Media > Excellence in Media

LEGO CITY GOES NITRO

INITIATIVE, Sydney / LEGO CITY / 2023

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Overview

Credits

OVERVIEW

Why is this work relevant for Media?

Attention is a hot topic and no audience has less attention than kids.

With an incresingly finite media ecosystem, data and legislative restrictions, and rapidly aging up consumption behaviours, finding ways to reach them is tough...let alone stand out enough to change brand perceptions.

This represents the impact going beyond standard media and finding unexpected cultural partnerships can have. Reaching new communities and harnessing fresh media ecosystems is a powerful way to culturally reposition a brand.

It's also a reminder that all good partnerships should be mutually beneficial, colliding their distinctive energy and IP to create something culturally magnetic.

Background

Grow LEGO® City.

Famous for iconic police cars, fire trucks, airports and ambulances LEGO City has been a sought-after toys for kids, especially boys 6-8. However, over the years it faced big challenges - audiences aging up faster than ever, competitors diversifying their ranges, aggressive toy marketing and even internal cannibalisation from ‘cooler’ LEGO ranges – meant it was harder than ever to retain LEGO City’s cool factor.

And in the world of toys, cool = sales.

CHALLENGE: Rewrite the instructions to LEGO City marketing to elevate its ‘cool’ status.

Luckily, they had a new SKU to achieve this. LEGO City Stuntz; a range of bikes, trucks, and cars inspired by stunt teams. Complete with flaming ramps, loop-to-loops and other exciting features, it had all the pieces to create something special.

We just needed the right media vehicle to launch it and deliver:

+10% Awareness.

+10% Desire.

+5% Sales.

Describe the creative idea / insights

To elevate the cool to LEGO City we knew ads would never cut it. We needed to go big or go home with a brand partnership that brought extreme energy and influence amongst our hard-to-win 6-8 audience.

Using cultural analytics we identified the one thrill-seeking brand with all elements needed to launch LEGO City into the cool books…

NITRO CIRCUS

The undisputed #1 Action Sports Brand in the world, with a following that dwarfs any Australian sporting property:

+25.2M social followers (just shy of the Olympics; 31.5M).

+1B annual content views.

+150 countries.

It’s also a brand Australian kids adore. With the second biggest following globally and an Australian tour coming up, we saw our opportunity and sent it!

We struck the ultimate kid-friendly, thrill-seeking partnership between two iconic brands. An extreme achievement 100% identified, brokered and activated by us (a media agency from Australia), and scaled to the world.

Describe the media strategy and targeting

To engage our 6-8 audience, driven by peer influence, we knew involving them in the experience was critical. They didn't just want to see LEGO, but experience it.

In new ways.

Extreme ways.

Ways that unlock opportunities to show-off and/or brag on the playground.

OUR STRATEGY: LEGO City GOES NITRO

Execute the most expansive, deeply integrated and exciting partnerships in Nitro Circus history to earn respect and brand love for LEGO CITY Stuntz.

Like any good stunt, painstaking planning makes it or breaks it. We dialled every single element up to 11 and via a carefully architected three pillared strategy:

1. RAMP UP THE HYPE: Turbocharge co-marketing to prime fans love for LEGO City Stuntz.

2. WOW THE CROWDS: Dominate the event to ensure LEGO City Stuntz was unmissable.

3. CREATE A SHOWSTOPPER: Execute LEGO City Stuntz in a fashion unique to LEGO City to memorably earn respect.

Describe the media execution

RAMP THE HYPE.

Turbocharged excitement via a co-marketing blitz across TV, social, online, radio, outdoor, and print.

Used Nitro ambassadors to re-enact iconic tricks using Stuntz and hosting activation days for +300 kids.

WOW THE CROWDS.

Saturated stadiums with branding from big screens, perimeter signage, jump ramp

takeovers, on-field VIP areas, giant Stuntz builds, brick-in-hand experiences, and LEGO City minifigure mascots to rev up the crowd.

Broadcast, streamed and socially amplified for fans at home…with +489 pieces of content produced across the tour.

CREATE A SHOWSTOPPER.

Dialling the cool factor to 11, ran a world-first money-can’t-buy competition for kids to design Nitro Circus’ iconic stunt vehicles - unveiling at the World Games in Brisbane, a globally televised/streamed event reaching +150 countries.

8-year-old Max and 7-year-old George, flew to NITRO World Games to witness their creation’s maiden jump. Behind-the-scenes content was broadcast to reinforce LEGO City cred and get fans building.

List the results

Nitro Circus’ Tour Down Under was officially their biggest in the Southern Hemisphere.

9 cities. 10 months. 3 world-records.

+266.4M earned impacts via 326 outlets (+146M within AU/NZ).

+71M social impressions.

+85,500 event attendance.

Helping LEGO City reclaim its cool status and shatter all campaign objectives:

+22% Awareness STLY (+2x goal)

+16.1% Desire STLY (+3x goal)

+12% Sales YoY (+2.1x goal)*

LEGO City GOES NITRO proves the cultural and commercial impact of deep, integrated and mutually beneficial partnerships over tactical marketing ‘stunts’.

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