GRogall

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The problem with that is that argument is that it doesn't work in the toy business. Frankly, girls in the general System age range just aren't interested enough in the same sets as boys in that same age range. Otherwise, girls would have no problems buying City sets, which are about as unisex as you can get (despite having a lot of vehicles, something boys are more attracted to than girls for some reason). And the Paradisa theme would have been an incredible success-- after all, it was pretty unisex, and if TLG just ignores the influence of stereotypes then horses and the color pink should sell just fine to a male audience.

Duplo sets are fairly unisex, as has been mentioned by TLG as getting about the same attention from boys and girls. But after that age range, girls and boys begin trying actively to differentiate themselves from one another. TLG has a hard enough time competing with other toy companies as it is-- if they were to just hope for girls and boys to buy the same things, then they'd basically be setting themselves up against peer pressure and every other cultural influence that feeds this arbitrary differentiation of gendered play. That's not a healthy competitive situation.

And as I mentioned about City sets, the current range of LEGO products tends to include things like vehicles and conflict role-play that for whatever reason boys tend to flock towards and girls tend to ignore. Yes, it's true that girls and boys should be able to enjoy the same things, but as it is they don't, and I think it's wise of TLG to try balancing out their offerings to appeal to girls of diverse interests rather than just telling the girls who want to play with toys considered "girly" that they are the product of a hypocritical society, that their interests are stereotypical and demeaning, and that they should outright reject their friends who think Barbie dolls and Littlest Pet Shop are the coolest things on store shelves.

Or, they could try to get girls and boys to play together and have a mutual respect during the "cooties" stage. In that case, my only suggestion to them would be that they might have better luck with their plans to use their toy-company influence to end world hunger, childhood obesity, and natural disasters, all while turning a significant profit from the endeavor.

On a side note, when I was in elementary school, one of the biggest recess activities was for all the boys to chase after all the girls and the girls to run frantically. I thought it was a stupid, biased activity, and when I did participate I would try to team up with the girls (don't draw any sexual conclusions, please). Was I popular with both genders? Well, they did treat me fairly equally... as a social outcast and a weirdo. You're basically saying TLG should likewise try to fight against this alarming gender divide in preteens, so naturally I'm a bit cynical about this approach. I mean no insult towards girls, towards women, or towards those like yourself who honestly want to work towards gender equality in society, but I merely lack confidence in the strategy you feel TLG should take.

I was just saying that unless more then just the targeted group buys sets in this theme, the theme might go dead. Companies like barbie and little pet shop might draw in more girls than Lego. If you look at this theme as a boy, yes, you will think it isn't as cool as an action theme or city. Look at Belville. It was directed exclusively at girls and did not sell well. Then look at paradisa. Even though it was mainly marketed towards girls, it had a small bit of unisex appeal, and sold better than Belville. IMHO, I think LEGO should make it have a unisex appeal to sell better.

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Look at Belville. It was directed exclusively at girls and did not sell well. Then look at paradisa. Even though it was mainly marketed towards girls, it had a small bit of unisex appeal, and sold better than Belville. IMHO, I think LEGO should make it have a unisex appeal to sell better.

I don't necessarily think it needs unisex appeal, what it really needs is compatibility with existing System sets. A young girl interested in Belville was unlikely to want System sets, since they don't 'fit' with Belville, wheras a girl interested in Paradisa was more likely to buy into other areas. Giving girls more of a reason to get into core themes by creating a 'girly' aspect is probably a better strategy than trying to produce a single new theme that can please everyone.

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I was just saying that unless more then just the targeted group buys sets in this theme, the theme might go dead. Companies like barbie and little pet shop might draw in more girls than Lego. If you look at this theme as a boy, yes, you will think it isn't as cool as an action theme or city. Look at Belville. It was directed exclusively at girls and did not sell well. Then look at paradisa. Even though it was mainly marketed towards girls, it had a small bit of unisex appeal, and sold better than Belville. IMHO, I think LEGO should make it have a unisex appeal to sell better.

What makes you think Paradisa sold better than Belville? Paradisa lasted for six years, while Belville lasted for fifteen. And in some of those years the two themes coexisted, so there's absolutely no reason to think that the more successful one would have ended first.

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I can tell you all something about Belville, retailers will be glad to see the backs of them....meaning they are a poor seller because it is not minifig scale and the only buyer of these sets are a few girls who are really girly....into The Saddle Club and collect Bratz Dolls.

Lets hope this coffee shop is for real.....well there isn't enough coffee in Legoland is there now ? :wink::laugh:

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I'm not too sure what were getting out of this....but, I was at TRU today and a tock shelves was a Lego rep. We got to talking, one thing that saddened me was he was unaware of Hillside House. That may or may not mean were getting it, who's to say. Another thing he mentioned was a upcoming(August) is a coffee house. Interested, I asked what line? Creator? He says, no, the one with the grocer. I'm thinking...hmm, another Modular so soon? So I say, Green Grocer? The same as Cafe Corner, Grand Emporium, those ones? He said yes, although it wasn't a set in stone kind of yes. Rather a I'm 99% sure kind of yes. Here's to hoping we get a coffee shop, regardless of what theme it is.

I doubt a LEGO Rep stocking the shelves at a TRU would know of any upcoming sets. :sceptic: It doesn't make sense since they just made the Petshop too.

First, That Lego would release a Café Corner are Café modular building 4 years after Café Corner is highly unlikely!

Second: Since it take a lot of time to plan and create these sets, about a year, I'm sure we will not see a second Modular Building this year!

Third: I opened this topic for sets that I know are coming, and not for rumors or speculation!

Exactly :wink:

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I can tell you all something about Belville, retailers will be glad to see the backs of them....meaning they are a poor seller because it is not minifig scale and the only buyer of these sets are a few girls who are really girly....into The Saddle Club and collect Bratz Dolls.

Lets hope this coffee shop is for real.....well there isn't enough coffee in Legoland is there now ? :wink::laugh:

Umm... "girls who are really girly" are basically Belville's target audience. So it's really backwards to say that Belville is unsuccessful because it appealed mainly to that market. And assuming that being minifig-scale is a requirement for something to sell well is silly. BIONICLE was immensely successful, lasting nine years, but its minifig-scale sets lasted only three years. Fabuland wasn't minifig scale, and yet it's incredibly popular among certain pockets of AFOLs and lasted for about eleven years.

Personally, I have hardly any way to gauge Belville's success since I basically ignored it my whole life. I definitely prefer the prospect of a minifig-scale girls' theme to larger doll-based themes like Belville or Scala. And yet at the same time, I do have one piece of evidence that suggests Belville was very successful, that being its lifespan. Based on that, it had the longest-lasting success of any girls' theme, so it shouldn't just be dismissed as a failure on the basis that "I didn't like it" or "AFOLs in general didn't like it".

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New theme will be called "girls". New figures will be slightly taller (think toy story) and not minifig based.

I've also seen new VW van. Its very smooth design with almost no studs visible. Wheels used seems to be the same as on beetle, with same 4x4 silver caps. I didnt remember the colour, but its most likely two colour design (maybe dark red and tan, but I really dont know for sure, since I've seen it for just short time). Its nicely done, but its not something I would buy. The problem is not with lego design but with the fact that original design is just a large box.

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New theme will be called "girls". New figures will be slightly taller (think toy story) and not minifig based.

Girls? Like in LEGO Girls? Not even Gurlz or something? :grin:

Interesting news for sure. Not sure I like the idea of a non minifig-based theme, but then there's Fabuland... I shall wait and see.

I've also seen new VW van. Its very smooth design with almost no studs visible. Wheels used seems to be the same as on beetle, with same 4x4 silver caps. I didnt remember the colour, but its most likely two colour design (maybe dark red and tan, but I really dont know for sure, since I've seen it for just short time). Its nicely done, but its not something I would buy.

Dark red and tan sounds nice and classy, although a mix of colours probably not commonly seen on the real vehicle. I'm certainly looking forward to the first pics of this beauty.

The problem is not with lego design but with the fact that original design is just a large box.

:oh: How dare you!! It's not just a large box, it's a large box of intelligent design, curvalicious beauty and infinite promise of roadtrip happiness! :cry_happy:

:tongue:

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I got the second edition of the Fantasia Lego Collection book today, with a lot of interesting information! The VW bus was there (a campervan, two toned in red and white), a picture of the Winter Village Post Office and also a set number with description Pirates of the Caribbean Black Pearl. I didn't knew that a Black Pearl was also on the list :classic:

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I got the second edition of the Fantasia Lego Collection book today, with a lot of interesting information! The VW bus was there (a campervan, two toned in red and white), a picture of the Winter Village Post Office and also a set number with description Pirates of the Caribbean Black Pearl. I didn't knew that a Black Pearl was also on the list :classic:

Oh, could you please post a picture of the winter post office, or at least give us a description! I'm quite excited about this new set. Thanks in advance.

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Thanks very much, Astra :sweet: . I don't care much about the Camper van, and I've already seen the prelim of the Pearl, but the Post Office is new to me. It looks like a great set, with a lot of nice touches, like the patchy snow and the van. I can't make out all the smaller details, but I can tell it's a great set. Thanks again!

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The VW van looks awesome.

Considering I spent two years ('88-'90) following the Grateful Dead on tour mostly in simmilar VW Bus's (+ many hours on the roadside trying to fix the suckers and having friendly conversations with the local state police), getting this will be a real nostalgia trip :drunk::grin:

The winter post office looks like it's coming with many nice extras, a great addition to the previous two sets.

Both certainly on my will-get list.

Thanks for the pictures!

Edited by gratefulnat

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The Post Office is by far the best Winter Village set yet! The building is great, the truck and the gazebo look great too. The figures look nice too, I think I see a guy with a guitar and another with a saxophone (?) and the new orangeish brown dog from the Pet shop...I will definitely be buying this!

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Wow! The Winter Post Office looks wonderful! The main building itself is nice, but the old fashioned car and the gazebo are fantastic! I think I spot the 'German Shepard' dog in the color that it was in the Pet Shop, the new ponytail piece in orange (from PQ), a saxophone, and a banjo. This set looks great to me! :thumbup:

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Will definitely have to snag a copy of that Post Office! :classic:

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Oh wow, the Post Office looks absolutely lovely! Do we already have a (provisional) release date for this set?

And I'm normally not into 'car sets' but that VW looks very impressive. Great color scheme too.

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That Winter Village Post Office is simply excellent! :wub: I can't quite tell if the instruments are brick-built or new molds (leaning towards the former, but hoping for the latter), but either way, very nice. The post office itself looks great, and the post truck looks lovely. Look at the assortment of minifigures and accessories; quite possibly the best Winter Village set yet! :thumbup:

I am not as enthusiastic about the Camper Van, but I will wait until we get some better pictures or a review before passing final judgment. Thanks for the pictures, astra!:thumbup:

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I can't quite tell if the instruments are brick-built or new molds

I'm pretty sure that the mouth piece of the saxophone is a normal tap. Also, I don't think it is very probable that Lego would put two new pieces like that into this set. Nevertheless, the set looks lovely. I will definitely consider buying it, even if the car and much of the minifigs are useless for me personally. It's nice that the roof is covered in snow in such a way that it's easy to remove in case one would want to use the house in a more summery setting! :thumbup:

Edited by Haltiamieli

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The Winter Village Post Office looks like a great set and will go great together with the other three! Cant wait till its released September 1st!

The Van is also excellent and is on my, too purchase list!

Edit* Oh and "astra" do you have a chance do use a scanner for a clearer picture?

Edited by grogall

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Pictures, though not very good:

:classic:

Thanks for the pics! the post office is really great! can't wait to buy!

Edited by Superkalle
Removed pics in quote!

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Those sets look great. The VW looks very cool especially. Might have to get that (And not just for the parts). The Winter Post Office looks nice but since the scan is rather blurry I can't see a lot of detail. The detail I do see looks good though, I hope those instruments are brickbuilt. It looks like the person on the bench might also be wearing that red shirt that has the classic space logo on it, which would be nice since I always need more CS shirts :drool: . The snow also looks good but easily removable on the roof. The car looks great too.

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Thanks 'astra' for those images, we only need hi-res ones to really start to :drool: and go :moar: ! :smug:

The VW Kombi is too cool and will sell even better than the Beetle....who doesn't want a Hippie van eh ? :excited:

But the best set of the year goes to the Winter Post Office.....Oh, I hope it's released in Oz at Christmas time because I was told THREE winter sets were shown to retailers at this years Toy Fair.

More pictures please ! :excited:

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Great, the Van, and the Post Office are definitely on my list this year, they both look excellent.

Edited by Brickus

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