We Fixed It. You're Welcome.
Episode: Lego’s Grown Up Gamble
Gamut Podcast Network • January 27, 2026
Episode Overview
In this episode, the panel tackles the changing face of LEGO: once the ultimate kids’ toy, LEGO now aggressively courts adult fans with pricey, complex sets, slick branding, and pop culture partnerships. The team debates whether LEGO’s pivot toward grownups is sound business or a threat to its core mission of child-focused, creative play. Featuring special guest Leo Battersby, former Mattel exec and expert in the adult collectible market, the conversation spans nostalgia, industry growth strategies, kid versus adult priorities, and solutions for bridging both worlds.
Panel & Guest Introduction
- Host/Moderator: Aaron (marketing perspective)
- Panelists:
- Melissa (operations & customer experience)
- Chino (global recruitment, talent, & corporate culture)
- Special Guest: Leo Battersby
(Former Mattel executive, co-founder of Mattel Creations, current founder of Midnight Rally Club, VP at FluidLogic)
Key Topics & Insights
1. Setting the Stage: LEGO’s Evolution
[02:48–05:25]
- Melissa walks through LEGO’s history: Danish origins, focus on child creativity, decades of teaching through analog play.
- She notes the official brand language still “all about making a positive difference in children’s lives… creating playful learners for life.” But, she observes, “what’s changed is the money picture”:
"Over the last decade they’ve really leaned into adults, launching 'Adults Welcome,' rolling out 18+ sets in sleek black boxes, stacking on licensed IP and high price points, and tapping into adult disposable income... as a serious growth engine."
—Melissa [04:15] - Recent years saw slowdowns, then rebounds fueled by adult-targeted, high-complexity, high-price products.
2. Adult Collectors: Can LEGO Say No?
[05:26–09:58]
- Aaron & Leo discuss why LEGO (or any toymaker) can’t turn away profitable grown-up markets:
“As much as we need it to be a purposeful foundation… any brand foundation that forces you to say no to a lot of money isn’t a good brand foundation. You can't ignore where culture is going. As a consumer brand, you can’t do it.”
—Leo [06:38] - Leo shares Mattel insights: during COVID, adult collectors rose from about 25% to possibly 30% of the toy market—growth that’s holding steady.
3. The Tension: Sets vs. Open-Ended Play
[08:02–09:59]
- Melissa expresses concern that licensed, instruction-driven “Instagrammable” adult sets (e.g., Star Wars, Harry Potter, Bonsai trees) may sap the “blank canvas” creativity central to LEGO’s original mission:
“It’s the difference between paint by numbers and a blank canvas… Building things your own way, that’s what made LEGO special.”
—Melissa [08:02]
4. Society, Demographics, and Cultural Shifts
[11:01–14:49]
- Chino brings up falling birth rates, which shrink LEGO’s traditional child market:
“We can’t deny people aren’t having as many kids anymore. As a business centered around toys for children... that changes the makeup of how we’re exposed to LEGO.”
—Chino [11:47] - With fewer kids, parents and companies push “the one shot” to succeed: more competitive, more school-oriented, more direct-to-STEM toys—even as tablets and screens compete for attention.
5. LEGO’s Brand Adaptation: Licensing, Tech, and Tactility
[14:50–20:18]
- Aaron: LEGO’s not just bricks; they pursue movies, TV (LEGO Masters), theme parks, games, and heavy licensing (Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter) out of necessity because their in-house IP isn’t as sticky.
- Melissa: “To me, [LEGO] is tactile... Today’s kids, I feel, don’t have the patience for it anymore. But there’s also a nostalgic swing… everyone wants 1980s throwbacks.”
- The group discusses the resurgence of anti-screen/“developmental” toys aimed at early childhood (e.g., subscription brands like Lovevery) as a counter-trend.
6. Technic, STEM, and Accessibility Dilemma
[20:18–26:13]
- Leo: Reminisces about LEGO Technic’s roots as a true engineering toy—now, high-end Technic kits are “beautiful, expensive, high detail” and “there’s no way a 9-year-old is doing that.”
“Even as a kid I remember my mom saying these Legos are expensive, right? Versus a GI Joe or Transformer, which I also loved.”
—Leo [21:49] - Leo ideas: Create more affordable, builder-focused, entry-level Technic—maybe a subscription or program that grows with the child.
7. Operational Fix: Bridging Kids and Adults
[26:13–32:42]
- Melissa: Suggests using premium adult sales to subsidize and innovate for the kids' line, ensuring accessibility.
- Discussions of pipeline: How do you bring kids in, keep them engaged, and grow them into creators and fans for life?
- Leo suggests “builderly, open-ended play” kits—perhaps a subscription box that unites anticipation, mystery, and parent–child engagement, echoing the popularity of "unboxing" culture.
The “We Fixed It” Solution
8. The Panel’s Prescription: LEGO For Life
[32:42–39:58]
- Aaron: Proposes a modular subscription program, “LEGO For Life,” targeting all age groups:
- Anything Box: No instructions, pure creativity for younger kids.
- Age-/interest-appropriate recommendations each month.
- Option to layer on more complex, IP-driven, or collectible sets as kids age or interests shift.
- Social Media tie-in: “Show us what you did with it” to foster community and creativity.
- Adult-oriented sets (“Go by LEGO”) remain premium, with proceeds helping subsidize core kids’ products.
- Melissa: Endorses integrating with schools and robotics competitions, and donating/sanitizing bricks for broader educational reach.
- Chino: Reframes the brand for lifelong play:
"It’s not just about children. We’re finding the kid in you. We’re playing with the kid inside of you…if you can hit it at each stage, a subscription model, as we’ve talked about…Let’s rebrand and say, ‘playing with the kid in them.’”
—Chino [39:18] - Leo: Endorses the direction:
“You've given them permission to take the long view…This is a path to creating that pipeline and that future consumer base while more aggressively asserting your brand values and your purpose…It’s a win.”
—Leo [40:17]
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On not leaving money on the table:
"Any brand foundation that forces you to say no to a lot of money isn't a good brand foundation. It just isn't."
—Leo [06:38] -
The emotional heart of LEGO:
“That whole [LEGO] movie was about what we're talking about…open ended play and having an open mind to being flexible and accepting. Lego knows, they know what's going on."
—Leo [20:18] -
Reality check on affordability:
"Legos need to be accessible to everybody and not just to the very, very, very rich, you know."
—Melissa [27:21] -
Rebranding play:
"Play leads to creativity, which leads to innovation. I think what LEGO needs to remember is that play is important and it doesn't matter what stage that could be…We're finding the kid in you."
—Chino [38:50–39:26] -
Summing up the fix:
“Liberate [LEGO] to do what they probably already know they need to do. And…this is a path to that. This is a path to creating that pipeline in that future consumer base."
—Leo [40:17–41:00]
Key Timestamps
- 02:48–05:25: LEGO’s kid-focused origins, data on adult pivot
- 05:26–09:58: Value of adult market, creativity vs. instruction-first sets
- 11:01–14:49: Cultural and demographic challenges for toy brands
- 20:18–26:13: Technic, price barriers, need for affordable, builderly options
- 32:42–39:58: Group design of “LEGO For Life” solution: modular subscription, social challenges, cross-subsidization
- 39:58–41:00: Final verdict – did they fix LEGO’s strategy?
Tone and Style
The episode is fast, candid, and cheeky, balancing real-world business strategy with nostalgic, sometimes irreverent takes ("the lovable and hateable toy of all our lives"). The whole panel riffs with banter, good humor, and plenty of anecdotes.
Episode Takeaway
Panel Consensus: LEGO can—and should—nurture its adult market without losing its creative, child-centered roots. A flexible “LEGO for Life” subscription model (anchored in creative, open-ended play for all ages) could future-proof the brand, build lasting community, and keep the magic accessible, affordable, and relevant for generations to come.
Episode rating by the panel:🏆 Fixed!