Ch. 1 - Overview of Marketing (Brief History and Mission Statement)

 
The LEGO Group is well known for its best-selling construction toy “Lego” – an interlocking plastic brick which allows creativity and imagination by assembling and connecting the Lego pieces to construct different kinds of objects.

The company was found by Ole Kirk Kristiansen in the village of Bilund, Denmark in 1932. It was a carpenter’s workshop called “Lego” which means “play well” in Danish. It was the most original idea of the company and later realized that it means “I put together” in Latin. The company had been producing stepladders, ironing boards, stools and wooden toys at that time. Until 1947, they started a new business line and began producing plastic toy. The early version of the present Lego form was launched called “Automatic binding bricks” which was based on the idea of Kiddicraft self-locking bricks.

By 1951, plastic toys dominated half of the product sales of the company. In 1954, Kristiansen‘s son, Godtfred had become the junior managing director of the Lego company. At the time he travelled to England, he talked with a purchasing agent on the ferry. Although Gotfred saw the potential of their own product, the agent pointed out that the toys are lack of idea and system. The thought of developing a toy system couldn’t get out of Godtfred’s mind. So he reviewed the product weaknesses and limitations and eventually developed a new play platform – “LEGO System of Play”.

As of 2015, there are 600 million Lego parts have been produced. Several dozens retail stores open in different country. It develops a Lego subculture globally, almost everyone have heard of their name. It even replaces Ferrari as the “most powerful brand” by Brand Finance and became the world's largest toy company by revenue.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Lego group company always encourage children to learn, engage and develop with imagination and creativity. They believe that the company philosophy “good quality play” lays foundation for the children’s later adult life. Also inspire and develop the little ones to be the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning.