LEGO. One of our most beloved brands, and also one of the most socially successful. But what is it that differentiates them? Why do they succeed when others struggle to find their way?
The answer can be found within the very heart of the toy company itself and the carpenter who was inspired to make a wooden duck for his children.
Core values are one of the most important properties a brand can own. They should inform each decision and filter down through every single level of the business. They are the very things that can make each worker get out of their bed in the morning sporting a smile instead of a frown.
Upon his return to a hopelessly lost Apple Inc., Steve Jobs made a presentation to the employees and said people want to know who you are and what you stand for. In the case of Apple, the brand’s core value was not about technology, but the belief that people with passion can change the world for the better.
When you understand ‘Why’ you do things, the ‘How’ and the ‘What’ are faced with strength, with passion, and you will give blood, sweat and tears to make them a success.
This is why LEGO succeeds. They are a brand built upon and focused upon their core values, and it is this 80 year tradition that has provided them with the recipe for social stardom.
I leave you below with the founding principles of LEGO in their own words and simply say, “Leg godt” 🙂
Creativity is the ability to come up with ideas and things that are new, surprising and valuable. Systematic creativity is a particular form of creativity that combines logic and reasoning with playfulness and imagination.
Fun is the happiness we experience when we are fully engaged in something that requires mastery (hard fun), when our abilities are in balance with the challenge at hand and we are making progress towards a goal. Fun is both in the process, and in the completion.
Fun is being active together, the thrill of an adventure, the joyful enthusiasm of children and the delight in surprising both yourself and others in what you can do or create.
Learning is about opportunities to experiment, improvise and discover – expanding our thinking and doing (hands-on, minds-on), helping us see and appreciate multiple perspectives.
Caring is about the desire to make a positive difference in the lives of children, for our partners, colleagues and the world we find ourselves in, and considering their perspective in everything we do.
Going the extra mile for other people, not because we have to – but because it feels right and because we care.
Caring is about humility – not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less.
From a reputation for manufacturing excellence to becoming trusted by all – we believe in quality that speaks for itself and earns us the recommendation of all.
For us quality means the challenge of continuous improvement to be the best, the best for children and their development and the best to our community and partners.