The Long Tail of LEGO: The Brickarms Example

Un another interesting article must read for those who master the English language: The Long Tail of LEGO which is actually an excerpt from the book written by Chris Anderson: "Makers". The author discusses the phenomenon of" Long Tail "or" Long Train ", a term used in various fields such as trade or referencing and which also defines (among others) also the products whose marketing in small series has been made. possible through the Internet and to which traditional channels have offered little visibility until now. It presents an example around the company LEGO, the giant which has always refused to produce so-called contemporary weapons and Brickarms, the small manufacturer of ABS plastic weapons of war.

He develops the idea that finally Brickarms does LEGO a service by providing customers of old age with accessories that allow them to extend their passion for LEGO and combine it with their attraction to the things of war. A 10 or 11 year old kid who might get tired of plastic ninjas or fire trucks would find it Brickarms enough to satisfy his desires for soldiers, special forces and warlike action. Brickarms, Brickforge and all the other manufacturers of this template would thus offer an additional chance for LEGO to see fans arriving who have escaped the "Dark Age"and ready to invest even more in their passion that has become a collection.

LEGO would have understood the interest of letting these third-party manufacturers produce accessories that are not in its catalog for ethical reasons and would implicitly support them by providing them with recommendations as to the plastics and techniques to be implemented to comply with the spirit of the brand. These small manufacturers have a more flexible structure than that of the giant Billund which plans its products well in advance and validates them through a complex commercial and industrial process.

Brickarms therefore takes advantage of this "Long Tail" by being in the wake of the manufacturer whose inventory it enhances with its creations which ultimately do not compete with existing products. All of these small manufacturers are indirectly part of the LEGO trade galaxy and fill in the manufacturer's gaps by meeting the expectations of customers looking for specific products. The Internet allows them to occupy these commercial niches, to communicate effectively and to market their small series of products to fans.

If you have time, go take a look this very interesting article, which almost makes you want to read the book in question.