Lego’s previous attempts to appeal to young girls hit like a ton of bricks.
"Lego Friends," which the brand released back in 2012, featured pink and purple bricks and sets with names like "Beauty Butterfly Shop." But Lego has a new strategy to reach girls, which has clicked neatly into place with a new 60-second spot from Union Made Creative.
In the ad, a girl uses a Lego toy to unleash her imagination as her voiceover tell tells the viewer: "Because you taught me how to think and how to dream, I'm about to make something that I know will make you proud."
It’s a message that will likely resonate with both children and adults. Lego isn’t a toy for boys or for girls – it’s a toy for independent children who use play time to discover more about themselves rather than following rote instructions.
Although Lego has been through some hard times recently – in addition to the "Lego Friends" bomb, the brand almost filed for bankruptcy back in 2004 – it’s been working to built itself up as a so-called recession-proof toy. In recent years, Lego’s sales were up 60 percent. As demonstrated in Lego’s recent ad, the timeless brightly colored bricks fuel for a children's imaginations. But as of 2012, 91 percent of Lego’s sales came from males. The brand seems to be on a mission to change that.
Campaign credits
Client: Lego
Spot: "Inspire Imagination and Keep Building"
Brand Managers: Erin Fortier Reed, Jennifer Paoletto
Lead Model Designer: Erik Varszegi
Art Director: Laura Norman
Agency: Union Made Creative, Culver City, Calif.
Chief Creative Officer, Founder: Keith Cartwright
Copywriter: Whitney Ruef
Art Director: Lydia White
Producer: Charity Bustamante
Production Company: GO
Director: Brigg Bloomquist
Line Producer: Greg Jones
Director of Photography: Pablo Berron
Production Assistant: Shawn Davis
Editorial: Cut+Run
Editor: Isaac Chen
VFX/Finish: Cut+Run
Creative Director: David Parker
Flame Artist: Shauna Prescott
Audio: Henryboy
Sound Designer: Bill Chesley
Telecine: Company 3
Colorist: Tyler Roth