 | | KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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Following on the heels of the press release announced in this LUGNET article, (URL) a piece in the _Financial Times_ about the latest restucturing at Lego: (2 URLs) quotes: ""This is our last chance. We are at risk of losing our independence," said (...) (20 years ago, 16-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. On the other hand: (URL) before anyone howls that I'm just pouring salt on TLG's wounds, let's reflect: TLG is suffering massive losses while is casts about for the solutions for its waning market (...) (20 years ago, 16-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) This is what I think is happening here: Even though MB has nowhere near the quality of product as Lego, they have improved somewhat over the years. At the same time, there has been a perception among Lego fans that Lego quality has been (...) (20 years ago, 16-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) TLG needs a better Lego police force. Here in upstate New York, my local North Utica Walmart has both Lego and megabloks sets on the shelves. The thing is, unlike a year ago, when there was a clear distinction between an aisle of Lego sets and (...) (20 years ago, 16-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) You're not alone. The TRU stores in the Vancouver area (BC, Canada) are like that too. LEGO used to take up one entire aisle, but now their space has decreased to about 50% with the remaining space being taken up by Megabloks or Best Lock! (...) (20 years ago, 16-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) First of all, they don't go after LEGO fans for simply using the word on their website. They go after them for illegally using a trademarked word in their domain name, and rightly so. Use of a trademark within the domain name implies that the (...) (20 years ago, 16-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Since TLG is family owned, I would presume that this is referring to whomever TLG has lines of credit with (banks, etc). What happens in DK... is bankruptcy there at all like the US ? (peering over the edge into the abyss) (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) I've noticed the same thing. I generally take a minute to spread the offending material as far as possible from the good stuff, so it's clear what's what, but it's a losing proposition in the long run, since it gets mixed up before I leave the (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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I would like to respectfully request that when posting, don't refer to Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen as "KKK." Thanks (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Lego Brand Distinction on Shelves
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(...) Actually, Kmart is worse. In the stores I visit, the few Lego sets are interspersed among the vast quantities of MegaBloks, BTR, and K'nex. Not just on the same shelf, but with the competition above and below Lego product, and sometimes on (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Indeed. A WM toy dept manager I know, told me about an encounter between her and a LEGO rep... Rep: I want to take all that LEGO product down off the riser and replace this (other-branded) stuff with it. WM-TM: ahhh... you don't sign my (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: Lego Brand Distinction on Shelves
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(...) Well, the K-mart I work at (I do restoration (cleaning up shelves and putting stock in the right place) for some odd reason, has all the lego in exactly the right place :D the M*******s are behind the next aisle! cheers, Matt (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general, FTX)
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| | Re: Mr. Lego described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) I just wanted to add a clearification for our LEGO friends worldwide. The three letter combination KKK has a very, very, very, ... negative connotation in the United States beause it is associated with a racist organization known as the Klu (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Do you know there is one good thing about all of this? Mega Bloks is a Canadian company :D. I saw their products, they do stink, they are 'juniorized' but damn, they do appeal more to kids. When I saw the Dragons sets from Mega Bloks on (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) I've wondered about that, as well. Honestly, why should TLG have any authority to dictate where Wal*Mart and TRU choose to place their product? I mean, sure, TLG could elect not to distribute via those two retailers, but who would be hurt more (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) I've never, ever understood how TLC's patented product could be so readily replicated to such exacting degrees by other companies (always trumpeting their "compatability with LEGO!"). Because that's the real issue. Instead of going after WM, (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) These are legitimate questions, and TLG has indeed gone after a number of clone companies over the years. Most recently, TLG's lawsuit in Canada against MEGABLOKS for patent violation was thrown out, as discussed here: (URL) in numerous other (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) I thought TLC was most recently suing them for trademark violation, as the 2x4 brick is often used as a logo for TLC. Also, what about the tubes on the underside? Copyright on Mickey Mouse should be expired (or nearly so) by now, but as long (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Actually, I thought the same thing for a long time, but here's the relevant bit from the article: "In dismissing Lego's appeal, the [Canadian] Federal Court of Appeal reaffirmed the longstanding doctrine that the protection of functional (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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snippage (...) Disney had the law changed to get an extension. Disney has way too much pwer/money (URL) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Actualy in my opinion it would be the best thing that could happen for an AFOL is for LEGO to be bought out by another toy company or if LEGO went public. Than any issues we had could be directly raised with the senior management at the annual (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) I do know that some products pay for space/location or donate displays in order to improve product placement (end-caps especially). Think about the center aisle pallet displays at WalMart that Lego does from time to time. I'm sure that's (...) (20 years ago, 17-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Because they paid for it at the corporate level and some upstart manager is overstepping his authority in not enforcing it? Just guessing here, but don't rule it out. (...) Yep. (...) Unless it's a violation of a marketing or space allocation (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) My 5 y.o. son can pick a clone brick at a glance, so it can't be all that difficult. (...) Aren't both Matchbox and Hotwheels owned by Mattel? Allister (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) No, see...waitaminnit. They are! What the heck? When I was growing up, those were basically the only two brand-name small-scale toy cars, and the only other ones I can remember owning as a kid were Micro Machines (which were a vastly different (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Indeed they did. Matchbox cars were made by a British company called Lesney. They brought out their Superfast line in response to the upstart Hotwheels. I still have my collection of both lines including many pre-Superfast Matchbox cars with (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Yes, but your 5 y.o. is the son of an AFOL, and we'd expect no less. However, I daresay the average parent shopping is paying more attention to the price than the logo on the box. It's usually the kids who know the difference, if they care. (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) The local comic shop actually has a Matchbox display case that they keep stocked with various vehicles. I'm doubtful, but it's entirely possible that they might have some old pieces in there (they don't seem to sell very often). (...) Hey, Hot (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) However, like so many other American and Canadian owned companies the product is MADE IN CHINA. Steven Weiser (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Cool. (...) Also cool. But, I must've blinked and missed it. I did notice they've brought out a Syd Mead design recently, but it's a rather poor likeness. Nothing like the golden era...(sigh) Hey, I don't recognize this neighbourhood any more. (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) We've got the Hot Wheels catalogue at home. There's some interesting and fantastical cars in there - much moreso than the Matchbox cars, which tend to be acurate models of real cars - I've used it several times for inspiration for Lego models. (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Be careful what you wish for. 90+ percent of all the toy brands in the US are owned by two companies that are essentially in the junk business relentlessly trying to make lower cost product with maximum point of sale appeal. Quality and play (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general, FTX)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) Not to mention other brands in other parts of the world like Daewoo, Holden and several european brands... (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) DOH!!!! Why does everything have to be made in China. Wait a minute, I know for sure I have bought a Lego set and it said assembled in China, pieces made in Switzerland (yes, it was a real Lego set). I'll try to find the box and tell you which (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) The actual quality isn't as bad as some people seem to think, but there has indeed been juniorization in MEGABLOKS--almost as long as in LEGO sets. Unlike LEGO, MEGABLOKS usually (though not always) offsets the juniorization with generous (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general, lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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Hi Dave, (...) because patents run out after 18 years, fortunately. (...) It's not, that's how patents are supposed to work. You get a monopoly for a certain time, and after that it's free for everybody. So if you want to keep competition at bay you (...) (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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| | Re: KKK described latest restructuring as "last chance" for Lego in FT article
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(...) You got a LEGO said that was already ASSEMBLED? Boy, that must have been a set from 1998 or 1999, at the hight of Juniorization; a one-piece LEGO set. /\/\ark "sorry, couldn't resist" de Kock (20 years ago, 18-Mar-04, to lugnet.general)
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