Plug the leaks!

The thrill of entering a toyshop, gazing upon racks of toys and drooling over new finds is an excitement that has stayed with me since childhood. Regardless of the reason for entering, I never fail to cover the entire floor space. Weaving through the packed racks and aisles pouring over all the latest collectibles like some sort of toy-hungry Indiana Jones on an adventure to find that missing treasure. It is an excitement that seems to increase as I gain a further appreciation of the pleasurable escape that these stores can bring.

As a child ‘the toyshop visit’ was always offered up as a treat or reward and rarely planned in advance. I will never forget that excitement upon entering a store to discover a LEGO® set you had never seen before. As a child in the 80s there was no internet feeding you lists of releases and sneak peaks in advance, the whole experience was based on what the store had stocked. New arrivals were seemingly intermittent and always provided a surprise, packing every potential visit with an air of excitement to what you might find.

This glorious charm is now a little lost, with the constant bombardment of advertising across multiple media outlets children now go with a clear intent or purpose, having pre-selected their purchase from an increasingly growing consumer market. Don’t get me wrong there is still the excitement but I suggest not the surprise.

This culture is even more so for an adult fan of LEGO. Our demands for knowledge and instant gratification mean we no longer wait to be surprised hungrily consuming rumours and news, demanding information now! We now know what is coming months in advance, meticulously planning our purchases, constantly gazing forward not focussing on the now.

Does this mean we are now blinkered? Do we fail to see what else is on the shelf? Possibly, but this ‘advance surprise’ demand creates a much bigger issue. Such is our craving for pre-purchase information we have bred a culture that supports fake news, rumours and leaked images. Supporting unscrupulous sites looking to gain an audience by any means. Who do we now trust, it has become increasingly difficult to know what is real and what is fake but the real issue could be far more damaging to the hobby.

‘But what is the big deal?’ I hear you mumbling under your breath, a sentiment I could understand, because surely a sneak peak is harmless? It’s only a child’s toy at the end of the day. Well let’s not forget this may just be a toy, but it is a multi-million pound business, that carries responsibilities to its licensed partners. Advanced leaked images of Star Wars sets have caused numerous problems, such images have led to movie plot spoilers and angry partners, placing LEGO in a very difficult position. With the popularity of Star Wars LEGO why should we want to risk the brand partnership for a sneak peak?

However, although this could lead to something serious there is a much more sinister side. Every time an image is leaked we are giving ruthless competitors the opportunity to get the bounce on the beloved LEGO brand. I know this all sounds a little drastic but unfortunately it’s a very real problem. Let me take you back to June 2016 when leaked images of 71040 Disney castle was posted online two months before its official release. This enabled a well-known, clone brand in the far-East to reproduce a copy of the set. Using the images for reference and reproducing them as their box artwork, this reduced quality knock off was on shop shelves three-weeks before the official set was released. This IP theft not only had legal costs and implications but hindered sales. Unsuspecting customers found themselves in stores staring at what appeared to be a LEGO set but was far from it in its quality and build experience. Those that purchased this clone were not only disappointed but also directed their rage at The LEGO Group in belief this set was of their making.

So from a simple set of leaked images a spiral of issues are created that undoubted carried financial implications for The LEGO Group plus misguided reputational damage as well. Unfortunately this is not a one off, as we have seen this happen time and time again and each time damaging the company and brand we all love. In a climate of fierce competition I suggest we support LEGO and shut these spoilers down. Lets instil some patience, for if we don’t we could see lost licenses and less money directed at the development of new products as the company battles on multiple fronts.

So the next time you see a blurry image or one with a confidential stamp on it, resist the urge to share, boycott the site on which you found it and perhaps embrace a culture of anticipation and surprise.