Lego's Not Gone "Woke"
Stop trying to divide people. Seeing happy kids is something we should all celebrate.
One day last week I got up early and ventured into a part of London I’d rather avoid – Leicester Square.
Leicester Square, London is always packed
When I arrived, I noticed parts of the square were already blocked off, with gates cutting the pedestrian area in half.
The square was full of men in reflector vests carrying planks of wood, sawing and hammering away as they constructed a barrier.
I watched as men carried tall black signs with three red columns and one word written across the middle in white capital letters – CREED.
As I moved closer to my destination at the northwest side of the square, I noticed there were already people in a queue.
Despite my early arrival, the line was already four rows deep.
But my young son, who was with me, was unfazed by the queue in front of us.
“Let’s go, Mom!” he said, bouncing toward the end of the line.
He was celebrating his 7th birthday that day, and when I asked him the night before where he wanted to go for his birthday, this was his answer.
But we weren’t lining up to see Michael B. Jordan sashay down the red carpet for the European premiere of Creed III.
We were lining up to go to…
The Lego Store.
My son loves Lego, and we were at the store that day to add to his growing collection of Star Wars Lego.
So when I recently saw that The Telegraph said Lego had gone “woke”, I was curious…
“Woke” by definition is meant to indicate a type of awareness to facts and issues, but has become such a loaded word.
In just one syllable, it conveys a sort of outrage and annoyance, a “What is this world coming to?” kind of frustration.
So what ridiculous thing had Lego done?
They introduced a line of figures that included characters with different skin tones, Down’s syndrome, and missing limbs.
According to Lego, the new collection will “enable more children to feel represented during play” and “celebrate diverse friendships in the modern world.”
So why is The Telegraph (and also Fox News) calling Lego “woke” – or implying that this decision is a bad thing?
In the article published on 22 February, The Telegraph wrote:
“While attempts to make products for children more progressive and inclusive are applauded by some parents, others see the trend as overly sensitive and “woke.””
I read on, looking for details about who was outraged or upset that Lego will offer a figure in a wheelchair, but the article did not include a single quote from a parent or other person criticizing the decision.
They’ve just tossed out the word “woke” in the headline (which they later changed) to serve as clickbait and divide people.
But anyone who is a parent – or remembers their own childhood toys – can surely imagine how this decision might make kids feel.
When I was a kid, my friends and I loved playing with Barbie – even though Barbie didn’t look like any of us.
That’s Peaches & Cream Barbie front and center (Crystal on the far left was my fave)
We had different skin tones, hair colors, and eye colors than our Barbies – but she was a girl, and all we had.
My son’s favorite Lego characters are the black and white “baddies” from Star Wars.
They don’t look like him, but if he wants to find a Lego character who does, he probably can.
And why not give every kid that chance?
What’s wrong with celebrating how we are all born, instead of pushing a message that one type is ideal (and implying that anything else is undesirable or less than)?
And decisions like this – while nice – aren’t just made to be inclusive.
They are commercial.
In the article The Telegraph published, they quoted Lego’s research that showed three-quarters of children felt there “were not enough toys that represented them” and that “80 percent of children would like there to be more toys that look like them.”
So, for the TL;DR crowd: Lego talked to their customers, and asked them what they wanted. The customers said more toys that looked like them, and that’s what Lego has now introduced.
This isn’t “woke”, it’s good business!
Have we learned nothing from Rihanna?
She’s become a billionaire by recognizing that – newsflash! – not all women look the same. But they want make-up that matches their skin tone and lingerie that fits their body.
Was she being “woke” for introducing 50 shades of foundation?
No, she was being a savvy businesswoman – who knew there was an opportunity in the market.
That’s what Lego is doing, too.
And a company that shows curiosity and care for customers, asks them what they want, and gives it to them is the kind of company that is worth standing in line for.
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Beth Collier loves writing, pop culture, and seeing her kids appreciate Star Wars.
She also loves helping companies, leaders, and teams improve their communication (and creativity and leadership) through consulting, coaching, and workshops.
Her clients benefit from Beth’s global corporate experience, Midwestern practicality and enthusiasm, and an endless supply of pop culture references.
To find out how Beth can help you become a more confident, creative, and compelling leader – or improve communication in your company – visit www.beth-collier.com or drop her a line at beth@beth-collier.com
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