What I learned new about LEGO
⁃ Danish company
⁃ Started in 1930s
⁃ It started with wood furniture business
⁃ Ole Kirk took the decision to make simple toys for kids
⁃ Cars, YoYo become its key product
⁃ Largely driven by family values and under influence of Word war 1 and 2
⁃ Very early on tried to involve girls as one of the end consumers, but till date, its products are mostly used by boys.
Early on always questioning use of arms in toys, nevertheless the fist famous product was a wooden toy gun with moving items, portraits as “peace pistol” with ammunition!
⁃ Founder always took risk, gone for more investments in new technologies.
⁃ Founder also went to exhibitions and tried to get more insights on trends, helped him to “copy” LEGO idea.
⁃ Also worked with education community, to press use of toys for intellectual development rather than using it just as a toy. This helped LEGO long term
⁃ Second generation, founder early on got insight to decide which sibling will be taking lead post him.
⁃ Conflict between generation gaps are nicely put forward by second generation (Godtfred k and Kjed K, both mentioned their struggles with their father, unlike Goftfred 2nd generation, it’s more with Kjed, 3rd generation)
⁃ 3rd Generation decided to bring more new management, younger and western philosophy.
⁃ Nicely told story about the cultural shift in the management style, also inclusivity of women in upper management.
Key insights
- Focus on technology and keep key theme intact during growth.
- Diversification not only on portfolio but also on approach (physical toys to movies and theme parks)
- How to ensure the family inheritance to continue and ensure success of LEGO, creation of “LEGO Idea Paper”, set of guidelines helping future generations to get clear vision.
- LEGO is not the first in “self locking block”, it was Kiddicraft’s self locking block.
- LEGO’s change in focus from toys to system. Rather creating individual toys, LEGO brought a “system” of creating anything out of blocks.
- LEGO’s translation from “make anything from blocks” to product which are now coming with “manual” to create complex toys.
- In 1958, the modern LEGO brick was patented, featuring tubes and studs.
LEGO, then and now!
