A LEGO Brickumentary

1

Space.

Humankind has been gazing

into its infinite vastness for millennia.

Here we are pushing the boundaries

of our knowledge,

venturing out into...

What? What are LEGO minifigures

doing out here?

What the heck are toys

doing in outer space?

To answer that,

first we have to start our story

back on good old planet Earth.

Here in the U.S.'s Pacific Northwest,

a boy named Thorin makes last-minute

preparations on his battle scene.

In the Netherlands, Rosa

is building a car in her living room.

In Shanghai, China, Yuhang celebrates

his birthday with a new LEGO set.

And in Denver, Colorado,

Eben, like so many around the world

is sprawled on his living room floor

playing with LEGO bricks.

This is what we expect, right?

After all, around half a billion people

grew up with LEGO bricks.

There are over 100 LEGO pieces

for every person on the planet.

But this story... but...

Can you hear me out there?

There. That's better.

What? What's wrong?

Why are you looking

at me like that? Oh, oh.

There. How's that?

Now, I know. I know.

You recognize me, right?

Featureless yet functional hands.

Interchangeable hair.

Perfect golden, uh, tan, I guess?

But this story's not about me.

Well, not entirely.

This story is about

a simple toy that became,

well, more than a toy.

And how its unique properties

ushered in a new era of creativity,

not just for kids,

but for a whole generation.

This is about more than the brick.

This is beyond the...

No, hang on a second.

Beyond the brick! A LEGO Brickumentary!

Ooh, look at that. That's awesome.

At the annual Toy Fair in New York City

the world's toy manufacturers

gather to show off

what they hope will be

big products for kids.

LEGO is, let's face it,

undoubtedly the greatest

success story of the toy industry.

They have become

the number two toy company

with simply one category of toy,

and that's construction.

And that's up against giants

like Mattel and Hasbro.

Mattel has Hot Wheels. They have Barbie.

Hasbro has GI Joe.

And they've got other lines.

And LEGO just has LEGO.

When other toy companies look at LEGO,

they look at them as a powerhouse.

When you look

at a four billion dollar brand

and that's going to continue to grow

this year, it's amazing what they've done.

It's become a monster brand

of the toy business.

So how did the LEGO company

become so huge?

I can explain that, but I think I better

park this thing first.

Recognize this baby?

Yeah, good old number 497.

Galaxy Explorer.

It had these cool yellow-tinted windows,

all these 2x2 computer bricks,

and, uh, these things.

It's just a small part

of the LEGO brand's fascinating history.

Let's take a moment for a little primer

on how the toy began.

Oh, no, wait a second.

There we go. Much better.

Many people know Denmark as the home

of ready-to-assemble furniture.

Sadly those people are wrong

because that's Sweden.

Denmark is home

to Hans Christian Andersen,

delicious pastries,

and the birthplace of,

you guessed it, LEGO bricks.

Back in 1916, a Danish man

by the name of Ole Kirk Christiansen

lived in the quaint little town

of Billund Denmark.

A carpenter by trade, he started a small

wood shop which burned to the ground.

Not a great start but Ole would not

be dissuaded so he built another one.

In the new factory

he was inspired to build toys.

By the 1930s, Ole was known

for his pull toys made from birch wood.

Trucks, trains, and of course ducks.

It was around this time that Ole

came up with the name LEGO.

It comes from the Danish phrase

leg godt, meaning "play well."

Rate this script:(0.00 / 0 votes)