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Two months of PLAY

Needed a title. First thing I came up with. Also... a perfect bridge to the two months of "play" and
Two months of PLAY
By Dries Bultynck • Issue #46 • View online
Needed a title. First thing I came up with. Also… a perfect bridge to the two months of “play” and the LEGO campaign.

LEGO - One of the most fantastic brands on this planet
You’ve probably have seen it passing by, the “Build the future” campaign from Lego, won three silver lions. Fantastic stuff. Although that’s now why I’m writing a bit about LEGO here. 
LEGO is one of the few companies that managed to strategically move up the ladder and become top entertainment brand a few years ago. Mattel (yep, Barbie) always was. Now it’s LEGO. They did a few smart moves that gave them that position. 
Here’s what & why it was so clever:
1) 1969: DUPLO - targeting small & younger kids
(Bigger audience & become top of mind at an earlier age)

2) 1974: Figures - roleplaying made it’s entry
(Cialdini: Liking)
3) 1979: Space - series of space related items
(Global/macro moments: Starwarz)
4) 1986: LEGO Technic + computer chip build by MIT
(Growing with the audience: boys will be boys) 
5) 1994: LEGO Belleville (for them girls)
6) 1995: LEGO Primo (0-2y)
7) 1998: LEGO Mindstorms (first robotics) + launch of LEGO First (sets based on the movie of Starwarz)
8) 2001: LEGO Bionicle (going into roleplay even deeper - very alienesk)
9) 2006: LEGO Mindstorms Nxt (update - more wicked robotic stuff)
10) 2008: launch of an Indiana Jones inspired series
11) 2009: launch of pirates, space police and power miners (inspired by movies, again)
12) 2011: first out-side US architecture building series (+16 series)
13) 2012: LEGO Friends (for them girls - 5-8y)
14: 2014: LEGO the movie & LEGO Ideas (community - build your own)

To me, personally, over the past 50 years, they did two major strategic not so obvious moves that were, excuse-me-je, FUCKING BRILLIANT.
1) Growing with their audience, up (+16), down (0-2) and sideways (female) and not replacing merchandise!
2) Community driven series and the start of 3D printed ideas/series allowing you to submit your own ideas.

Besides that, they found a way to connect online as well, using it as a community and supporting factor instead of a shift to online (reverse of retail & e-commerce).

ps: I’m not a strategist - I just happen to be well informed.
They had some real cool campaigns in the past as well were they stick to their creative concept: “build the future” and derivatives like “imagine” and “build it”. 
It such a great mission, touching all people. The urge to create. The urge to build something. It makes it possible to do creative things. Unlike other brands. 
While you were sleeping
Worth to read
The Rise of the Thought Leader | New Republic
The Rise of the Thought Leader | New Republic
How the superrich have funded a new class of intellectual.
newrepublic.com  •  Share
… and this… disturbing and yet… it will happen: taking away ownership and responsibilities indirectly:
Why the Future of Stuff Is Having More and Owning Less
Why the Future of Stuff Is Having More and Owning Less
If you’re one of the many people who’s embraced the sharing economy, you’ve probably stayed in someone else’s apartment or ridden in someone else’s car. Maybe you’ve also done away with your clutter of DVDs, books, or CDs, since you can watch movies on Netflix, read books on Kindle, and hear music on Pandora.
singularityhub.com  •  Share
In the meantime ...
I’m working on this …
my own analytics framework
my own analytics framework
and I’ve just finished this …
The average Google Analytics funnel is lying. And no-one is putting in the effort to really make that shopping cart convert more. I’m still baffled today how mediocre analysis happens and it comes down to this:
You’re always asked to report, never to analyze!
That’s it for this week.
If you have a holiday ahead, I wish you lost of fun.
If not, hang in there.
Share if someone can benefit from this
gr,
d.
Did you enjoy this issue?
Dries Bultynck

Remarkable reads, spotted momentum & behavioral patterns in media, digital, retail, economics, health, climate, etc.
Often hollistic, sometimes very specific.

I'm Dries & the internet is the best thing that ever happened to me. more about me here: http://driesbultynck.com/about

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