Have you happened upon one of LEGO’s free standing US
stores? Jam-packed. Every day. Is it just me, or did LEGO wait far too long to
step beyond the confines of partner retailer’s shelves? Think of all the lost
revenue!
Well, they’re here now, and despite the rising prevalence of
shiny, high-tech competition in the toy industry, LEGO is enjoying somewhat of
a renaissance.
I’m a Proud,
Self-Admitted AFOL…
That’s “Adult Fan of LEGO.”
I’m not afraid to admit I continued to play with LEGOs well
after my collection of Hot Wheels and
Ninja Turtles were carted off to
Goodwill. Heck, I was still pushing LEGO racecars across the carpet when I was
old enough to drive a real car.
And still today, I build (and
sneak my collection of bricks into the real world anyway that I can).
Let’s talk marketing.
LEGO email, catalogs, and packaging are all visually
stunning. Truly, the best in the biz. They arrange products in a captivating,
action-packed way. Whether showcasing CITY, space, pre-historic or licensed
product groups, LEGO brings their building sets alive; drawing buyers in.
And now, a print ad elegant in its simplicity. From the team at San Francisco-based Pereira & O’Dell, four panels visually highlighted with nothing more than a single, 2x2 colored brick.
In each of the first three panels, light gray copy tells a
different tale of adventure; all made possible through LEGO’s growing library
of product categories.
As if the typography, (with
its varying degrees of kerning and tracking) wasn’t enough, the magical
stories draw you in. They know no bounds
– jumping between time periods, real and imaginary. One minute you’re flying
toward the Great Wall of China via spaceship. The next, you’re crossing the
finish line in your Formula 1 race car.
But that’s precisely what playing with LEGOs can be.
While video games and other interactive toys have predefined
levels and parameters, LEGOs has never been about boundaries. Each day; a new nonsensical
adventure waits!
The final panel is highlighted by a single yellow brick (the first piece and color LEGO created back
in 1958).It is devoid of copy. Instead, blank lines and a parting
sentiment;
“Every LEGO brick tells a story.
Build yours.”
Less Is More.
The ad truly captures LEGO’s essence. Fundamentally-speaking,
they just build bricks. You build the adventure.
Dubbed, “Toy of the Century” (FORTUNE, 2000), this corporate brand-building ad garners a certain
respect and esteem due to an organization that’s exhibited incredible stamina
in an industry besieged with short-lived fads.
We don’t have an “Ad of the Week,” but maybe we should...
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