Subject:
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Re: A fan no more
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Thu, 8 Jul 2004 19:45:10 GMT
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Viewed:
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4072 times
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"Thomas Main" <thomasmain@myrealbox.com> wrote in message
news:I0JJwE.o1F@lugnet.com...
> In lugnet.general, David Simmons wrote:
> <snip>
> >
> > This decision was also spurred by the arrival in my mailbox today of the
> > Summer 2004 catalog. Each turn of the page further confirmed to me that
> > Lego has ceased to be what I loved.
>
> I had very much the same reaction after looking at the Summer 2004 • catalog. I
> couldn't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like that catalog until I • browsed
> a catalog from 1987 that I had just won in an eBay auction yesterday.
>
> Too many of the set pictures don't show
> > you what the whole set looks like and the pictures are blurred with • action
> > graphics that distort what should be in focus. Also, the overall set • design
> > has continued to worsen.
>
> I think you've hit the nail on the head with that observation. In • contrast, the
> 1987 catalog showed each set in a seperate box with a neutral background • image.
> Showing the set - the actual Lego - was the selling point of the catalog. • This
> is not to say the catalog was boring. Dioramas were pictured throughout • and the
> catalog used vivid colors and had a nicely designed layout. I can't help • but
> think that the design philosophy of the current S@H catalog is to make • them as
> EXCITING as possible, as though watching a video or playing a videogame, • at the
> cost of obscuring the thing that the catalog is selling. I guess Lego • just
> isn't exciting enough by itself anymore.
Now you've definitely hit the nail on the head with that last sentence!!
Therein lies the major problem in my opinion. TLG just doesn't seem to have
confidence in it's own product anymore. They try to jazz it up with flashy
graphics and crazy colors, but IMHO, it doesn't need all this
ricketarackata. Lego is (or was) the best building toy out there and has
always sold itself to me merely because it was Lego (and not Lego on
steroids and LSD). I believe that it's this lack of confidence which has
resulted in the color change, click-hinge conversion, and other unnecessary
changes to the product that we've seen.
The other problem I sense is that TLG doesn't seem to have any confidence in
the intelligence or imagination of their target market. Kids aren't stupid.
In fact, I think in general they're much smarter than people think. You
take your kid to a playground, give him/her a truck and a sandbox, and they
can stay happy for hours without any suggestions or direction from you.
Their imagination will ramp up and you'll have to drag them home after
they've been busy for hours making adventure after adventure. TLG doesn't
seem to believe that kids have this ability anymore, that they need to be
told what to do with their Lego, that they need to be dazzled and bombarded
with action-packed imagery in order to imagine what the creative
possibilities are. Gimme a break! Lego is not TV. Lego is not a freakin'
video game!! Stop trying to morph your product into something it isn't!
The 1987 catalog you mentioned is a perfect example of what I'm talking
about. The sets are presented simply and beautifully, and this simplicity
is what I found so attractive as a child. I'd look at these pictures and
the sets just seem poised for action. Like they were just calling out to
me: "Come on, Dave, let's blast off to adventure! All we need are your two
hands and imagination and we can go anywhere!" That sense of anticipation
is completely missing from the new catalogs. They've practically got the
sets playing by themselves now! What do they need kids for?!
I don't know what has caused this crisis of confidence, but I dearly hope
they can get it back because until they do, I'll have no confidence in them.
Dave
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: A fan no more
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| (...) Well, I think the issue isn't that kids are any dumber or less creative than they used to be-- it's just that Lego is aiming for a different market. Back when I was a kid, there were a few other kids I knew that played with Lego. A few. Almost (...) (20 years ago, 8-Jul-04, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: A fan no more
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| In lugnet.general, David Simmons wrote: <snip> (...) I had very much the same reaction after looking at the Summer 2004 catalog. I couldn't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like that catalog until I browsed a catalog from 1987 that I had just (...) (20 years ago, 8-Jul-04, to lugnet.general)
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