Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, president of the LEGO Company, has been at the forefront since 2015, the year of the release of The LEGO Movie. The film has indeed had a very positive impact on the sales of the brand.
The LEGO Movie was an idea of genius
LEGO has always aimed at a very young generation. Children are the first to cultivate a passion for these toys, and this can last up to adulthood! Nevertheless, they are also exposed to many other entertainments. Indeed, the digital explosion is such that consumers are interested in both new technologies and mobile applications at an increasingly advanced age. To preserve the credibility of the toy manufacturer, the thinking heads have therefore found a solution.
LEGO mimicked the competition by investing in video games, mobile applications, short films on the small screen or on YouTube. Nevertheless, the real springboard was the release of the feature film The Lego Movie. The goal was to reach a new generation of children by entering the digital race to create innovative opportunities. It required a timeless publicity, which would be looked at by the whole family. Indeed, if children were to be inspired, it was necessary to do the same with adults, who remain in a position of purchase.
How has the LEGO brand met with such success?
The LEGO Movie, released in 2014, has garnered countless positive reviews. Much more than entertainment, this production was part of the most innovative marketing strategy, which allowed a considerable increase in sales. Moreover, the year 2015 was marked by the 25% increase in sales of toys produced by the brand.
Just after the film was released, LEGO’s profits rose by 14%. Progress related to this original campaign. The brand then drew a number of lessons.
The importance of targeting parents
What really distinguishes the LEGO brand? Thanks to his film, the brand has reached a multi-generational audience. Indeed, children cannot get themselves the toys of their dreams. Yet, traditional marketing strategies are aimed at children, who then take care of referring products to their parents. LEGO has understood it well. At the same time, the manufacturer has seized the sales potential generated by an increased diffusion of its image and its products.
Besides the media explosion of his film, LEGO has a major advantage: that of being known for several generations, and of making timeless toys. Thus, parents who buy LEGO for their children today probably played with them when they were still very young. A particularly subtle message is transmitted to the latter. The LEGO Movie advises them to spend more time playing with their children and putting aside their daily routine.
A timeless lesson: that of good and evil
The plot of the feature film caricatures perfectly the constant conflict between Man and modern society. LEGO has exploited this timeless problem to engage the viewer’s empathy. Emmet, the hero of this film, fights against the dictatorship and seeks to preserve originality and creativity. It, therefore, seeks to foster the imagination of artists, entrepreneurs, and craftsmen, while Lord Business, the villain, hinders the evolution and destiny of the population.
Thus, the adult who watches the film can compare this story to his social life and understand that he must learn to believe in his projects. It is, therefore, a matter of believing in one’s dreams, rather than playing the security card. At the end of the story, the spectators understand that the intrigue comes from the mind of a young boy and that the latter comes to save his father from the monotony of his adult life. They end up playing together with the LEGO pieces.
A neutral film with positive virtues
One of the highlights of this film is the fact that the parents who watch it do not feel guilty. It is not a matter of morality that they do not spend enough time with their children. The LEGO Movie goal is to make the adult understand that he is not the only one to get bogged down in this routine that weighs on him. For that reason, there is a simple way to get out of it: play LEGO with your children! The strategy is subtle and perfectly studied, halfway between entertainment and marketing. The whole was put into perspective in a light tone and with a very convivial appearance.
Thus, The LEGO Movie allows viewers to identify with both the father of the boy and the latter. One can only leave the room light heart. Just as one can only feel a bit of nostalgia from the days when the LEGO referred to escape and recklessness.
The LEGO Movie was welcomed by everyone
It is for all these reasons that The LEGO Movie has conquered the hearts from its release. It is one of the few films to take up the challenge of bringing together several generations, men, and women altogether, in the dark rooms. Indeed, 55% of the spectators of the film are men and 45% of the women. As a result, LEGO and Warner Bros succeeded in attracting the attention of families, which has greatly increased sales of this brand’s construction toys.
An example of marketing for businesses
The success of The LEGO Movie is such that it can be used by other companies. Indeed, from a commercial point of view, several lessons can be drawn from such a strategy. In addition, the film recalls that for any marketing operation, it is necessary to:
- Study the market well and use timeless facts
- Determine the true target – here, adults more than children
- Bringing a subtle message without aggressing the consumer
- Knowledge of imagination
The spirit of LEGO for all
The link between LEGO and the cinema is getting stronger. Indeed, the brand constantly refers to it to develop products whose sales potential is very important. This was the case, for example, after the release of Star Wars movies or Batman. Indeed, according to the success of the production, the company creates a new series of games to be built on the same theme. Thus, the favorite characters of the children are taken over by LEGO and Warner Bros, and then introduced into a new universe. And because LEGO is a real invitation to create, the opportunities for staging characters and sets are endless. This is sufficient for the delight of younger and older generations!
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