Lego’s marketing boss on vloggers: ‘We don’t just want to pay someone to praise our products’
Although admitting that it is ‘exploring’ more partnerships with vloggers, Lego’s VP of marketing and consumer experiences Conny Kalcher says it is challenging to do so and still come across as ‘authentic’.
Speaking to Marketing Week ahead of her appearance at the CMA International Content Marketing Summit tomorrow (3 December), Kalcher says the toy brand wants to avoid generic vlogger tie-ups.
“We are definitely exploring doing things with vloggers and bloggers but it will likely be in the adult space opposed to the kids space,” she said.
“The issue is people are very aware when something is authentic and when something is paid for. Lego has to remain authentic as a brand. We don’t just want to go down the road of paying people to say that our products are good.”
Lego has moved to a cross-platform, data-led, marketing strategy over recent years and Kalcher says that will continue, adding: “Digital isn’t something that sits across one department or a few people, it sits across everything we do today. It is something everybody at Lego must learn and master.”
Growing Lego in 2016
With the release of the next Star Wars film only a few weeks away, Kalcher expects it to help define the Lego brand in 2016. However, she also insists that Lego must continue to innovate and not rest on its laurels.
“Star Wars has a broad appeal across adults and children, whether it can be the biggest Lego launch ever, only time will tell,” she added.
“Kids move fast and we’ve been humbled by the mistakes we made in the past, and as the toy market is driven by novelty, it is all about evolving. We’re really excited about our new IP Nexo Knights for 2016 and it’s important we don’t just recycle ideas.
“Yes, it is important to partner with the big franchises like Star Wars but Lego must also add new blood and fresh ideas.”
Having topped Brand Finance’s Global 500 report as the world’s most powerful brand for 2015, Kalcher says she’s confident Lego can continue this momentum next year.
She concludes: “Of course there’s challenges as in markets like China we don’t have the same legacy of generation’s passing their Lego down the family – so that’s somewhere we want to grow.
“But overall next year will be helped by Star Wars and the new Lego Ninjago film we’re bringing out. We feel well prepared for more growth in 2016.”
