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Dansk version
March 28 2007
Consumers in control:
LEGO Group publishes product entirely designed by fans
With the launch of the new LEGO Hobby Train set and web site, LEGO is truly paying tribute to its loyal fans and celebrating the richness of consumer design. The LEGO Hobby Train set kicks off a new theme where consumers will decide the size and content of the product range.
LEGO is now setting new standards for its product development and user driven innovation. Consumers are now able to buy products designed by some of the most talented and dedicated LEGO fans. The newly launched LEGO Hobby Train set is the first in a series of completely fan designed LEGO products. By including lead users in the development of new products, LEGO is setting an example for how the concept of user driven innovation can create fascinating results.
“The LEGO Hobby Train set is truly an amazing product with an amazing story behind it. It can already be seen as a milestone in the future development of LEGO products. The cooperation between the LEGO Group and the specially selected ten LEGO train designers from all over the world has made it possible to create not only a very special LEGO product but has also set new standards for the way we will go about product development in the future”, says Lisbeth Valther Pallesen, Executive Vice President of the ‘Community, Education and Direct’ division in the LEGO Group.
Celebration of consumer design
The launch of the LEGO Hobby Train set is the beginning of a new era for product development in the LEGO Group. This is made possible through one of the new platforms created by the LEGO Group: LEGO Factory. LEGO Factory is a consumer publishing platform that provides LEGO fans with the tools to design, build and buy their own or others’ custom-designed LEGO models online.
“The LEGO Hobby Train set is not only a celebration of LEGO fan design but also a ‘play starter’. The set is meant to encourage LEGO consumers to use www.LEGOFactory.com to design, build and publish their own LEGO hobby train layouts. In other words, LEGO Factory creates a building platform for both advanced LEGO hobbyists and LEGO consumers in general. However, LEGO Factory does not only give fans the possibility to pursue their passion and share it with others. With its consumer empowering approach and enabling set of tools, it is paving the way for a new business model within the LEGO Group”, says Helene Venge, Marketing Manager for LEGO Factory.
Unleashed creativity and endless possibilities
LEGO Factory provides endless possibilities and strengthens the ties between LEGO and its consumers. The Hobby Train set is a strong manifestation of company and consumer co-creation.
Chris Masi, one of the ten Hobby Train designers, says: “Being a part of the designer team for LEGO Hobby Train has been a great experience. Not only has LEGO brought together some of the best designers and set up an international team. We have also been given the possibility to unleash our creativity and make our LEGO building dreams come true. This really is a striking example of how the LEGO core values of creativity and endless possibilities exist in all LEGO products. Now we are all just hoping that LEGO invites us back to do a crazy amount of work just for the fun of it!”
Relevant links:
www.iltco.org
www.LEGOfactory.com
For further information, please contact:
Charlotte Simonsen
Head of Corporate Communications
LEGO Group
P: +45 79 50 65 79
M: +45 20 30 81 35
LEGO Hobby Train
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LEGO Hobby Train box
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The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for children, employing approximately 7,000 people globally. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative abilities. LEGO products can be purchased in more than 130 countries.
LEGO and the LEGO logo are trademarks of The LEGO Group. ©2009 The LEGO Group.
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