On LEGO’s Legacy In Global Toy Industry

This thesis is a cultural analysis of Danish toy LEGO’s popularity in theUnited States. LEGO is a kind of interlocking toy bricks from Denmark, and itsinnovative design makes it stand out among so many toys, earning a place inAmerica, such a competitive toy market. LEGO bricks consist of colorful plasticbricks, gear, mini figures, and a variety of other components. All the bricks can belocked together by means of several round studs on top and corresponding holes onthe bottom. LEGO bricks need children to set their own wits to play, and childrencan construct infinitely variable models with LEGO bricks, which can inspirechildren’s endless imagination and creativity.This thesis interprets the issue of LEGO as creative model, and the study istrying to analyze in three aspects: creative LEGO, individual LEGO andmulti-faceted LEGO. On the one hand, it analyzes LEGO itself. On the other hand,it explores and analyzes the similarity between LEGO product characteristics andAmerican players’ values from the cultural perspective.The main body of the thesis consists of three chapters. Chapter one discussesLEGO’s creativity that is expressed through its ideas and product lines, which caninspire players to foster creative mind. Chapter two mainly argues that LEGObricks could satisfy American players’ individual need through its individualcharacteristics and management strategy. Chapter three addresses LEGO’smulti-faceted development in different fields, which can correspond with Americanmulticulture. LEGO Education, movies, video games and LEGOLAND areradically developed to provide players multitudinous ways to play the colorfulbricks.In the end, the thesis draws the conclusion that LEGO’s ideas, managementstrategy and product characteristics can not only satisfy American player’s need fora toy but also correspond with some typical values of American people to some extent. The author holds that it is the correspondence that contributed greatly toLEGO’s popularity in America.