on the market under the name »Automatic binding bricks«. It was not until 1953 that the name was changed to »LEGO bricks«, and in 1958 the LEGO Group received the patent for the LEGO brick. In 2008, the LEGO Group For the 50th anniversary of the modern LEGO brick the special edition set »Town celebrated the LEGO brick’s 50th anniversary. Plan« was redesigned from the classic set from 1958. In the background is Kjeld There were several campaigns and the LEGO Kirk Kristiansen, company owner and grandson of the founder of the LEGO Group Group produced a special edition of the first official LEGO set. whatever they want with the LEGO bricks. In Along with the first LEGO sets, came the other words: to be imaginative and create new LEGO System of Play. The idea was that things, while having fun and learning – »joy of children should not be offered ready-made building, pride of creation«. solutions, instead they needed something »Only the best is good enough« was the different that would strengthen their imagina- motto of Ole Kirk Kristiansen, founder of the tion and creativity. With only a few LEGO company and inventor of the LEGO bricks. LEGO Power Miners was appointed »Toy of the year« for Sweden 2009. This is the seventh time the LEGO Group has won the award. bricks you can build several creations and Today, the company still lives out that spirit in the possibilities grow exponentially with the every way it operates. The LEGO Group makes number of bricks – »Twice the LEGO bricks is that »good play« enriches a child’s life – and growth opportunities both geographically and a positive impact in areas such as human four times the fun«. its subsequent adulthood. in new product categories. The LEGO Group rights, working environment, anti-corruption The LEGO Group has come a long way With this in mind, the LEGO Group has is continuing to expand in North America, and charity. over the past 80 years – from a small developed and marketed a wide range of Eastern Europe and Asia and is also entering The LEGO Group focuses the charity carpenter’s workshop of ten employees to products, all founded on the same basic the board game category by launching LEGO activities on children who due to illness or becoming a modern, global company with philosophy of learning and development – Games. LEGO Games allows you to build the their social status have limited possibilities 8 000 employees. In terms of sales it is the through play. The products are developed in board from scratch with the LEGO bricks, play for play experiences. For example LEGO sets world’s fifth largest manufacturer of toys. such a way that there is something for all ages the game, and, in true LEGO way of thinking, have been distributed via Save the Children However, it remains firmly rooted in the values and stages of development – from kindergar- change the game through rebuilding the board and SOS Children’s Villages and also to public that founded the company and the LEGO ten toddlers, school children and teenagers to or the dice. hospitals and other major institutions around THE MARKET lines have existed since the 70’s and 80’s, products. young-at-heart adults. the world. The LEGO® brand is one of the most famous and remain as attractive as ever. In addition, The LEGO Group focuses on delivering MARKETING toy brands in Sweden and in the world. The the LEGO Group has been very successful THE PRODUCT quality in all aspects of the LEGO experi- LEGO Sweden applies an integrated and inno- LEGO logo, the LEGO brick and the LEGO min- with licensed product lines, e.g. LEGO Star Play is a key element in children’s growth and ence, through for example product quality, vative approach to marketing using traditional ifigure are instantly recognized by parents and Wars™, as well as new internal lines such as development which stimulates the imagina- quality of play and high ethical standards. mass-media, Internet, outdoor, cinema, events children all over the world and are associated LEGO Power Miners. Today, LEGO Star Wars tion, the emergence of ideas and creative This commitment to quality establishes a and in-store campaigns. The combination of with quality, fun, creativity and imagination. is Sweden’s biggest product line, together with expression. It is the LEGO Group’s philosophy relationship of trust between the consumer these media channels allows the LEGO Group The LEGO Group has grown to be the world’s LEGO City. and the company. The LEGO Group ensures to send a powerful and consistent message to largest toy manufacturer within construction The LEGO Group won the global award »The the quality through using the highest quality the consumers. «Only the best is good enough« was the motto of the founder Ole toys and the world’s children spend five billion toy of the century« in 2000 and the distinction of raw materials, rigorous quality and safety The web is of increasing importance for Kirk Kristiansen, and today, the company still lives out that spirit hours a year playing with LEGO bricks. »The toy of the year« for Sweden has been testing of elements and products (including the marketing of LEGO products. On the web in every way it operates. The LEGO Group is the market leader in the won an entire seven times – last time being building instructions), following a strict code pages, different LEGO lines are presented in Swedish toy industry and expects to have 15 in 2009 with the LEGO Power Miners product of conduct in production as well as offering the local languages and the children can also percent market share within traditional toys by line. market leading consumer service. read about the products, play games and par- Things you didn't know about 2009. In a toy market that has been relatively ticipate in different competitions. The Internet THE LEGO GROUP flat, the LEGO Group has shown a substantial HISTORY RECENT DEVELOPMENT allows the LEGO Group a direct dialogue with increase in sales and is in many shops the The LEGO Group was founded in 1932 in After a number of difficult years the LEGO consumers. Being close to the consumer is a • LEGO bricks made in 1949 can still be used driver of traffic. Today LEGO products are Billund, Denmark, by local carpenter Ole Kirk Group formed a new strategy in 2004. The win-win situation for both the LEGO Group and and built together with bricks manufactured being sold in traditional toy shops, as well as Kristiansen. The company has passed from strategy’s goal was to be the best at creat- the consumer. today. hypermarkets and supermarkets. father to son and is now owned by Kjeld Kirk ing value for the stores and to refocus on The LEGO Group started LEGO Club in Swe- Kristiansen, a grandchild of the founder. The the value that the LEGO Group offered the den in 2007. It distributes five magazines a • Six 4x2 LEGO bricks can be combined in ACHIEVEMENTS LEGO Group continues to base its opera- consumers. The results achieved by the LEGO year. The magazine includes articles about the 915 103 765 ways – but as far as anyone The LEGO Group ended 2008 with a highly tions and much of the production in Billund, Group have proven the strategy successful latest news, comics, competitions and pages knows, no one has actually managed to satisfactory result and all major LEGO Group Denmark. LEGO products are also produced – e.g. the strong growth increased the store with many pictures of the children’s own construct every option. markets saw double digit sales increase in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Mexico. profitability, delivered the industry’s highest creations. The club has grown rapidly, and has • With a production of about 306 million tyres despite the fact that, overall, the global Ole Kirk Kristiansen came up with the name turn rate while improving the consumers’ play in 2009 reached 30 000 members. toy market saw a moderate decrease. The »LEGO« in 1934. He took the first two letters experience. a year, the LEGO Group is the world’s largest increase in sales has continued during 2009 of the Danish words »LEg GOdt«, meaning In recent years the LEGO Group has BRAND VALUES tyre manufacturer. driven by the strong LEGO brand, a timeless »play well« and put them together. Afterwards focused on bringing new innovative product The LEGO Group’s values consist of six • Approximately seven LEGO sets are sold each core concept, a powerful product line-up and it became known that the word LEGO also lines to the market within the LEGO core cornerstones – imagination, creativity, fun, second. extensive marketing campaigns. means »I put together« in Latin, which is also concept. In 2010, the LEGO Group will con- learning, care and quality. Classic product lines such as LEGO City, very appropriate. tinue this innovation with new lines such as The central part of the values is the play • If you built a column of about 40 000 000 000 LEGO DUPLO® and LEGO Technic constitute Initially, the LEGO Group created wooden LEGO Atlantis and LEGO Toy Story™. In addi- – play well. Through the LEGO System of LEGO bricks it would reach the moon. the foundation of the LEGO sales. These toys, but in 1949 the first LEGO brick came The LEGO Group is entering the game category with LEGO Games in 2010. tion, the LEGO Group is now looking for new Play, the children should be able to create LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of the LEGO Group.