Lego Club

Posted by GregF on
As promised, more on my week -- after the BIONICLE meetings were through, the LEGO Club/Community team piled into a bus and drove 90 minutes to the very western coast of Jutland to a little seaside hotel. Instead of doing our quarterly meeting in Billund like we usually do, it had been decided we would get away for a little while from the stresses of the office.

Almost the entire team was there, so it was quite a few people. The meeting was about planning our projects for next year and on through 2010. There is a lot on tap in terms of fan interaction and reaching out to fans to involve them in what LEGO does. (You know, LEGO is one of the few companies that actually puts any time and money toward working with and listening to their community of fans, adults and kids. Some companies don't want to, and some don't know how, but it is something LEGO considers a priority.)

The main thing I will be working on, other than the magazines, is working with our new web producer, Sage, on the LEGO Club web site. The site used to be updated more frequently than it is now and have more on it, and that is something we want to get back to. So don't be surprised if you start seeing some BIONICLE content popping up there now and then.

We also got a lot of free time this trip. We spent it down in the hotel's game room playing ping-pong and such, or walking the 300 yards to the beach. The beach there is still dotted with German bunkers left over from World War II, so it was quite something to walk around in them and feel you were seeing part of history.

One bittersweet note is that Tormod, who is the man who has been overseeing LEGO Community for a few years now, has decided to move on to another role in the company. Management named an excellent replacement for him, who we are all looking forward to working with, but Tormod is a tough act to follow. I have met few people in my career who was as fair, as sharp, and who loved community as much as he does. Fortunately, in his new position, he will still be dealing with fans and finding ways to give them what they want -- but we will miss him on our team a lot.

Greg
Ta-metru_defender
Original#1
Sounds good Gred. Anyword on EXO-FORCE's online/club?

BTW, you didn't go swimming in the frigid Danish waters, did you? :P

IPB Image
GregF
Original#2
Hey TMD -- the EXO-FORCE site, like the BIONICLE site, is run by producers who are assigned just to that line. So that is separate from the LEGO Club site. I do know that the EXO producer is planning very frequent site updates next year.

And no, no swimming :) Just tromping around on the beach and among the little thatched-roof houses that grow like mushrooms from the countryside, looking like something out of Tolkien. An interesting note is that you cannot legally buy one of those houses unless you already own another home -- the government doesn't want them lived in all year round, so there isn't pressure to build lots more roads, etc., and ruin the landscape. (Denmark has very strict land use rules.)

Greg
Biomech
Original#3
GregF
... so there isn't pressure to build lots more roads, etc., and ruin the landscape. (Denmark has very strict land use rules.)
Gosh, let's hope Canada becomes like that. We have next to no trees or nature in our area now... what with all these new "cookie-cutter" houses being built all the time.
GregF
Original#4
Yeah, I don't know what Copehagen is like that or that area, but northern and northwestern Denmark is really wide open -- lots of little towns, lots and lots of farmland, and all very flat ... and very quiet. Certainly someplace you can get away from it all.

But if I had a vote, I would say Paris for the next Club meeting :)

Greg
-SZ-
Original#5
GregF
But if I had a vote, I would say Paris for the next Club meeting :)

Greg

Ah Paris, such a tough life. :lol:


SZ

Miru Arrekusu
Original#6
Paris...yeah, really able to get some buissness done there. But I can't blame you. A guy needs some Paris, especially a writer. Maybe even be inspired, who knows?
Binkmeister
Original#7
Thanks for the update, Greg - the west of Denmark sounds like a very interesting place to visit. Glad to hear there's some good stuff coming for the LEGO club website.

Tormod's got a new position? Wow, hope that all goes smoothly, I've always been really impressed with him and his team; I worked a lot with them during my Ambassador stints. He's a great guy, can't wait to see what he'll be doing from now on.

- Bink
Inika101
Original#8
Hey, thanks for the update. I really like reading your blog. It is really cool hearing from the one who writes the books. :lol: I know this is a random question, but will Bionicle ever end? I mean like stop??? I sure hope not, cause I sure would miss it a LOT! Thanks again. Sincerely, Inika101
Tohron
Original#9
Kind of off topic, but wasn't 'CESS Tormod' the name of one of the crashed spaceships in the Stormrunner online game? Am I right, and would that have anything to do with this particular employee?

Oh, and on topic, it's nice that Lego gives you free time to just be together. Helps team spirit.
The Phyre of Tahu
Original#10
Thanks for the update, Greg! All sounds good!

~Phyre
Cap'n Ikki
Original#11
GregF
Yeah, I don't know what Copehagen is like that or that area, but northern and northwestern Denmark is really wide open -- lots of little towns, lots and lots of farmland, and all very flat ... and very quiet. Certainly someplace you can get away from it all.

But if I had a vote, I would say Paris for the next Club meeting :)

Greg
Well, the areas around Copenhagen are much more dominated by towns and other such buildings, though there are great places of nature to escape too as well -- I do that a lot when we get an hour off in school. Jutland's a bit different, though, with really vast flatland and fields, and some very nice farms dotting the landscape here and there. Actually, I'll probably be seeing some of that when I go to Legoland in two weeks.

Great to hear you enjoyed our country. :P

-Ikk
GregF
Original#12
Inika - Like any other line (from any company), BIONICLE is dependent on sales. If set sales were to drop to the point that it was no longer profitable for LEGO to do the line, it would get cancelled -- maybe for a few years, maybe forever. But the good news is that set sales are UP this year, so there are no plans or discussions about ending it.

Greg