine if one or
more of these attributes were improved... the line would sell even more. I
want LEGO to produce anything they think might sell (within reason), but I
beg them to do it with even a hint of the style and grandeur that they used
to have.
I want LEGO to be incredibly successful... I wish them only the best. But I
want them to do it in such a way that they maintain the integrity of the
product that, has until now, stood the test of time. I want them to design
lines like Bioncile in such a way that they create new LEGO fans, and not
just new Bionicle fans. I didn't come to love LEGO because of great Classic
Space or Expert Builder sets. I got to be a young LEGO fan because of great
LEGO sets... period.
Oh, as for Jack Stone... that's a line that should simply never have been
made. It's relatively clear where they thought they were going, but they
ended up so wide of the mark that they have produced a line that Megablocks
would have rejected 10 years ago.
> > > Quite frankly, I'm rather happy with most of what they've been doing lately.
> > > The new My Own Train stuff is not very juniorized,
> >
> > I hope you aren't looking for any Town-style buildings to flesh out your
> > train world.
> >
> > > they're offering bulk bricks (in odd colors and pieces!),
> >
> > And what an odd selection it is indeed. Where are the bricks, tiles and
> > slopes available to the designers at the LEGO theme parks? They can
> > obviously be had in quantities... why not make them available to the general
> > public?
>
> ? Keep in mind two things. 1st off, it's a START. They aren't convinced yet
> that bulk and My Own Train is gonna fly off the shelves. They're pacing
> themselves. Coming out with an ENTIRE selection of city buildings, trains,
> vehicles, greenery, landscaping, etc, and coming out with EVERY piece in the
> bulk selection is extraordinarily cost prohibitive. Why risk it when you don't
> know that it's gonna be a hit or not? And if you're not buying bulk because
> you're waiting till EVERYTHING you want is available, you're only convincing
> them more that bulk is a bad idea.
I'm not waiting until EVERYTHING is available. I'm trying to raise my voice
as a concerned customer and let my favorite corporate entity how they can be
a better seller. I wouldn't do this for any other company in the world.
As for bulk parts. Why not go for an 'Architectural Bucket'? Or a 'Classic
Space Designer's Set'? Or a 'Town Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced Tub'? You
don't have to sell every single part separately in order to make vast
quantities of usable parts available to the general public.
This isn't rocket science folks. I'm just suggesting that they find new and
creative ways to market and package an already established product. I'm not
asking them to create new bricks/molds. I'm not asking them to sell
something outside of their area of expertise. I'm not asking them to
reinvent the wheel. I'm just asking them to sell me something they already
manufacture, but for some reason won't release to the public.
> 2nd thing. Let's say that they'll never put out more than X% of their line
> that's geared towards adults. Let's say that they'll only produce 10 sets a
> year geared towards adults. Is this not better than nothing? Will you refuse to
> buy any of them because it's not available all at once?
If they are 10 (or even 5) quality sets at reasonable prices and they appear
on store shelves... I'll buy them. It's this whole over-priced mail-order
thing that's driving me nuts.
> Can you not wait for
> the pieces you want? Personally, I can wait if need be for the pieces I want.
> Would I prefer them to be available now? Sure. But it doesn't mean I think they
> should change their business strategy around me. I'm not their biggest money
> maker. They shouldn't.
I'm not suggesting that adults will ever dominate their sales ledgers. What
I'm trying to say is that they are selling to adults despite a solid
understanding of what adults want and are willing to pay for. I don't speak
for all adults, only myself. But I do feel that I present an alternative
opinion of adult fans that has never been heard by the company.
> > > they're coming out with non-juniorized
> > > sculptures and models (Sopwith Camel, Statue of Liberty, UCS sets), etc.
> >
> > If you can afford them. Many adults (not to mention kids) simply find these
> > sets way way out of reach. Where are the sculpture sets UNDER $30?
>
> Sculptures I dunno about. Sculptures really need to be large in order to be
> 'display worthy' I think... the UCS stuff though (essentially Model Team) is
> another story. But *under* $30? That's pretty skimpy. $30-$50 though I can see
> doing, and still make sets that are worthy display pieces. And I'll agree with
> you. It'd be nice if they offered some. But it doesn't change the fact that the
> large sets are still catered to adults and are decent sets.
But why not try to apply the same sculpture or at least brick-heavy approach
to lower end price points. Megablocks is doing this extremely well. Am I
to believe that LEGO is so much more expensive to produce? Or are they just
selling the old brand name for all they can squeeze out of the consumer?
> > > Would it be cool if they catered to us? Sure! I think so. Kids might not
> > > though.
> >
> > Here's my suggestion... why not cater to BOTH! It's really not that hard.
>
> Well, is it? As evidenced by their recent efforts, they're trying. They're
> testing the waters. I mean, heck, they're starting a "line" for BUSINESSes.
Do you mean the management courses?
> Once upon a time they were marketing to adults back in the 60's (I think?). It
> flopped then, of course.
Do you mean Modulex?
> And now they're trying it again.
They are?
> They're testing the
> waters. Will they cater to both? They're starting to. Will it continue? I hope
> so. Will it make them less money? Maybe. Maybe not. But they're not going to
> stop catering to kids. They'll keep making Bionicles. Jack Stones. Racers. Etc.
> Juniorization is here to stay. But the question is, is that all there will be?
> Let's hope not.
It doesn't *have* to be this way... that's my point. The thought that
juniorization is somehow necessary or is being demanded by the market is a
false notion. Things can always change... hopefully for the better.
Regards,
Allan B.
|
|
Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Markets and juniorization
|
| In lugnet.general, Allan Bedford writes: <snip-a-dee-do-da> (...) Now *that* would be awesome! That is one of the coolest ideas I have heard in a while. Maybe throw in a few images of building ideas (for those inexperienced with the given theme), (...) (23 years ago, 7-Dec-01, to lugnet.general)
|
Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Markets and juniorization
|
| (...) No no-- I mean totally different. Things without kids as the focus. Think fax machines. Cars. Real estate. If they found a great new way to make a solar powered car that would revoloutionize the world, would they drop the contruction toy line (...) (23 years ago, 6-Dec-01, to lugnet.general)
|
60 Messages in This Thread:
  
- 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
|
|
|
|
