Tag: Toys

Singapore – Global footwear company and toy company The LEGO Group have signed a multi-year partnership as its aims to bring to life the many ways sport and creative play can help all kids be the best versions of themselves.

Through this global partnership, families around the globe could see a series of co-branded products, content and experiences beginning next year that combine the imaginative power of LEGO bricks with Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ spirit to invite all kids into play and sport.

Moreover, the partnership reflects Nike and the LEGO Group’s shared commitment to put creativity, fun, sport and imagination back into play, and inspire, engage and empower kids around the world.

To mark the announcement of their partnership, Nike and the LEGO Group curated a special digital animation to spark the excitement and curiosity of kids, families and adults everywhere. It brings to life how sport and creative play will come together and leverage iconic elements from both brands.

At the centre is a specially created LEGO Minifigure head with the Nike Swoosh as the smile, symbolising the unique power of both brands through sport and creativity. This is surrounded by sport references and individual icons from both brands, such as the orange Nike shoebox; the waffle outsole and Nike Air technologies; and the LEGO brick, Minifigure, castle and studs. 

Also included are shared icons such as the duck, the LEGO Group’s first product and a symbol synonymous with Oregon, Nike’s birthplace; the Pegasus horse, a reference to an iconic Nike footwear innovation; and of course the G.O.A.T., a nod to some of the greatest athletes in Nike’s portfolio.

Alero Akuya, vice president of brand development at The LEGO Group, said, “At the LEGO Group, we believe in the power of play to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. By combining the creativity of LEGO play with the energy and passion of sport we want to inspire new ways for kids to play and be creative. We are excited to partner with Nike on this journey and help reimagine how creative play and sport can unite. Together, we will create unique experiences that will engage and excite kids around the world, inspiring them to explore their imaginations.” 

Meanwhile, Cal Dowers, vice president for global kids at Nike, commented, “At Nike, we believe in the power of sport to move the world forward, and that starts with kids. We’re committed to creating a more accessible and inclusive future that inspires kids of all ages and abilities to be more active. Together, with the LEGO Group, we’re excited to invite all kids into a new vision of sport and creative play.”

Australia – Moose Toys, an Australian toy maker, has announced a partnership with popular YouTuber MrBeast to co-create an entirely new brand, and is slated for launch on the fall of this year.

Jimmy Donaldson, who goes by the name of MrBeast, is the most subscribed YouTube creator worldwide and now has over 234 million subscribers.

For the new merch lineup, Moose Toys notes that the lineup will capture the ferocity of the globally recognizable bright blue and fuchsia panther logo that is the signature of MrBeast’s brand. 

Moreover, it will represent a fusion of primal predators and will include collectibles and action figures in a variety of scales, authentic designs, quality finishes and color combinations.

Paul Solomon, CEO at Moose Toys, said, “This will be the most anticipated launch of the year. MrBeast is wildly iconic and the biggest influencer on the planet. By combining his unique brand of innovation with our Moose WOW, we created a phenomenal line of products that will be highly sought after. We’re incredibly honored he entrusted Moose as a partner and co-creator.”

Billund, Denmark — The LEGO Group has announced its launch of the ‘A-Z of Awesome’, an ongoing campaign which runs into 2023 using LEGO builds to celebrate inclusivity and embrace self-expression in the LGBTQIA+ community.

The A-Z will be developed in creative LEGO creations to help LGBTQIA+ families use play to have open conversations about their identities. For the alphabet to be created in the most authentic and meaningful way possible, the designs of each letter will be created by members of the LGBTQIA+ community, including LEGO fans, young and old, members of the community and LEGO employees.

Launching during Pride Month, the alphabet aims to build understanding and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community and the different abbreviations used.

‘The A-Z of Awesome’ aims to present the community’s vocabulary more widely through a fun and playful medium. The LEGO Group is inviting submissions including an explanation of what the build means to its creator, which will be featured on a dedicated website.

Alero Akuya, VP of brand development of LEGO Group, said, “The wonderful thing about LEGO bricks is that they can be a powerful form of self-expression as you can build anything you can imagine. We can’t wait to see what fans will submit of amazing builds and beautiful stories.”

Akuya adds, “We hope their creativity and our A-Z of Awesome campaign inspire people of all ages and help build greater awareness and acceptance. We want to show people that with more love and understanding people can be their true selves.”

The creative inspiration for this campaign was born out of the insight from GLAAD that almost half of non-LGBTQIA+ people find conversations around gender identity confusion.

On the significance of Pride Month, Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of GLSEN, said, “All children benefit from learning about the diverse world around them, and positive representation of LGBTQ+ identities, whether in school curriculum or in play, helps young people feel prepared to meaningfully engage in their communities. We’re proud to support the LEGO Group’s ‘The A-Z of Awesome’ campaign as a powerful tool to build a more tolerant and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ families and young people.”

Meanwhile, Intersex campaigner and ‘A-Z of Awesome’ contributor Pidgeon Pagonis, shared, “Growing up I remember feeling this sense of shame, like oh there’s something wrong with me, or the things I desire or want. This project is important because there might be an intersex person out there who likes to build with LEGO bricks, and this can help them see themselves represented.”

The 2022 campaign for Pride month brings together the following; The A-Z campaign will serve as a call to action for members of the community to submit their builds and stories to complete the alphabet. Selected builds will be added to the A-Z, with the full alphabet being presented by the end of 2022. Additionally, The LEGO Group will donate US$1m to existing and new partner organisations in support of the LGBTQIA community.

Moreover, LEGO will participate in pride events as well as have their LBGTQIA+ Employee Advocacy Groups arrange activities for LEGO employees, as well as internal sessions will be hosted featuring external consultants from the community.

This campaign builds off the LEGO Group’s support for the LGBTQIA+ community in recent years where one such example includes supporting the LGBTQIA+ community by building a miniature pride parade within the family activity zone at Pride in London in 2019.

Auckland, New Zealand — POP MART, the global culture and entertainment company best known for art toys and collectable toys, has announced the opening of its first New Zealand store in Auckland this April.

Located at Queen Street, the commercial centre of Auckland’s CBD, the two-story site features a range of POP MART toys from their numerous series and of varying rarities.

Justin Moon, VP of POP MART, and president of POP MART International, said, “We are excited to come to New Zealand and open our new store in Auckland, a world-renowned and beautiful city.”

Moon adds, “With our well-designed store, we can connect with local art toy fans and consumers, bringing them a joyful and engaging shopping experience, and sharing the culture of art toys.”

The New Zealand store is the first official POP MART store in Oceania. The company launched two Roboshops, or toy vending machines, and a pop-up store in Australia last year, which proved a hit with local art toy fans. A store also popped up this year in London that marked the brand’s first physical store in Europe. The Beijing-based art toy brand has already expanded into 23 countries and regions across the world.