Cherryflava

How Lego saved their brand – by turning to violence

Posted on 08. Sep, 2009 by Jonathan Cherry in Branding

The people who make Lego are surprisingly NOT Chinese

Lego has basically been around since cavemen discovered fire, but the legendary toy brand has taken a bit of a financial hammering of late as kids discover far more exciting forms of entertainment like Grand Theft Auto and Rainbow Parties.

But the Danish brand has managed to discover a clever way to innovate their way out of trouble – thanks to making toys for adults and Hollywood blockbusters.

Whether it’s the Star Wars Assassin Droids Battle Pack or the Indiana Jones Ambush in Cairo set — featuring a pistol-wielding Indy against a scimitar-swinging local — many of Lego’s most popular toys today seem inspired by the special effects and violence of the big screen.

In the United States, Lego’s biggest market and the biggest toy market in the world, games with themes like “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” were among the reasons Lego sales jumped 32 percent last year, well above the global pace.

In 2010, the first board game designed by Lego will go on sale in the United States, while its new virtual reality system, Lego Universe, will make its debut on the Web, with children able to act out roles from Lego games and build toys from virtual bricks.

Brands don’t die because they get old – they fade because they lose touch and stop innovating. Not only houses and underwear drawer need annual ‘Spring-cleaning’.

Read more: Turning to Hollywood Tie-Ins, Lego thinks beyond the brick – NYTimes

Previously: Lego creates a box that lets you see what’s in the box – Cherryflava

Tags: Hollywood, Lego, violence