Lego For Girls Outsells All Expectations

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Lego's new line of toys created specifically for girls helped first-half profits jump 35 percent, despite criticism for fueling gender stereotypes.

The family-owned Danish toy maker on Friday said net profit rose to 2 billion kroner ($336 million), from 1.48 billion kroner in the first six months of 2011. Sales rose 24 percent to 9.1 billion kroner.

The company said it sold twice as many Lego Friends sets as expected during the first six months of the year.

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"It has been amazing to experience the enthusiastic welcome that consumers have given the new range," Chief Executive Joergen Vig Knudstorp said. "Sales have been quite astonishing."

When Lego Friends was launched earlier this year, it was met with protests from some consumer groups saying the toys were reinforcing gender stereotypes. The line includes a set for girls with mini-figures in pink, purple and green settings, a dream house, a splash pool and a beauty shop.

In the U.S., the SPARK movement against the sexualization of girls and young women, organized a petition with more than 50,000 signatures calling on Lego to change its marketing strategy.

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Lego said the new line was developed amid requests from parents and girls for more realistic and detailed sets with brighter colors and role playing opportunities.

The company said the half-year result was achieved at a time when the global toy market is declining, and that it had increased its share of the global toy market to more than 8 percent, one percentage point higher than in first half of 2011.

The first half of 2012 "exceeds our expectations, and the financial result is exceptional, especially in view of general developments in the world toy market," Vig Knudstorp said. "However, it is still too early to provide estimates on the expected result for the full year because the closing months of the year are crucial for our business."

Lego said it has been expanding capacity in all areas of its business in 2012 to be able to meet growing demand, and plans to hire some 1,000 new employees globally this year.

The company, which employs some 10,000 people worldwide, is not publicly listed, but has published earning reports since 1997. It does not release quarterly figures.

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12 Fans

09:04 AM on 09/01/2012

I was brought up on "girl" Lego in the 90's called Paradisa and I absolutely loved it! I was able to play with my sets alongside my brother's Lego sets in a little Lego town we created. We both shared each, so even though it was pink and had girly themes, my brother enjoyed playing with them as well. It introduced me to 'regular' Lego sets too, so I don't see a big downside to playing with a "pinkified" Lego Mansion/Ranch/Beach House because of what other experiences came from it.

What I find disappointing & problematic about the new Lego "Friends" is that the Lego people's girl bodies are different. Check out the comparison in this photo: http://toysnbricks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/LEGO-Friends-2012-.jpg

You can't mix and match hair or body parts with other 'regular' Lego. The Lego "Friends" body is very thin & marked much more feminine compared to the 'regular' Lego body. If both types of Lego are played alongside each other (ie. brother & sister's toys), there's a strong message now being sent to girls about what they need to look like. Lego people aren't really equals anymore. Girls are being separated by "boy" Lego now based on what they look like, based on their bodies, not just the colour of the house as was the case with Paradisa. Their parts are now different.

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dont believe everything

27 Fans

08:20 PM on 08/31/2012

the fact that people out there actually think this gender neutral idea is a good one goes to show just how ridiculas our world has become. boys are boys and girls are girls. trying to teach them that theres nothing different between the two is only going to lead to confusion in the future and bring on all the moronic debate surrounding this, you all know im right. due to the genetic make up of the male and female bodies, there are some things in this life that men are better at and some things that women are better at. is this an unfair assesment, or one person simply stating the truth ? if you think that boys and girls should be taught that theyre exactly the same in every way then you have your head stuck very far up your politicly correct arses.

Guy Caballero

15 Fans

03:16 PM on 08/31/2012

I can't get too riled up about this. The original "non-girly" lego sets have been available for years, and girls just weren't buying them. Now they come out with this new line and it actually sells. Some girls like girly stuff, that's all. Not all girls do, but some. No sense getting bent out of shape about it.

Mastiff

Via ovicipitum dura est.

281 Fans

02:49 PM on 08/31/2012

Teach your children about gender roles, and choose to buy them toys that can be gender neutral.

The fact that there is a market for toys aimed at girls does not change the fact that Lego also offers gender-neutral sets. There's room for both in the world.

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Leanne McKenzie

You can't make this sh*t up.

275 Fans

01:12 PM on 08/31/2012

No matter how hard adults try to demand "gender neutral" children always have something to say. To prefer. I have tried for 2 different generations.

Our granddaughter is now 6 and has finally decided that some other colour than pink or purple is her favourite colour. She now likes blue - which was a "boy" colour for all of those same years.

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Lego For Girls Outsells All Expectations

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