Latest news with #WorldPlayDay
The Star
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Lego doubling down on China market
The opening of Legoland Shanghai Resort on July 5 has been key to Lego Group's long-term strategy in China, marking a major milestone in its efforts to build a full ecosystem — from retail and brand experiences to product innovation and education. The move has also showcased the group's strong commitment to its development in China. The $550 million resort, China's first and the largest Legoland park at the time of opening, is the result of collaboration between Shanghai Jinshan Urban Construction Investment Group, UK-based Merlin Entertainments Group, Denmark's KIRKBI Invest A/S under KIRKBI, the parent company of Lego Group, and Chinese media and entertainment conglomerate CMC Inc. The 318,000-square-meter resort boasts eight themed lands with more than 75 interactive rides, shows and attractions, as well as thousands of models built using over 85 million Lego bricks. "It's part of our strategy to have kind of the full ecosystem," said Niels B. Christiansen, president and CEO of Lego Group. "It's important for the brand to create experiences like this." "Would we like to have more over time? Yes, we would," he added. "But this Legoland Shanghai has been on the way for almost 10 years. It's a big thing — making a park like this. You don't just decide it and build it." Christiansen believes Legoland brings something distinctive to the entertainment and theme parks landscape in China, which include leading global players Shanghai Disney Resort and Universal Beijing Resort. "A Legoland resort makes a difference," he said. "We have attractions, and you can go on a roller coaster. But you can also go into mini land, and suddenly you have the Shanghai skyline in amazing size just in front of you." With around 450 stores and a growing digital presence, the world's leading toy company views China — home to 200 million children — as one of its most strategically important markets. "Now we are in China with all the different elements of the Lego brand — including building brands, product retail channels and resort," Christiansen said. "An investment like the one in this resort kind of shows our commitment to the Chinese market." "I have no doubts about the long-term growth prospects of China — both as a global economy and for the Lego Group in China." The company has returned to growth in the Chinese market in the first half of 2025 after a flat performance last year and is rolling out new initiatives to deepen its reach. "We've been able to maintain strong growth, which is really a privilege," Christiansen said. "Opening a resort like this and bringing that to consumers — our vision is clearly to grow revenue and the business, but also to grow by reaching more consumers." To that end, Lego has launched brand events in China ranging from World Play Day to activations around botanical collections and Formula One. "We keep upgrading our stores and making sure that they fulfill what consumers are really looking for," he said. On its supply chain, while global manufacturers continue to face logistics volatility and tariff concerns, the group has remained resilient — thanks to a regionalised production strategy. The company manufactures closer to where demand is, both to ensure flexibility and to align with sustainability goals. "Many of the Lego sets that Chinese children will receive this festival season haven't even been produced yet," Christiansen said, "because we can manufacture them just in time, based on which ones are the most attractive sets". With two factories serving Asia, three in Europe, and one (soon to be two) in the Americas, Christiansen said: "We're not that dependent on tariffs and moving things around the world. In that sense, we've been able to deliver throughout this period." This system matters for a company with creativity and imagination like Lego. "We need to be both: extremely creative, and extremely precise," he said. One of the keys to drive the toymaker in continuous growth momentum is its culture of experimentation and synchronised investment across brand, products and channels. "If you invest in all three things at the same time, you have a much better chance," he said. "It's not enough to invest in products if your channels and brand are not strong." The global toy market has seen renewed momentum in collectibles — led by players like China's Pop Mart, the maker of Labubu. Pop Mart has over 530 stores worldwide, an amusement park in Beijing, and 46 million shopping members. According to Clifton Chiu, senior analyst of Euromonitor International, Pop Mart's sustained success has seen it gain about 20 percent market share in the dolls and accessories market in China and 0.5 percent in the world, which is significant considering it is competing in the same space as Barbie. Lego has continued to be the biggest player in the construction toys market for kidults. In response to the fast rise of the Chinese toymaker, Christiansen said Lego Group is watching the trend with interest but remains focused on long-term brand integrity. "What we're seeing right now is that Pop Mart and collectibles are growing quite rapidly, but they're not taking away from the building or construction part of it," he said. "It's kind of the Lego Group and collectibles that are growing globally, which is a good thing." "Our part of the toy market is also growing pretty well. So we are following the trend, but I'm not too concerned that it will eat into our part of the market," he added. "We want to understand what it means to consumers so that we can tap into that experience as well." Lego already incorporates elements of collectibility in its sets — particularly in display-worthy licensed IP like Formula One — but Christiansen emphasised the company won't chase trends. "We will never compromise on the quality and the learning aspect of what we do," he said. "We don't just do something to do quick business. We want to do something sustainable over time." The rise of collectibles isn't new. "We're seeing that collectible trend all over the world …trading cards, and a lot of similar things where you buy something blind and get excited about what it is," he said. "It's a category that has historically appeared once in a while, stayed popular for three or four years, then became a little less exciting for a period, and then reemerged in a different setting." What would be new, he said, is seeing the collectible experience done "the Lego way" — creative, sustainable and built to last. - China Daily/ANN
NZ Herald
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
New study questions impact of EV's on our health
Everything is awesome on World Play Day! Kindness Collective says kids should play more, and we agree. Reporter Louie is at Westfield Newmarket, where tamariki are celebrating World Play Day with epic LEGO builds.
The Star
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Legoland Shanghai a key brick to building toy brand in China
Lego has continued to be the biggest player in the construction toys market for 'kidults' in the Chinese market. — Xinhua SHANGHAI: The Lego Group is viewing China as a high-potential market, as the toymaker gears up to open its much-anticipated Legoland Shanghai Resort on July 5. Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer at Lego, said during her recent trip to Shanghai: 'With more than 400 retail stores across over 100 Chinese cities, we're committed to expanding our presence with a portfolio of products tailored for Chinese consumers.' The senior executive visited the city to activate the World Play Day with key events in Shanghai, Berlin, Boston and London. The initiative aims to inspire children and families to reimagine urban spaces through the lens of play. Launched last Wednesday, World Play Day, which opened at the West Bund Dream Centre, will run through July 27. The campaign comes as new research commissioned by Lego showed a growing disconnect between urban development and child-friendly planning. Nearly a third of the world's children live in urban areas, and this is projected to rise to 70% by 2050. Yet, many of these children feel overlooked in city planning. The study, which surveyed 10,000 parents and 10,000 children aged 6 to 16 across the world, including Britain, the United States, France and Poland, found that urban centres are generally falling short in providing safe and inclusive spaces for play. 'Play should not be limited to homes and schools. It should extend into our streets, parks and public spaces,' said Goldin. The Shanghai event coincides with a broader push by the toymaker to widen its reach in China, particularly in the year when Legoland Shanghai Resort is scheduled to open next month. Covering 318,000 square metres in the city's Jinshan district, the resort, which is the world's largest Legoland, comprises a theme park and a hotel for children aged two to 12 and their families. It features more than 75 interactive rides, shows and attractions, as well as thousands of Lego models made with over 85 million Lego bricks across eight immersive 'lands'. Goldin said that, in addition to the resort, locally relevant products, including the Shanghai Skyline set, the Lego Botanical Collection featuring Chinese flora, and the Monkie Kid series inspired by traditional Chinese mythology, are key to better resonating with local consumers. Niels B. Christiansen, chief executive officer of the group, said earlier this year that 2025 is a big year for the Lego brand in China, pointing to a series of brand activities designed to engage a wide spectrum of consumers, from children to adult fans. Clifton Chiu, senior analyst at Euromonitor International, said Lego has continued to be the biggest player in the construction toys market for 'kidults' in the Chinese market, with its roster of 18-plus sets. To engage with evolving fans worldwide, the toymaker is also leveraging global partnerships to tap into consumer passions beyond traditional toy play. The group recently teamed up with sportswear brand Nike and Formula 1 racing to integrate play into sports culture. Chiu said the number of brands Lego has collaborated with recently, such as Formula 1, has further increased its popularity by introducing racing fans to the Lego space. Goldin said of the team-ups: 'We only pursue these collaborations when we can add extra value to the passion point. — China Daily/ANN
Hypebeast
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
Channel Your Inner Creativity at the LEGO® PLAY Pavilion in Serpentine London
To commemorate this year's World Play Day,the LEGO Grouphas unveiled its latest installation at theSerpentine Galleryin London with a calendar of must-visit programs running all summer. Designed by iconic British architect Sir Peter Cook, the new cultural center is a free, inclusive space for all to channel their creativity and tap into the power of imagination, with the vibrant, interactive structure bringing a burst of color to Kensington Gardens. Launched as a response to LEGO®'s research, which found one in three kids feel overlooked by urban design, the space aims to champion creativity, uplift London's grassroots communities, and give young people a place to craft freely. Speaking on the inspiration behind his design, Cook explains, 'I've always believed architecture should surprise you, especially if you're young. The Play Pavilion does just that, not in a grand way, but in the small detail and moments of discovery as you navigate the space. Inspired by young people there is a space to hide, climb, perform or simply let your imagination run wild. It really is about unlocking infinite possibilities through play.' As well as music curated byNTS Radio, LEGO® has brought together its master builders alongside the scene's most influential figures to host a variety of immersive workshops spanning art, sport, fashion, and everything in between. Each session aims to explore the infinite possibilities of the humble yet iconic LEGO® brick. Whether creating abstract art, reimagining iconic album covers, or allowing visitors to get a first-hand experience from London's thriving creative communities including edit workshops that go behind the scenes of the creative processes ofMartine RoseandNiko B, a discovery of ecology session through guided walks in nature withFlock Together, and transforming LEGO® into soundscapes for live beat making with producers Kepler andIglooghost— the rich programming embraces the limitless power of play. Elsewhere, LEGO® also brings its recentmulti-year partnership with Niketo the physical realm, which sees the Swoosh brought to life in brick form. Hosting a series of immersive workshops that find the intersection of football culture, streetwear and creativity, the 'Brickswoosh' builder exercises champion both brands' shared values. See what went down at the launch of PLAY Pavilion in the video above. The LEGO® PLAY Pavilion is open now and will run until August 10. For more information and to book a slot for the free sessions, visit the LEGO Groupwebsitenow. Serpentine South GalleryKensington Gardens,London, W2 3XA
Business Standard
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
LEGO® India and Blinkit Celebrate World Play Day with a Click and a LEGO® Brick
VMPL New Delhi [India], June 11: This World Play Day, LEGO® India is turning up the fun! In a special partnership with quick-commerce platform Blinkit, LEGO® sets are now available for instant delivery across 20+ cities in India. To make moments of creativity even more accessible and joyful for families across India, Blinkit is offering exciting LEGO® sets, including LEGO® City F1 Driver with McLaren Race Car, LEGO® Creator Mighty Dinosaurs, Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance Pull-Back, LEGO® Disney Princess Twirling Ariel Building Set & Fantasy Toy Model and many others. The partnership launched with a social media campaign on Instagram highlighting the importance of play and encouraging audiences to rediscover creativity through quick, playful moments, made accessible with Blinkit. The LEGO® Group is also running a contest on the occasion of World Play Day on June 11, where participants can build and share their Play Day moment to win LEGO® Sets! The campaign brings alive the brand's vision of learning through play by enabling instant access to LEGO® Sets and inspiring builders of all ages to embrace the power of imagination. Play Has No Age Limit At the heart of the campaign lies a simple message: play is for everyone. The LEGO® Group's Play Well report shows that 76% adults in India recognise that play is something they wish they were doing more often, & over 4 in 5 parents wish they could play more as a family, whether you're 7 or 70, There is a LEGO® set for everyone and Blinkit ensures that the joy of building, one brick at a time, is never too far away. The two brands are achieving this through strategic homepage placement that positions LEGO® sets alongside daily essentials, making creative play as accessible as ordering groceries. Blinkit's quick delivery network means that inspiration can be acted upon immediately - a parent can order a LEGO® set during their child's afternoon nap and have it delivered before they wake up. The platform's curated selection focuses on toys, ensuring the right building experience is available for every skill level and interest. Whether it's a quick build between meetings or a family session on the weekend, the experience of play is now just a few taps away. "At The LEGO® Group, we believe that play is essential to learning, creativity, and connection," said Bhavana Mandon, Country Manager, LEGO® India. "World Play Day is a reminder that play is a powerful tool that helps children and adults express themselves, solve problems, and bond with each other. This campaign is a celebration of those everyday moments that have the potential to unlock big ideas. By making play more accessible and spontaneous, we hope to encourage more families to build, imagine, and connect through the joy of LEGO® sets." Build your moment of play. Discover the LEGO® collection on Blinkit today: About The LEGO® Group The LEGO® Group's mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO® System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO® bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine. The LEGO® Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words Leg Godt, which mean "Play Well". Today, the LEGO® Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide. For more information:
