Lego focuses globally with McCann-Erickson

Lego, the largest toy manufacturer in Europe, has signed

McCann-Erickson to handle its global brand strategy as it strives to

build closer relationships with consumers in all its markets.

The brief covers a wide range of disciplines, including advertising,

relationship marketing, event marketing, direct marketing and new

media.

McCanns will look into how Lego’s brand values are communicated across

different media to different audiences worldwide.

It will also investigate the nature of the brand’s relationship with

consumers across markets.

As well as the wider strategic brief, companies within the

McCann-Erickson WorldGroup will work on specific projects for Lego.

Future Brand, McCann’s brand consultancy arm, will look at brand names

and design, while McCann Relationship Marketing will be responsible for

developing affinity schemes in a bid to build deeper relationships with

consumers across all markets.

Lee Daley, chief strategy officer for McCann Europe, who is overseeing

the project, said: ’Lego wants to understand how the brand fits into

consumers’ lives. This is not just about advertising, it’s very much a

strategic appointment. We’re dealing with whatever needs to be done to

develop the image of the brand; it’s about all points of contact.’

Daley will report to Christian Majgaard, executive vice-president of

global brand development at Lego. Majgaard was unavailable for comment

as Marketing went to press, and the budget for the assignment was not

disclosed.

McCann’s appointment is the latest stage in a major ongoing review of

Lego’s worldwide communications strategy. Last July Lego parted company

with Bartle Bogle Hegarty, which created the company’s award-winning

’box’ ad, and handed Ammirati Puris Lintas its global advertising

brief.

Earlier this month, Lego appointed Starcom to its pounds 24m North

European media account after a three-way pitch against Initiative Media

and CIA Medianetwork. A decision is still pending on the company’s media

arrangements in Asia and the US.

Lego is sold in about 60,000 outlets in 130 countries. It employs about

10,000 people across 30 countries.

This article was first published on Marketing