The Lego and Batman Franchise Strategy

Since its modest beginnings in 1932, the Lego company continues to make adults and children alike happy with new play sets being continuously released in the toy market. Lego is popular with many adults for purely nostalgic reasons, while kids simply love playing with the toy sets while unknowingly developing their building skills! The nostalgia angle is a great marketing pitch, but to be able to survive, Lego must do more than to depend on nostalgia. Lego has always been known for the innovations in its products and the system utilized to make these products, but without a solid offering, it could very well remain on the sidelines while other toy companies rise to the top. Lego executives understand this situation and have made aggressive marketing and production campaigns promoting the products and the brand.

Lego has released thousands of themed play sets over the years, including dinosaurs, medieval castles, robots, and train sets, to name a few. While this surly helped Lego capture a larger market share, the company showed great vision and further widened its lead in the building toy market by partnering with companies that own super franchises such as Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Star Wars, and, of course, Batman. These franchises were transformed as Lego toy building sets using toy bricks, blocks, and pieces, much to the delight of both movie enthusiasts and Lego buffs.

One of the most profitable among the successful franchises that have made it to the Lego ranks is Batman. Batman sets are scenes from Marvel comic book’s movies and cartoons. Lego has turned famous Batman scenes and locations, as well as vehicles, into building sets that provide hours of entertainment. Of all the vehicle sets the Batmobile is, of course, the most popular. Other Lego sets are Robin’s Scuba Jet, the Penguin’s submarine and Mr. Freeze’s jeep. What are even cooler are the Batman mini-figures that come with these vehicles. This is but a few of the Lego Batman sets available today.

Batman is a very profitable franchise that really needs no promotion. However, the partnership with Lego was a wise move on the part of both companies as they are able to reap the benefits from each other’s loyal following. A prime example of the effect of this strategic alliance is that Lego collectors and Batman memorabilia collectors can be one and the same. A Batman collector who collects anything Batman is also likely to buy Lego as long as Batman is the theme. It won’t matter what type of play set it is, as long as it’s Batman related. This buying behavior applies to Lego collectors as well. The Batman product and Lego marriage means more than just short-term profits. One has to take into account the long-term aspect of the merger. The more Batman products Lego releases, the higher the probability for increased customers and profits.

Lego Batman sets will always be popular with Lego enthusiasts and collectors alike. It also stands to reason that if a parent is into, either or Batman and Lego, the chances of their kids being into the Lego hobby is likely as well. This continuing cycle is a wining situation for the consumer and the marketplace as well!