2009 Platinum PR Awards: Branding—Flashpoint PR, LEGO Systems Inc. and Pereira & O’Dell

Go Miniman Go: Tapping Nostalgia to Bolster Adult Affinity for the LEGO Brand

Tonka trucks, Barbie, Etch-A-Sketch, Cabbage Patch Kids—these iconic toy brands were best-sellers in their own right, having become symbols for entire generations of children over the years. LEGO Systems, the company behind the toy building brick sets, is among these long-standing toy leaders. But, by the end of 2007, it was suffering alongside the entire toy industry, which was in turmoil after widespread manufacturing safety issues.

To bolster its image and build brand preference for the decidedly low-tech toy, LEGO execs, along with agency partners Flashpoint PR and Pereira & O’Dell, sought to develop the builders of tomorrow—children ages 6-12—in addition to “nostalgics,” the group of men ages 18-25 who grew up as LEGO kids. To achieve this, the team:

• Launched a Google doodle honoring the LEGO brick’s 50th birthday on January 28, 2008;

• Leveraged the 30th birthday of the LEGO “Miniman” with a special YouTube episode; and,

• Partnered with Gizmodo to host a user-generated video contest.

Thanks to the robust efforts, the campaign contributed to a 38% increase in consumer sales in 2008, and the overall media coverage translated to an $19+ million ad-value equivalency. ■

Honorable Mentions:

MWW Group & Samsung: Samsung Mobile Charging Stations Offer Free Power Boost at Nation’s Largest Airports—To increase consumer awareness of its mobile phones, Samsung created Mobile Charging Stations to be placed in airports. Launch events by the MWW group were held during Fourth of July weekend, one of the nation’s biggest travel holidays.

Weber Shandwick & Siemens: The New Broom at Siemens Cleans Up—Weber Shandwick helped Siemens spotlight a new company structure, infiltrate target sectors and localize its brand. Efforts scored coverage in top-tier media outlets.

October 26, 2009