Girls Legos Under Attack

January 26th, 2012

It may sound like a school yard fight complete with hair pulling and slapping, but some individuals inside and outside the toy industry are accusing Lego Friends, Lego’s new girl-targeted construction line, of severe and inappropriate gender profiling. Richard Gottlieb of Global Toy News admits that many of the criticisms are over heated, but seems to share the sentiments expressed by people like Peggy Orenstein. Apparently there is an online petition, but then again I’m sure there is a online petition for pretty much anything anyone had a problem with…ever.

I certainly do not want to make light of Peggy and Richard’s beliefs and opinions on the matter of gender stereotypes in toys and games, but I’m just not sure what Lego could do differently or better. Lego, as a construction product, has struggled to connect to female audiences (admittedly through predominantly male-targeted marketing). The brand has made multiple gestures in the past to elicit interest from this audience, but Lego Friends marks the first attempt that truly hits existing play patterns evidenced by girls, as pertaining to construction.  Apparently, the presence of pink coloring and stylized dolls is the wrong way of telling girls that construction or physical science-related products are also for them.

Looking through the Lego Friends product listing, I see various sets such as Mia’s Puppy House, including a cute dog house and other items; Olivia’s Inventor’s Workshop, with some goofy stuff and what looks like a robot; Stephanie’s Cool Convertible, a car complete with a few friends; Andrea’s Stage, including a piano and microphone; and the Butterfly Beauty Shop, a larger structure with multiple characters.

Is it alienating or incorrect to note that little girls like to nurture animals? We can use various existing case studies to confirm this sentiment, such as Hasbro’s monstrously popular Littlest Pet Shop, Pound Puppies or, you know, pretty much any plush animal ever sewn and stuffed. It should come as little surprise that, instead of Star Wars spaceships, Lego is selling a Heartlake Vet, Puppy House, and Pet Patrol.

Is it absurd to think little girls like to sing and dance? I don’t think I have ever met a little girl who didn’t frequently want to be in a singing or dance competition; the Lego Friends product Andrea’s Stage seems to duplicate a play pattern that is all over YouTube. Nearly every doll toy line has been used by little girls to portray a singing or dance competition and stage show. I’m not surprised Lego went in this direction, rather than, say, ninjas or robots.

The rest of the Lego Friends products directly relate to the “friendship” aspect of the brand. Friendship is important to both boys and girls, but girl’s brands often wear their themes on the vest. I would think it unlikely that Lego try to sell boys a line titled Lego Friends, choosing rather Bionical, Ninjago, and Hero Factory. Products like Stephanie’s Cool Convertible, Butterfly Beauty Shop, and Olivia’s Tree House are merely evidence of the important theme of friendship for young girls, just as the companionship of fellow Jedis or superheroes is displayed in boy-oriented brands. Admittedly, the friendship theme is played up on the girl’s line, but can you blame Lego considering a lack of previous success selling construction sets to girls?

These products are complex, colorful, and well-targeted. If Lego neutralized the gender-orientation of these products it would mean that they failed to capitalize on existing trends, chose not to deliver a product in keeping with the realities of their retail partners, and threw aside the entire idea of marketability. Yes, this presents identity barriers for kids. No, those barriers are not always a good thing. But I think Lego Friends is a step in the right direction. After all, the blocks may be pink, but they still click into place with any of the other Lego sets. It will be interesting to see what kids make of it.

Brian Torney is a writer, consultant, Jedi Knight and Vice President of Kunoichi, a leading transmedia services provider for entertainment brands. A 7-year veteran of the toy, game, publishing and children’s entertainment industries, Brian ideates new and existing brands, connecting storytelling across multiple new, traditional, and social media. These are not the droids you’re looking for.