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Post by Erathor Pridenar on Aug 6, 2014 0:01:45 GMT -8
I saw this BBC News article this morning, just one of many such stories I've seen recently. So, I was wondering what you all thought of both the Friends theme and the so-called 'lack' of female characters in LEGO sets. It could be quite an interesting discussion. |
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AK_Brickster
Innkeeper
Scouting the Lenfel Border
Posts: 3,272 
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Post by AK_Brickster on Aug 6, 2014 6:32:51 GMT -8
I think that expecting Lego to market toys in a gender-neutral way when every other brand is doing gender-specific advertising is a pretty harsh requirement.
If Lego can't advertise in the most effective way possible, they won't make as much money and the business could suffer.
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lilcurt
Outlaws
Back Home, Somewhere along the Lenfeld, Garheim Border Preparing for winter :)
Posts: 1,041
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Post by lilcurt on Aug 6, 2014 9:09:02 GMT -8
I agree with Jordan. How ever how many know that Barbie and Hotwheels are the same company, Mattel. And Mattel has many brands that are not gender neutral so why is it such a big deal for Lego to have to be neutral? Personally Lego is Lego, yes sometimes I feel silly buying Friends sets but you know what. I still do, and I buy what would be deemed Boy sets for my daughter. so It doesn't mater to me and I don't know why this is such an issue.
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Post by Karhn on Aug 7, 2014 22:31:21 GMT -8
its just the news trying make lego mad and so they use their quotes against them
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Post by Sir Caelan Munro on Aug 8, 2014 5:22:17 GMT -8
I am completely sick of all this inane whining about gender-specific toys. PC zealots are at this with the help of the media. There is a growing trend in the West for certain ideologies to think they can bully anyone into their way of thinking, including The LEGO Group, and the news media is complicit in this pressure. TLG should ignore them all and do what's best for the company. It wasn't that long ago (10 years or so) that they were facing bankruptcy due to some bad decision-making. It could happen again, but all these gender-sniping zealots will disappear into the woodwork when time for blame comes around for failed marketing of toys that children do not want. Capitalism works if we let it. I'm off my soapbox now  |
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Post by Erathor Pridenar on Aug 8, 2014 7:31:16 GMT -8
I totally agree with you guys. PC seems to have gone way too far, again. If LEGO are selling more toys to boys than girls (and I'm pretty sure that is the case), then why not let them make more 'boy-themed' sets with male minifigures than 'girl-themed' ones? If it means the company does better, I say what Gary said: ignore the 'zealots'. Even when LEGO make an almost exclusively-female line (Friends), they get attacked for not being inclusive enough, or basically for making things too pink. There's no winning here unless they blank out the critics and do things the way they want.
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SpearralSquid
Garheim
Green is not a creative color.
Posts: 1,049
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Post by SpearralSquid on Aug 8, 2014 7:42:45 GMT -8
Here's my opinion. Honestly, I think the "zealots" are making too big a deal of it. I have seen a ridiculous amount of articles/rants on this subject, and I really dont think they're thinking this out well enough. They first complain that Lego doesn't make anything for girls, but when Lego does, they complain that it's too pink and girly. The fact is most girls do in fact like pink and girly stuff. My younger sister like that kind of thing and thinks Friends is cool. And, on the other hand, if said girl wants to buy and play with castle, Chima, or action "boy" sets, there is nothing stopping her. Example: the older of my 2 sisters likes Chima and Star Wars and stuff, and, ironically to this discussion, built this scene: 
My sister's MOC: You don't belong here…. by Brickninja!, on Flickr Anyway, I really don't want to start any flame wars or anything, but that's my opinion. |
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Post by Sir Caelan Munro on Aug 8, 2014 9:10:52 GMT -8
Funny build. Only way it could be better if she was in a lounge chair and had one of those silly-looking Friends pets with her...
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Post by crazycrownieguy on Aug 8, 2014 14:00:38 GMT -8
I think the issue people have with friends, is that it is still promoting the whole, girls need to stay at home and cook for their dominant husbands, thing. It isn't encouraging girls to become interested in science, adventure, creativity, etc. etc.
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AK_Brickster
Innkeeper
Scouting the Lenfel Border
Posts: 3,272
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Post by AK_Brickster on Aug 8, 2014 16:13:05 GMT -8
They have a lab set, a karate set and a yacht set! Which one of those is promoting servitude to their male overlords, exactly? Of course they also have a makeup set and other girlie-themed sets because, news flash: GIRLS LIKE THAT STUFF AND WANT TO BUY IT!  |
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Post by Erathor Pridenar on Aug 8, 2014 22:37:29 GMT -8
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AK_Brickster
Innkeeper
Scouting the Lenfel Border
Posts: 3,272
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Post by AK_Brickster on Aug 9, 2014 21:14:48 GMT -8
If there was a "Make Daddy a Sandwich Because He Had a Hard Day at Work" set, then I would agree with you, CCG |
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Post by Sir Caedric Moore on Aug 11, 2014 10:02:23 GMT -8
I agree that gender specific marketing is effective, but I also think that TLG could include more female characters in their sets without the necessity of having them be "girly". Some of my favorite literary characters are strong female warriors, i.e. Arya Drottningu the Elf Princess from the Inheritance series (Christopher Paolini), Shraeve the leader of the Battle Inkallim from The Godless World series (Brian Rukcley), and even though her part is minimal in the books Arwen Undomiel the Half-Elf warrior daughter of Elrond from the Lord of the Rings series (J.R.R. Tolkien). Female characters can also be strong in other ways, like Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling) with her strong intellect. So really, TLG would lose nothing to include a female soldier or two in a set with multiple minifigs, along with Princesses, villagers, etc.
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