We don’t just remember the pain of stepping on a stray Lego brick when we think of the Lego brand. We think about a time when our imaginations ran wild and when we would play all day instead of work. “Lego’s strong connection to childhood memories has played a crucial role in its popularity. By consistently reminding consumers of the joy and creativity associated with Lego, the company has created a sense of emotional attachment that keeps customers coming back,” states this article. Today, it is a toy brand for children and adults. 

Despite the company’s dominance, its journey hasn’t been without ups and downs. Lego’s story is a lesson in the power of listening to your customers, learning what they love and adapting to their needs to stay relevant in a constantly changing market. 

Building the Lego Brand 

The first building blocks of Lego’s empire were wooden toys. Among the most notable was the Lego duck. The story behind the duck reinforced the company’s motto, “Only the best is good enough.” When the factory nearly burned down in 1942, Lego realized that the best might require an alternative to wood–that’s when the Lego brick was born. 

The Lego brick is a toy with limitless possibilities, with no right or wrong way to play with it. “Bricks made today will still fit with those produced over 60 years ago. That consistency and longevity have ensured that Lego sets get passed down over generations,” according to this article. But Lego isn’t just selling a toy; it’s selling an experience. Wanting to help prepare children for life, it has always found ways to mimic themes in real life, like urbanization in the 1950s, conflict between good and evil and human aggression.

When the Blocks Came Tumbling Down

But as we know, life isn’t all sunshine and stacked blocks. Despite its early success, the 1990s and early 2000s were less than kind to Lego. The company struggled financially, nearly facing bankruptcy in 2003. “Sales were down 30% year over year, and it was in $800mn of debt,” according to this article.

A major factor was a disconnect from its core audience; Lego lost track of which products were profitable and expanded its product line too broadly in an attempt to diversify. The shift into new product spaces diluted their brand identity and moved away from what customers loved most—the classic brick-building experience.

New Building Blocks For Success 

It was time to clean up the pieces like a basket of Legos strewn about the room. Lego returned “back to brick,” focusing on what worked and reconnecting with customer needs and wants. 

Targeting New Audiences

In a world where we constantly have to pay our bills on time, schedule appointments and clean our homes, we crave structure and guidance. Lego provides that structure with Lego for Adults, “adult-oriented” sets with clear directions that cater to their unique preferences. According to this article, Lego’s decision to target adults led to a 27% increase in revenue in 2021, proving that you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. Tweaking existing products or marketing strategies to cater to different demographics and niche markets can get the results you’re looking for. 

Introducing Strategic Partnerships and Pop Culture

We often discuss the power of injecting pop culture and trends into your marketing and have started sharing a monthly trends blog to help Bowe Digital customers do that. The Lego brand takes it a step further by securing licenses with brands like Harry Potter, Disney and Marvel. Not only does this create opportunities for Lego to turn iconic characters into brick form so that fans can recreate their favorite scenes, but also for it to make spin-off Lego movies and TV series.

Recognizing Storytelling Potential 

By partnering with beloved franchises, Lego’s stories write themselves. “The Lego Movie wasn’t just a hit at the box office; it was a brilliant marketing move that brought the Lego brand into the mainstream consciousness. It turned Lego bricks into characters people cared about, deepening the emotional connection between the brand and its fans,” states this article. 

By weaving stories into your marketing that align with your audience’s aspirations, challenges and dreams, you can engage them on a personal level and transform your brand into something more meaningful to them. 

Community Involvement 

Staying relevant requires consistent engagement with your community. By launching platforms like Lego Ideas, which encourages fans to submit their creations for potential mass production, Lego fostered a sense of ownership and pride. “For e-commerce marketers, this is a powerful reminder to involve your customers in the creative process,” Ptengine explains. It helps you learn what your customers want and makes them feel connected to your brand.

Lego also hosts conventions, building competitions and specialized AFOL gatherings, and implements inclusive policies to ensure no audiences are alienated from the brand.

Social Listening and Initiatives

Lego listens to its audience not just about products but also about the values they care about. As a result, they’ve committed to sustainable practices, aiming for all packaging to be renewable or recyclable by 2025 and all core products to be made from sustainable materials by 2030.

Lego’s customer-centric marketing strategy demonstrates the need for continuous learning and adaptation in business. By constantly gathering feedback and analyzing market trends, Lego has stayed relevant and your business can do the same. Once you know what your customers want, you can rebuild your story and create an emotional connection to your products, services and brand. The storytellers at Bowe Digital can help. Contact Bradley Erb on our team at bradley@bowedigital.com. Learn more about our custom marketing services at bowedigital.com.