Winner: LEGO and Flashpoint PR
Campaign: Expect the Unexpected: Re-Launching the Consumer Innovation Revolution the LEGO Way
The Mission:
After re-emerging from a financial morass, LEGO decided in early 2005 to reinvigorate its brand after enduring a period that saw a two percent decrease in toy sales.
The Hook:
Targeting two key audience segments--boys, ages 10-14 and men, ages 18-40--LEGO reintroduced a redesigned version of its LEGO MINDSTORMS (NXT), while positioning itself as a
leader in the emerging consumer robotics category.
The Strategy:
With a budget of $500,000, Flashpoint PR and Nintendo execs developed a media
relations program that hit on all the touch points. It first homed in on http://www.thelongtail.com,
a blog created and operated by WIRED magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson.
Flashpoint thought this blog was the perfect outlet to tell the story of the
original MINDSTORM "evangelists." The story was pitched to Anderson, who promptly
assigned it to a journalist. Team players included Michael McNally of LEGO and
Christopher Downing of Flashpoint PR.
Execution Highlights:
- Cover story in WIRED magazine, February 2006, "The LEGO Army Wants You;"
- Cover story and feature within Forbes magazine's E-Gang Issue;
- Two Associated Press articles, each syndicated in 100-plus articles; and
- Seven blogs dedicated to LEGO MINDSTORMS (NXT) since its re-introduction at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2006.
Mission Accomplished:
THE CES PRESS COVERAGE RESULTED IN INCREASED RETAILER DEMAND. THE SALES FORECAST NEARLY DOUBLED, WHILE NEW CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION WERE ADDED, INCLUDING NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION
IN APPLE STORES. ALSO, NEARLY 7,000 UNITS OF LEGO MINDSTORMS WERE SOLD THROUGH A PRE-ORDER PROGRAM, DRIVEN BY PRESS ONLY, FROM APRIL-JUNE 2006. PRN