Lego Case Writing Part 1

Question 1a

2021 has seen life settling in the “new normal” established after the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Now, working from home, observing social distancing, wearing face masks, carrying hand sanitizers, and a combination of all of these activities are some of the activities that have become an essential part of life. As people get used to staying and working from home, Legos is covering a huge gap and consumer need by providing an extra platform for families to connect through play and cheerful interactions. In the words of Abha Bhattarai (2020), “Adults with high-pressured jobs are telling us they’re using Lego to disconnect from the mania of the day.” Therefore, Legos is solving an increasing problem of stress and anxiety as people adapt to a new environment characterized by adverse changes in how they work, relate, and earn following the effects of the pandemic. With adult versions of the toys from Legos, adults are able to unwind, interact with other family members, and forget about the demands of their new and necessary adaptations.

Question 1b

Lego is able to solve the need to kill time and reduce stress better than any other toy because of how it is packaged as a fun and engaging product. Additionally, the product has a positive brand image known for fostering child development in a fun and educative way. Now, the company has rebranded in a way that it appeals, in a similar fashion, to the adult market. According to The Guardian (2020), Legos is now targeting “adults looking for a fun, engaging way to reconnect with their creative side…Lego offers the possibility of purposeless, pressure-free creativity, whereas even hobbies such as baking and painting can be shadowed by the worry that the results will fail to please other people. ”. Other toys in the market do not have the same level of appeal for the adult market. Competitors such as Mega Bloks and BanBao have focused on a follower strategy, and a more specialized target marketing for kids.

Question 1c

For the adult consumers, Legos new unique value proposition should be: Bringing together the traditional ideas of self-expression and creativity and incorporating imagination, fun, learning, and family togetherness as a way to create a new caring and inclusive global culture. In this unique value proposition, Legos would not only include its conventional marketing line and brand image for creativity and self-expression, but will also incorporate elements that appeal to the new market. This way, the brand will not be looking to target adult consumers separately but providing a somewhat bridging role, one that ensures the togetherness of the family setup while retaining traditional elements that make the brand unique. After all, “It’s not a secret that LEGO is not just for kids. Adults and even seniors all around the world build LEGO sets with their kids and grandkids, as well as themselves” (The Brothers Brick, 2020). Therefore, the idea is to retain its wide market for children while introducing that for adults and packaging it together as a fun-filled experience for the modern home.

Question 1d

If Lego were to communicate their new value proposition in an advertisement, I would advise on using an emotional rather than a rational appeal strategy. Leonidou and Leonidou (2009) describe rational appeals as those that “stimulate a logical thinking process in receivers of the message, putting them in a position to clearly measure the advantages (and sometimes the disadvantages) of the product advertised.” Such advertisements target performance, value, and quality. In contrast, emotional appeals focus on “on creating a state of heightened psychological arousal, whereby the individual becomes alerted and prepared to take certain actions” (Leonidou and Leonidou, 2009). Therefore, the emotional appeal is better because it targets higher psychological involvement. Legos would be selling a commodity that is meant for a family setup, adult creativity, and a fun way to spend evenings in the house. An emotional appeal would be more effective.

References

Bhattarai, A. (Jan 16, 2020). Lego sets its sights on a growing market: Stressed-out adults. The

Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/01/16/legos-toys-for-stressed-adults/

Leonidou, L. C., & Leonidou, C. N. (2009). Rational versus emotional appeals in newspaper

advertising: Copy, art, and layout differences. Journal of Promotion Management, 15(4), 522-546.

The Brothers Brick, (2020). LEGO’s new adult product strategy: Why LEGO is retiring Creator

Expert [Feature]. Available at https://www.brothers-brick.com/2020/06/07/legos-new-adult-product-strategy-why-lego-is-retiring-creator-expert-feature/The Guardian, (2020). The Guardian view on Lego for adults: play is a serious business.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/17/the-guardian-view-on-lego-for-adults-play-is-a-serious-business