There are few brands that have had better timing at reinventing themselves over the years than Lego, and now the iconic company has kicked off a global initiative that couldn’t come at a better time. It certainly caught our attention in Times Square late last week. Welcome to “Rebuild the World.”
The campaign kicked off with a TV spot, directed by Super Bowl veterans Traktor, in the form of a story about a rabbit trying to escape from a hunter. It starts as a blend of CGI and live action, with a chase through a colorful world involving fire-breathing dragons, flying cars, cops, toboggans and more. Every character, animal and vehicle is based on an existing or past Lego toy, so heads spin 360 degrees, everyday objects are outsized and more. What’s more, each object in the film was made in exact proportion to its equivalent Lego brick.
The 14 city campaign is set to appeal not just to young people, but to parents and anyone with an understanding, even a casual one of Lego. The goal is simple; inspire teamwork, creative thought and ways to reengineer what we have in front of us to create change. That change inspires the builder, or the viewer or the team, to think beyond what one is doing and use the bricks to be both fun and educational.
It is another step for a brand to show it is not tie deaf to the issues of the world, and can use children and families as a way to literally move bricks in rebuilding the thought process. Recently Lego has taken great strides in addressing sustainability and creating programs tied to STEM (Science, technology, Education and Math), especially around its science based Lego FIRST program, which works with teams of kids to solve complex and fun problems through the competition around competitive robotics. Teams from clubs, high schools, even middle schools, build the robots, storytell along a common theme and then compete against each other in regional and then national competition, often in from of thousands of screaming supporters. (Read about March Mathness here).
This of course is in addition to the highly successful films that Lego has licensed in recent years, bringing their characters to life for millions to enjoy, and all tying back to the bricks and the creativity.
What’s even more special about the latest program is its inspirational message that transcends borders. In a time where adults are struggling to find common goals through culture, the simplicity of Lego as a property is one that unites without languages, or gender or religion. It is a living metaphor for what we can do when we think, reinvent, and often times, work together to create something out of nothing.
What does this have to do with sport? Lots. Lego’s creative efforts are not dissimilar form the best lessons learned in any gaming environment, and its strategy and its ability to use the physical as well as the mental to inspire, is what good coaches, and teachers, try and use as best practices.
So bravo Lego for taking another step for a larger cause. We need it now, even if some of us already have more than enough brocks in our house; there is always room for reinvention.
