Does Lego need an adul sub-brand?

[mrklaw]

With the Shaun of the Dead Cuusoo project getting rejected on the grounds that it does not fit the Lego core 6-11 age range, is it time for Lego to more explicitly support adults (both AFOLs and a more general audience)? Perhaps with a sub-brand, or something that gives clear guidance that this segment of the company isn't aimed at kids.

There are sets like architecture, Tower Bridge, VW Camper, and the modular range. But they are still all very family friendly and not that clearly delineated in the product range.

I'm not suggesting that everything should be blood and guts, but I wonder if they would benefit from having a little more leeway in how they market towards adults.

[SNIPE]

I think it would be unworkable to separate this with anything else LEGO, imagine being in a shop, how do you sell it without the kids seeing it do you put it in the 'DIY section' chuckle.

Same things goes with the internet, you can't really do much even with a sub theme or a sub anything because they is nothing stopping them from seeing it and even buying it depending on their parental ruling.

Lego never used to make 'war colours' when they started out because the war has just ended - they did not want to see kids acting out war with LEGO so it comes down to detriment to the younger fans which is the main market though the older fans are catching up quite fast.

Now days they make mini-fig weapons and have weapons in several themes such as star wars and Indiana Jones.

The argument that it is inappropriate to Lego's perspective for kids, I can't really specify on as I have never watched shaun of the dead.

[CMP]

The modular buildings are aimed towards adults, and I don't think it would be too easy to create and entirely separate brand for AFOLS.

[Ash]

If they thought they "needed" an adult sub-brand then they'd release one. I suspect they don't because it would (a) weaken the brand and (b) their current adult oreintated stuff is doing just fine. AFOLs are pretty well catered for and I'd guess they're happy with the direction that's going in now.

I think, with regards to the Winchester thing, a lot of people are confusing what they want, with what Lego needs. TLG is only ever going to act in what it percieves as their best interests. If they thought this was in their best interests... they'd be doing it already.

I think one thing to keep in mind is that Duplo isn't a "sub-brand" like you're talking about here so much as It's a different product released by the same company.

Edited April 28, 2012 by Ash

[bricklayer]

How bout lego playboy mansion.

[purpleparadox]

I think one thing to keep in mind is that Duplo isn't a "sub-brand" like you're talking about here so much as It's a different product released by the same company.

That's kinda true, but it's also kinda not. Duplo is compatible with System bricks, so it's more or less just a branch of the same product.

[just2good]

Maybe it could be designed someway that this was designed?

If they do have an adult sub-brand, I just hope they don't make really small bricks (though that would be highly doubtful).

[Omicron]

I don't see the need unless Lego is trying to garner more adult fans, rather than more kid fans. But being children's toy company I don't even see that happening.

-Omi

[David Thomsen]

I don't think there is much they can realistically do with an adult specific brand. Unlike with Duplo, the product is going to be essentially the same, and recognisable by any parent as a Lego product. Anything sex themed like a brothel or an adult toy store is out of the question, since Adults aren't going to let their kids buy anything from a company that sells sex themed toys, even if it is in slightly different packaging.

War themed sets might finally have a place to fit, but there are so many war themed toys out there already that parents are just going to think it's yet another theme for kids.

Alcohol, well, it's an in-joke for adults that the 'poison bottle' in the Imperial Flagship set is the kind of poison that's going to kill you slowly. In fact the building in the POTC 'London Escape' set is a fully fledged pub, so they don't really have many restrictions there.

[Hrw-Amen]

Although I would have liked to be able to buy the Winchester, I do understand the reasons it is not being made. (I may not agree with them but I understand them.)

I don't really think a seperate sub-theme aimed at adults is needed. There are many ways that adults can make whatever they want and there are many sets that are aimed at adults or older teens, such as modualrs and UCS sets.

Also if as an adult you want to make something you can, you just buy the bricks from shop at home or bricklink or where ever. You can even design it first in LDD or similar if you are that way inclined.

The only thing I could possibly see being a good idea and something that could be aimed at adults (Although excluding younger people.) would be bits packs, such as specific colours or sets of technic gears, railway parts, plants, animals, various things have been suggested over the years and some even done at one point or another.

Perhaps an ideas booklet aimed at the older builder maybe a good idea, something to give inspiration and plans for a couple of more complex builds with a parts list.

But an entire sub-theme, I can't see it happening.

[Aanchir]

Well, in terms of adult-oriented products, I figure part of the reason the Winchester didn't get made is because it would be hard to market without tarnishing the LEGO Group's family-friendly image. LEGO products are hard enough to market towards adults already, since that is a much smaller market for LEGO than the 6-11 core audience. But can you imagine how much harder it would be to market adult-oriented products if they were decidedly not child-appropriate and thus couldn't be featured in the same catalogs as the kid-oriented products?

So in general I don't think this would be all that beneficial. There are plenty of family-friendly ways of pandering to LEGO's adult fanbase that don't involve alienating their core audience.