Historic Themes and Orient Expedition

[WesternOutlaw]

I ran into a Lego representative at my local TRU yesterday and had a discussion with her regarding new themes (I had to get my two cents in). I recommended that Lego consider designing more historic themes, like ancient Egypt and adventure-type sets.

She told me that Lego tried this concept with Orient Expedition that did not do well overall as a theme. She pointed out that what's hot in Lego is Star Wars, Batman, and the movie-type sets, not adventure. I was a little surprised. I thought the Orient Expedition sets were very good telling her that I had purchased every set and know others that loved the theme.

I think Lego Adventure sets are a great way to teach children about ancient civilizations. Lego should consider this in their marketing strategy.

[gylman]

Very sad to hear that.

:-(

If Lego has decided that "adventure" does not sell.... we may never see the Adventurers again. That would be a terrible mistake IMHO - no license, great characters, lots of different ideas that can be explored with that.

[The Hordesman]

*sob* :'-(

Adventures was the only theme taking up my favorite era(s): 1880-1930. Aside from the great atmosphere of the 20's, Adventures had very interesting characters, an australian (!) hero, lots of fans and introduced things like the 5-bladed pike, the scimitar, all those nice hats, useful generic faces... The list is long.

The ability to just take up any place in the world and by so combine it with ninja, castle, vikings, pirates... It was a cool theme.

Well, atleast we got Athos... ;-)

[snefroe]

1) adventures doesn't sell. shops are still trying to sell those sets and it seems that doesn't work very well

2) a lego rep in belgium said about a year ago that new "adventures" was out of the question. it's too exotic, too far off ... forget adventures, it won't come back...

[Mister Phes]

She told me that Lego tried this concept with Orient Expedition that did not do well overall as a theme. She pointed out that what's hot in Lego is Star Wars, Batman, and the movie-type sets, not adventure. I was a little surprised. I thought the Orient Expedition sets were very good telling her that I had purchased every set and know others that loved the theme.

I thought Orient Expedition was one of the few decent themes to emerge in recent times. So basically what this representative said was only movie licenced themes are doing well at the moment?

Do you know official the reason for the LEGO representative being at your local Toys R Us?

[xwingyoda]

I really love those Adventurers sets and I' m >:-( that TLC decided to stop them

Those sets had the fantastic advantage of allying great ancient cultures, history and playability !! What a great value for kids !! I would have loved the "Indiana Jones" sets ;-)

Its kind of sad noticing that nowadays adventures are only Mecha based (I doubt that adventures occur in construction sites or hospitals).

I think that TLC needs to put that notion of fun and adverntures in new lines in the future !!

*yoda*

[Skinny Boy]

I am really annoyed with this. The fact that they didn't keep making them. Oh and last summer in August I started thinking: It's been a while since Johnny Thunder's done anything. So I thought we would get some new sets in the coming months. But then BAAAMM!!! We get Dino Attack/2010. I was going crazy when I saw this. I know they are ok sets but Johnny is better. :-(

[gylman]

I am pretty sure that the "scorpion palace" set sold very badly from the Orient Expedition series. It is still on the shelves, and doesn't budge. But frankly, its sucked.

However, the other big sets from that series, 20$ and up, Dragon Fortress, Temple of Mount Everest, Emperor's ship (ok, not that big) are almost impossible to find anywhere, at any price.

Can we communicate with a Lego rep about this? from EB? Don't we have a rep associated with EB?

The thought of having no more Johnny Thunder adventures is too sad to contemplate. The adventurers are what got my kids into Lego!

p.s. If anyone can get me a bargain basement Dragon Fortress, since it "doesn't sell", I'll take it.... or 2, or three.

Mark my words in 10 years that set will be considered a Lego Masterpiece.

*skull* <goes off in a corner to fume and plot revenge.....> *alien*

OK, back from sulking. Time to take action.

All who care about the Adventurers - please leave a brief message to The Lego Company

http://www.lego.com/eng/service/contactusform.asp

[WesternOutlaw]

She told me that Lego tried this concept with Orient Expedition that did not do well overall as a theme. She pointed out that what's hot in Lego is Star Wars, Batman, and the movie-type sets, not adventure. I was a little surprised. I thought the Orient Expedition sets were very good telling her that I had purchased every set and know others that loved the theme.

I thought Orient Expedition was one of the few decent themes to emerge in recent times. So basically what this representative said was only movie licenced themes are doing well at the moment?

Do you know official the reason for the LEGO representative being at your local Toys R Us?

The rep (she) was stocking the shelves and the Batman sets had just arrived - or at least she had indicated that she just put them out earlier that day. We were just having a pleasant conversation regard new sets. She also pointed out the Creator sets which include instructions to build numerous models (the red vehicle set-don't know the number). She seemed proud of this set and that it includes numerous wheels to build many models. She didn't say that ONLY movie themes are doing well, she just pointed out that the movie sets are very popular right now and that Orient Expedition/Adventure did not do well at all - so we won't probably see them return in the near future.

I wish I had asked her more questions but I wasn't doing an interview with her, it was just general conversation. Interesting enough, she did say that the Wild West sets were very good (in her own opinion), but we didn't talk about whether Lego would make in the future. She also pointed out that she recommends I check the TRU and Target websites for exclusives (like the Arkham Asylum set) that she didn't know too much about. She did say that most of the new sets (new trains, Batcave, and Avatar) will hit the stores in August.

[gylman]

We were just having a pleasant conversation regard new sets. She also pointed out the Creator sets which include instructions to build numerous models (the red vehicle set-don't know the number). She seemed proud of this set and that it includes numerous wheels to build many models.

Gear Grinders It is a truly excellent small set. Lego did a good job with that one.

[Sting]

This is incredibly sad! Adventurers was one of THE great themes (which also includes Castle, Town, Train, Space, Wild West, and my personal favourite.. PIRATES). I remember back before we even knew about the DINO line, there was an image that said "Dino" and it had a cool propeller plane and it was possibly a prototype for a never released new set for an Unreleased Adventurers line.

I want to get all the Adventurers sets one day... but I am broke... and I still need more pirates.

[gylman]

All who care about the Adventurers - please leave a brief message to The Lego Company

http://www.lego.com/eng/service/contactusform.asp

(sorry for the spamming)

[Sting]

All who care about the Adventurers - please leave a brief message to The Lego Company

http://www.lego.com/eng/service/contactusform.asp

(sorry for the spamming)

I already did. *y* and I threw in something about Wild West too!!! X-D

[Mister Phes]

All who care about the Adventurers - please leave a brief message to The Lego Company

http://www.lego.com/eng/service/contactusform.asp

Will those who read these pleas care enough to do anything about them? About 8 months ago SuvieD conducted a survey to ascertain exactly what AFOLs wanted from The LEGO Company and that recieved under 130 responses and at present there's been no news or observation that any of this information is being taken into consideration. So I ask, are a few messages expressing love for Adventurers really going to make a difference? But by all means try... It can't hurt can it?

[gylman]

All who care about the Adventurers - please leave a brief message to The Lego Company

http://www.lego.com/eng/service/contactusform.asp

Will those who read these pleas care enough to do anything about them? About 8 months ago SuvieD conducted a survey to ascertain exactly what AFOLs wanted from The LEGO Company and that recieved under 130 responses and at present there's been no news or observation that any of this information is being taken into consideration. So I ask, are a few messages expressing love for Adventurers really going to make a difference? But by all means try... It can't hurt can it?

Exactly right.

However, seriously, EB has a "affiliated Lego rep", right Jipay?? Can we at least draw his attention to this discussion? I am not deluding myself that the entire marketing strategy of TLC rests on emails from AFOLs, but I been impressed how often this type of thing plants a seed of something in someone's head that bears fruit in unpredictable ways.

More to the point....It takes 10 seconds and it can't hurt! So do it people.

Another point re: SuvieD's survey. It was (as far as I know) unsolicited.

I have found that very large bureaucracies are not able to take input from unexpected channels. The existing channel of input to fans to TLC is their web site contact. It is quite possible that 5 brief messages from this direction will carry more impact than SuvieD thoughtful and massive survey.

[Mister Phes]

You make some good points Mr Gylman. Suvie D did discuss his survey with Jake McKee apparently but how he submitted it to The LEGO Company I am uncertain of. Hypothetically if everyone were to send their survey through the LEGO website, do you think that would have made a difference?

[Norro]

I also liked the adventurers... and never noticed poor sales (with the exception of scorpion palace) so it is a shame to see them go. But it is inevitable in a way. Lego has moved away from the 'Legoland' model of in house themes with sets and only an implied story, towards creating 'play scenes' and holding imagination by the hand with overly drawn out simplistic stories of 'good' and 'evil'...Oh well "Play On" ;-) .

God Bless,

Nathan

[Jipay]

I'll invite Steve to have a look at this thread. I for one, am always amazed by comments like : 'it didn't sell well'... Well yes, comparred to a star wars licence, a lot of product don't sell well *sad* I wish they could work more on the rentability of their lines instead of volume of sales :-(

:-( The adventurers are a really cool theme, they allow to build a lot of other stuff out from it : museum, ancient egypt and such. Not to mention they are the only ones that allow you to create stargate MOCs *y*

As for stargate, everytime I asked a lego Rep about this, they said it wasn't as big as Starwars so out of quetsion for now. Sometimes I wish the Starwars licence didn't exist because it's clearly killing the imagination of the Lego company ( a long time ago, lego toys were supposed to developp creativity )

[Mister Phes]

Once upon a time "Just imagine..."

Now its "Play on" and we'll do the imagining for you... And thus a critical element of LEGO is lost...

[xwingyoda]

So true unfortunatly Phes :-X

Lets hope in a couple of years the slogan is not: Please Buy our Products !!

*yoda*

[Hobbes]

I think that's another example/proof of how small the AFOL market actually is :-/

There are many fans of Adventurers here and they all have bought numerous sets over time, yet the theme didn't/doesn't sell well...

[WesternOutlaw]

I love Adventure, probably more than Star Wars, but think about it: a young boy walks into his local toy store to buy a Lego set. He sees a Star Wars ship, a Harry Potter set, and an Orient Expedition set. What's he going to buy? There's no better marketing than that of a movie. Unless we see a new Adventure movie that Lego can buy a license to, I predict Lego doesn't do another Adventure theme anytime soon.

I agree with Hobbes, AFOL make up a small % of Lego sales overall, so our interests are secondary to mass sales. It's just that we have a voice.

[gylman]

I love Adventure, probably more than Star Wars, but think about it: a young boy walks into his local toy store to buy a Lego set. He sees a Star Wars ship, a Harry Potter set, and an Orient Expedition set. What's he going to buy? There's no better marketing than that of a movie. Unless we see a new Adventure movie that Lego can buy a license to, I predict Lego doesn't do another Adventure theme anytime soon.

I agree with Hobbes, AFOL make up a small % of Lego sales overall, so our interests are secondary to mass sales. It's just that we have a voice.

AFOLs have children. Children have friends who come over to play. Children who come over to play have parents. ..... My daughter has the entire grade 2 class playing Johnny Thunder gam;es.

I personally determine the Lego shopping of 5 families, with influence over a few others.

I can't imagine TLC is so superficial as to judge the importance of AFOLs just by their numbers in direct sales.

Frankly, the Star Wars sets are a great gift to someone you don't really know, because they will be welcomed and you will feel like you got a useful present. But the Adventurers sets are a better gift if you care about sustained play value. Also, for GIRLS the Adventurers sets are the most appropriate, and have had more strong female roles than any other theme (although clearly not enough).

I have two girls. Adventurers is far and away their favourite theme. 'nuff said.

[blueandwhite]

I love Adventure, probably more than Star Wars, but think about it: a young boy walks into his local toy store to buy a Lego set. He sees a Star Wars ship, a Harry Potter set, and an Orient Expedition set. What's he going to buy? There's no better marketing than that of a movie. Unless we see a new Adventure movie that Lego can buy a license to, I predict Lego doesn't do another Adventure theme anytime soon.

I agree with Hobbes, AFOL make up a small % of Lego sales overall, so our interests are secondary to mass sales. It's just that we have a voice.

Too right *vader* !

Its become an unfortunate reality, but licencing is an essential element of the LEGO brand. If you really want Adventures, you are simply going to do what Athos has done, and MOC your own ideas. Honestly, the older lines suffer from a noticeable lack of mass-market appeal. Simply put, kids gravitate to familiar themes and characters. A parody on Indiana Jones is quite dated, and when given the choice, kids will undoubtedly choose themes that are tied to the pop-culture of their generation.

The fact is, most themes of the 1990s simply lack the broad appeal to go head-to-head with the likes of Star Wars, Harry Potter or even Batman. I suggest taking a look around Brickshelf. How many Adventures, Rock Raiders, Aqua Zone, or Time Cruisers MOCs do you see? Heck, even Pirate MOCs are something of a rarity. These lines simply can't compete with a popular IP such as Star Wars.

Today's themes are defined by what appeals to kids. Anime, big-budget movies, and comic books, with a smattering of conventional themes which don't fall into any particular niche. I don't expect this to change any time soon. I see lines like KKII prevailing over a traditional castle line, Exo-Force dominating where classic-space used to be the norm, and movie licences filling in the rest of the gaps. Those of you expecting a return to the "good old days" are going to be waiting a loooonng time!

Later.

[WesternOutlaw]

I can't imagine TLC is so superficial as to judge the importance of AFOLs just by their numbers in direct sales.

Lego is unfortunately a corporation first and it all comes down to sales. Don't underestimate the importance of $$$ to a company. Goodwill, ethic responsibility, and all the other missions and social goals are secondary to a company when their $ales keep them in business. It's all about the numbers.

But what does give AFOL an advantage, is that we are vocal. We send letters and messages expressing our concerns, issues, and opinions re. new products, but unless we can dent Lego in the pocket book (or really provide information that will help their sales -which we're seeing with focus groups/Ambassador program), we won't be heard.

I agree with BlueAndWhite's comments completely. It's the cold hard truth.