Subject:
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Re: WHAT IF? Take a look!
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Mon, 31 Jul 2000 20:57:50 GMT
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Viewed:
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1897 times
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In lugnet.trains, John Neal writes:
> I couldn't disagree more. I would argue that Trains is the most popular theme
> TLC has.
How do you assess popularity? Number of sets available? Number sold?
If it is so popular, why is the number of train sets so thin on the ground?
And why do shops not stock it?
And why do Lego not even bother importing it into the UK as they see no demand?
You would need to search very hard to find a train set in the UK. And we dont
have shop at home either.
We train heads might be enthusiastic, but I cant see any evidence of lego
being particularly positive about trains, and as for the average person in the
street they dont even know lego makes trains.
>
> Take a look at the model railroading hobby industry. Show me any other LEGO
> theme that has such a legacy. The potential for the Trains theme is so vast • that
> I can't believe TLC isn't jumping all over it. People love trains, and people
> love LEGO. It is a match made in heaven.
But the model railroad hobby industry is NOT legos target market. Go to most
train shows, look at the age of the modelers, then look at the recommended age
on lego sets. BIG difference. Sad but true.
Unfortunately, lego marketing folks dont seem to see this opportunity in the
same way you do.
>
> Look at AFOL clubs. All of the big ones revolve around trains. And what do
> these clubs do? They go around to non LEGO events and lobby for the brick! • They
> expose tens of thousands of people to LEGO who otherwise wouldn't seek it out.
> Any other theme's fans do that?
But AFOLers are very very small compared to the lego marketplace.
Sorry, but lugnet is not representative of legos customers.
Majority of legos customers is grannies buying a $10 set for a grandchild.
NOT AFOLers investing thousands in trains.
>
> You can't even compare Trains with other LEGO themes. The closest in • popularity
> to Trains IMO would be Space. But I find many Space folks are into ldrawing
> their stuff, or building quietly amongst themselves, which is okay, but have • you
> ever noticed-- there aren't any Space clubs. You don't see many "Space heads"
> showing their MOCs at Star Trek or Star Wars conventions! It's mostly on • line
> action. The few times I've seen LUGs show space stuff to the public is • dwarfed
> by the number of trains shows that LTCs have done over the years.
But thats cause train heads LIKE having meetings, and building big layouts for
same reason as other train hobbiers do it with whatever system they use (the
enthusiasm is as much about trains as it is about lego).
It is NOT because train is more popular.
Dont you think Star Wars has sold just a bit more than trains last year?
Lego dont measure set sales, or opportunity for them, by number of meetings.
Its the number of grannies with grandchilden that count, and average amount of
pocket money available to young kids.
Sorry, but I am a lego trainhead who's enthusiasm is dented by the knowledge
of how big business marketing works. (but I would like to be proved wrong -
thats part of the problem - no real evididence of market size etc)
regards
lawrence
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: WHAT IF? Take a look!
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| (...) And I should add, whatever the latest successful book/film is. What we need is a blockbuster film about trains! regards lawrence (24 years ago, 31-Jul-00, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: WHAT IF? Take a look!
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| lawrence wilkes wrote:. (...) I couldn't disagree more. I would argue that Trains is the most popular theme TLC has. Which other theme (besides town [1]) has sustained itself for almost 40 years? Which other theme is so non-violent (besides Model (...) (24 years ago, 31-Jul-00, to lugnet.trains)
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