Back in the day when I was a father of young kids, Legos were often the toy of choice. Aside from the thousands of random blocks we collected, it was those Lego kits that made for memorable birthday and holiday gifts. From “Star Wars” to “Harry Potter,” these venerable building blocks have stimulated the imaginations of millions of children – and their parents – across the globe.
Legos were invented in the early 1930s in Denmark. The brand name is derived from two Danish words: “leg godt” which translates to “play well,” a wonderful mission statement for this inventive activity. While twice being named “Toy of the Century,” Legos have also made the silver screen in 2014 with “The Lego Movie.” The brand has been pervasive throughout the world, bringing parents and their kids together.
But now, Lego takes a step into a whole new world – Classic Rock. It was announced last week that a new kit will become available in November (yup, just in time for the holiday season). “Yellow Submarine” includes Lego versions of the four Beatles (that, in and of itself, will end up on a lot of desks around the radio industry), as well as the psychedelic underwater vehicle itself.
The idea was actually hatched by a Beatles fan on the Lego Ideas crowdsourcing page. That suggests a brand that knows how to listen to its consumer base. From there, it wasn’t hard to find a couple of Fab Four fans on the Lego staff. Kevin Szeto and designer Justin Ramsden were on the “Yellow Submarine” team. In a story in Creativity by Alexandra Jardine, each sums up the joy of marrying these two incredible brands. First, Kevin Szeto:
“As an amateur musician and songwriter, I have always been drawn to the music of The Beatles. The creation of the Yellow Submarine model was really my way of showing my affection for The Beatles, as well as trying to pay a small tribute to The Beatles phenomenon. The Yellow Submarine is bright, fun, and colourful, which also make it a good subject to translate into Lego form.”
And Justin Ramsden:
“I watched the film when I was younger and was really inspired by how it oozed so much imagination – comparable to how I view Lego elements. I’m also a massive fan of The Beatles having grown up with their music all my life, so to see The Beatles in Lego form is a dream come true.”
Clearly, Ramsden is speaking for a lot of Beatles and Lego fans.
Check out the cool video Lego produced to celebrate the release of “Yellow Submarine.” The audio is as innovative as the visuals.
Given that many of today’s parents are in the Gen X age group, “Yellow Submarine” looks to be one of those wonderful bonding experiences that will orient many of today’s adolescents to the Beatles. Like so many other elements of the Classic Rock phenomenon – including parents taking their kids to concerts and introducing them to vinyl records – Lego’s “Yellow Submarine” will undoubtedly bring these generations together to enjoy a pop culture juggernaut that is timeless, quirky, and fun.
Nielsen PPM numbers released over the last three years indicates that kids embracing ’60s music icons is no fluke. While the Classic Rock format performs exceptionally well with the generation that originally enjoyed the music, its 18-34 year-old appeal continues to rise year after year, reaching record highs in both 2015 and 2016.
The geniuses at Lego understand the multi-generational appeal of their iconic building blocks and the ongoing fascination the world has with the Beatles. Many of today’s moms and dads will be stuffing stockings with “Yellow Submarine” – a bargain at around $60.
And I suspect that many Boomers as well will be purchasing the kits for their grandchildren – and perhaps themselves.
Yes, mine’s on pre-order.
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Classic: The Best of Tried & True. So many new formats & digital information. So little opportunity to create, curate, connect and channel profitable delivery! “Here Comes The Sun.”
I see first hand how The Beatles and even more specifically Yellow Submarine brings generations together. I represent and tour an art show featuring Yellow Submarine animator Ron Campbell and his paintings of the Yellow Submarine Beatles. The popularity of the Beatles transcends generations. We have customers from 3 years old to upper end baby boomers. Most of our customers were not even alive when the Beatles broke up! It’s amazing to witness. People even break out in tears when they see the artwork and meet Campbell.
Scott, you have lived the dream. It must be fascinating for you watching this pop culture juggernaut roll on. Thanks for taking the time to weigh in and comment.