OCT. 2016 ISSUE N° 120
The LEGO Group
NEWSLETTER CONTENT
The LEGO Group, the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF launch campaign to celebrate and inspire play and learning
2 CORPORATE Sales grew 10% in first half of 2016
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The LEGO Group significantly expands Singapore office 3 RESPONSIBILITY New campaign to celebrate and inspire play and learning 4 EVENTS First LEGO KidsFest in the Czech Republic 6 PRODUCT New partnership with 20th Century Fox 7 LEGO HUMOR
Sales grew 10% in first half of 2016
LEGO® KidsFest in the Czech Republic
New partnership with 20th Century Fox
The LEGO Group delivered a DKK 15,692 million in the first half of 2016 while at the same time accelerating investments in building capacity around the globe in order to prepare for future growth.
Prague will experience the first LEGO® KidsFest, a family oriented festival. Builders both kids and adults can look forward to unique structures, fun attractions, specialised LEGO zones for all age groups.
The LEGO Group announced a new partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products to produce a construction set and licensed LEGO® minifigures inspired by the iconic television series, THE SIMPSONS.
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CORPORATE
Global LEGO Group sales grew 10% in first half of 2016 The LEGO Group delivered a turnover of DKK 15,692 million in the first half of 2016 while at the same time accelerating investments in building capacity and capabilities around the globe in order to prepare for future growth within the company. Sales growth was driven by innovation in well-established lines like LEGO® City and LEGO NINJAGO, as well as in the brand new theme LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS. Regionally, sales growth was particularly strong in both Europe and Asia with both regions achieving high double-digit growth, while sales development in the Americas region was flat year over year.
Satisfactory sales growth In the first half of 2016, the LEGO Group experienced double digit growth in Europe and Asia, while the Americas were flat every year.
worked closely with our customers and dialed up our initiatives in the American market, in order for LEGO to regain momentum,“ says Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John Goodwin.
“It is particularly impressive that we continue our high growth in Europe where we have our most mature markets. At the same time, we are very satisfied to see high growth rates for Asia where we are making considerable investments in capacity and capabilities. In the US, we acknowledge that we have not provided the initiatives and support needed to keep the same high level of growth. As a result, we have
Lines such as LEGO City, LEGO Creator, LEGO Technic, LEGO NINJAGO and LEGO Star Wars™ delivered very strong global results during the first 6 months of the year. “The LEGO brick and the LEGO building system offer endless opportunities for great creative play, and with the new theme LEGO NEXO KNIGHTS we combine physical and digital play through building sets,” says John Goodwin.
The LEGO Group significantly expands Singapore office to support growth in Asia
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A new main office in Singapore is another important milestone in the LEGO Group’s globalisation, in accordance with the company’s strategy to reach even more children all over the world with creative play experiences. The need for new and more spacious surroundings is the result of the extraordinary double-digit growth that the LEGO Group has achieved globally over the last ten years, not least in Asia. The increasing presence in Asia will be supported by the factory that the LEGO Group is building. The factory recently began packaging the first LEGO sets, it will produce the vast majority of LEGO products for Asia.
This new facility is about 56480 square feet in area and almost three times the existing size of Lego office. The new space is spread across three floors and totally inspired by Lego’s wonderful colourful play products.
RESPONSIBILITY
The LEGO Group, the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF launch campaign to celebrate and inspire play and learning
The new Partners in Play campaign, it aims to drive better understanding of the significance of play for children’s development, gives families across the world the opportunity to upload a ‘play’ photo or video to the LEGO® DUPLO® Facebook, Twitter and Instagram soc platforms, just by using the #PartnersInPlay hashtag. To create even more opportunities for at-risk children to play, the LEGO Foundation is supporting UNICEF’s work for children by providing LEGO DUPLO bricks to 73,000 children in 365 early childhood development centres and child-friendly spaces in Jordan. The Foundation is also working with UNICEF to train educators and caregivers on innovative ways to play. “Play is not just a fun diversion,” said
Mirjam Schöning, Head of Programme in the LEGO Foundation. “A growing body of evidence shows the importance of play in reducing anxiety as well as learning essential skills for our changing society, such as communication, collaboration and creative problem solving. We are delighted that we can provide play materials and training to the practitioners supporting Syrian refugee children.” said Mirjam Schöning, Head of Programme in the LEGO Foundation. Partners in Play is the latest initiative in a longstanding partnership between the LEGO Group, the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF, which is committed to giving the most vulnerable children opportunities to learn by playing. “The LEGO Foundation, UNICEF and
the LEGO Group share the belief that all children have a basic right to play and to learn by playing,” said Kathrine Kirk Muff, Vice President of Social Responsibility, the LEGO Group. “I am very excited about this partnership opportunity to jointly spread this message and ensure important play moments, specially for children living under such stressful conditions.” “Play is a critical element of childhood that can help give children the best possible chance of developing fully and learning effectively, enabling them to contribute to their economies and societies, and building strong and safe communities when they reach adulthood,” said Pia Britto UNICEF Chief of Early Childhood Development.
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EVENTS The first LEGO® KidsFest in the Czech Republic:
Czech Republic
A two-week building feast will cover Prague with seven million bricks Prague will experience the first LEGO® KidsFest, a family-oriented festival, in mid-November. Builders both kids and adults can look forward to unique LEGO® structures, fun attractions, specialised LEGO zones for all age groups, competitions for prizes, food and piles of bricks for their own creative building. You can experience the first LEGO KidsFest every day from 13 to 28 November 2016 at the PVA EXPO PRAHA Letňany exhibition grounds. Opening hours are from 10 am to 7 pm. LEGO® KidsFest is a globally successful feast of bricks, playing and creativity, which can builders in the Czech Republic experience for the first time this year. On an area of almost 10,000 square metres, visitors will have a chance to experience an endless building and unique LEGO® creations by certified builders from abroad and Czech fans will amaze brick funs.
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“LEGO KidsFest is a two-week festival, which is unique in Central Europe in that it is packed with creativity and playing. Each fan of LEGO bricks can have fun to the max with us and leave burs-
ting with experiences,” promises Petr Břoušek, marketing manager, LEGO Trading. All visitors to LEGO KidsFest will include certified builders of works of art made using LEGO bricks such as Sean Kenney from New York City, Dirk Denoyelle from Belgium and Rene Hoffmeister from Germany, who have prepared the 150 models. The uniqueness of the event is also illustrated by the number of bricks to be used for the festival. Creative visitors can use more than seven million LEGO bricks to build anything they can think of. The festival is open to all builders regardless of their age; it is also friendly to families with the youngest children and its modern amenities include a barrier-free entrance and many relaxation zones. A sufficient number of refreshment booths will be prepared for hungry brick aficionados who can also bring and have their own snacks. A special LEGO Mini-cinema, shop, and fan zone will also be available at the event. All tickets are available from the Ticketpro network and on site.
LEGO® KidsFest – All you need to know
Navigating the premises
The first family-oriented LEGO festival in Central Europe – will take place in Prague (The Czech Republic) at the PVA EXPO PRAHA Letňany exhibition grounds from 13 to 28 November 2016.
The access to the exhibition grounds is barrier-free and there is space enough to just sit and relax.
The festival opening hours are from 10 am to 7 pm on weekdays, and on weekends the opening hours are divided into two periods, in the morning from 9 am to 2 pm and in the afternoon from 2 to 7 pm.
Animals are not allowed on the festival premises, except for guide dogs that are welcome. Prams are allowed on the premises so even the smallest children can take part. Parents can feed them in the LEGO® DUPLO® relaxation zone.
Tickets Festival tickets are available on advance sale from the Ticketpro network as well as at the festival venue during the event. The venue’s daily admission capacity is limited. Admission price depends on the place of ticket purchase and day of visit, ranging from CZK 359 to CZK 449 per person; admission is free for children of up to 2 years of age. More information and tickets are also available here: http://www.ticketpro.cz/
Background The partner shop will also be available to fans, offering a wide range of LEGO products including the latest building sets.
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PRODUCT The LEGO Group announces partnership with 20th Century Fox Consumer Products to launch LEGO® and THE SIMPSONS branded merchandise Construction set and Minifigure Series based on the popular show available beginning Nov 2016. The LEGO Group today announced a new partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products to produce a construction set and licensed LEGO® minifigures inspired by the iconic television series, THE SIMPSONS. In addition, FOX is scheduled to air a special LEGO episode of THE SIMPSONS in October 2016 featuring Springfield and its cast of characters in LEGO form. Scheduled to launch this February in LEGO stores and via the LEGO Shop at Home catalog and website, the construction set will recreate the iconic Simpsons family house in LEGO form. Also included in the LEGO and THE SIMPSONS construction set is the entire family: Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie along with neighbor Ned Flanders. A separate line of 16 LEGO THE SIMPSONS minifigures will launch in all mass toy retailers in December 2016. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Fox during the 25th anniversary year of the Simpsons,” said Jill Wilfert, vice pre-
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sident licensing & entertainment at The LEGO Group. “We know our fans will love the challenge of building the Simpsons’ family home in great detail and the ability to collect quintessential characters in LEGO minifigure form will let them showcase their love of the show in a whole new way. We are also excited that THE SIMPSONS will be created in LEGO form, truly bringing this partnership to life.” “We are kicking off the 25th anniversary of THE SIMPSONS in a big way, and we think LEGO-loving fans of the show will be impressed with this collaboration that represents the best of both iconic worlds through the LEGO and THE SIMPSONS construction set, minifigures and LEGO-themed episode,” said Jeffrey Godsick, president of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. “Our partnership with LEGO is the perfect addition to the range of product lines that will be introduced globally in celebration of this great milestone achievement in television history.”
LEGO HUMOR
Pictures In Boxes is a great comic, that has consistently used Lego for inspiration. Most Lego comics use photography and it is rare to see an illustrated one. The goofy Lego Minifigures have a certain charm when drawn. Pictures In Boxes has recently“flooded� their site with Lego Superhero Comics. Make sure tocheck them out.
To check more comics from this artist visit the following link: www.picturesinboxes.com
Cartoonist Jeffrey Brown has envisioned a hilarious world in which Darth Vader has custody of little Luke.
To check more comics from this artist visit the following link: jeffreybrowncomics.blogspot.com
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OUR PEOPLE PROMISE At the heart of the LEGO Group is our People Promise – ‘Succeed together’. We strive to inspire and develop children to think creatively, reason systematically and release their potential to shape their own future – experiencing the endless human possibility.
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