Legends of Chima: is LEGO doing too much already?

The Legends of Chima range is not yet available as it is already overdosed: Videos, visuals, leaks, mini site, endless teasers, sets System, spinning tops, action figures (Visual above unveiled by Bionifigs.com), etc ... This new in-house license covers the almost complete range of the manufacturer's offer, only a few Technic sets and one or two UCS are missing.

One thing is certain, LEGO is putting the package on this range which in principle should leave it a little more margin than products under third party licenses for which royalties must be paid to the rights holders. This is undoubtedly a question of restoring the balance between derivative products that generate guaranteed visibility and predictable sales (Super Heroes, Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit, TMNT, etc.) and products based on an original concept including LEGO controls all stages: Production, marketing, marketing ... This total control added to intellectual authorship over the developed universe obviously guarantees the best margins.

So, commercial success announced or major industrial accident in anticipation?

LEGO Legends of Chima Cragger Teaser Video

The future will tell, but at the start of 2013, LEGO will ensure a smooth transition with the end of the Ninjago range materialized by six sets marked with the words "The final battle"before launching Legends of Chima which obviously targets the same young customers of the brand. 
I put aside here the AFOLs and other TFOLs interested in this new range of which they are not a priority target. Their eventual enthusiasm alone will not be enough to ensure the success of this range.

Let us also be realistic about the playful alibis of the range: The Speedorz, ​​a species of hybrid tops-vehicles will not liven up the recreations and will not dethrone the Beyblade tops. And no one will ever play the Legends of Chima pseudo-card game. Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! still have a bright future ahead of them.

In recent weeks, LEGO has clearly shown its intentions and its desire to impose very quickly a whole new universe populated by strange characters and new stories that should revolve around the endless struggle of good against evil. But children are already extremely in demand by the various existing universes and it will be necessary to be very persuasive to attract the favor of young consumers who already have their favorite licenses on TV, in the cinema or in their favorite game consoles.

Shaking up these benchmarks is no easy task. We have to convince the children, who will play with these minifigs and these machines, but also their parents, who will pay for these sets and will have to come back to the cash register regularly to complete the kid's bestiary. They must be given cartoons, advertisements and other online mini-games, LEGO has also become a specialist in this type of diversified marketing plan by outsourcing these services and leaning on recognized specialists in their respective fields.

Some would say that if the Ninjago line has been convincing, Legends of Chima shouldn't have a hard time doing the same. But nothing is won in advance. The LEGO department is cannibalized by attractive licenses and Legends of Chima will inevitably lack a little charisma to fight effectively in the first months. LEGO will undoubtedly adapt its pricing policy to make the sets in the range financially attractive.

LEGO clearly feels in a strong position in its market, which the figures confirm, but the manufacturer is undoubtedly keen to maintain the right balance between derivative products and original creations. As if you had to show a certain ability to create and innovate rather than perpetually surfing on the success of others to generate profit. It is also the price to pay for maintaining control over one's own development without blindly relying on the performance of other players in the world of television and cinematographic entertainment.

2013 will tell us if this new range will be able to impose itself quickly as Ninjago did in 2011 or if LEGO will have to repackage its motorized crocodiles and return to the licenses better established with the young public.