Kids audio platform Yoto partners with Ameet and LEGO for Duplo story cards

Yoto, the audio platform for kids and firm behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning Yoto Player, has detailed a new  partnership with AMEET Publishing and LEGO Duplo.

Under the deal, AMEET will co-create a series of six new audio card packs to complement its well-established LEGO Duplo range. The new series will launch this June.

The new LEGO Duplo series of Yoto Cards will allow early learners to enjoy themes ranging from animals shapes, to mindfulness, using the colourful DUPLO bricks alongside the cards to heighten their imaginative play and motor skill development.

The Yoto Player is a screen-free, camera- and microphone-free connected speaker designed specifically for the use of children from three to twelve years old to safely control their listening by entertaining and educating them while reducing screen-time.

Ben Drury, CEO and co-founder of Yoto, said: “Allowing children to increase their creativity and imagination through play and storytelling is incredibly important for us at Yoto and so working with a like-minded company with the same core values as AMEET and the LEGO Group was a no brainer for us. This partnership is hugely exciting for us with lots more to come so watch this space.”

Dan Shepherd, international sales and marketing director from AMEET, added: “The Yoto cards will bring DUPLO stories, learning, and play to modern families through immersive audio experiences that encourage creativity and storytelling whilst promoting active, physical play. We are proud to partner with an innovative children’s platform like Yoto.”

The co-created audio cards will be available from June 2021.

LEGO expands its Nintendo partnership to bring Luigi into the LEGO Super Mario universe

Super Mario’s often-forgotten brother, Luigi, is stepping out of the shadows and into the LEGO Super Mario universe as the toymaker extends its partnership with Nintendo to unveil the LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi Starter Course.

Featuring an interactive LEGO Luigi figure, this is the latest extension of the popular LEGO Super Mario product line that tipped best-seller lists last year. Based on a traditional LEGO brick product, the LEGO Super Mario play experience allows kids to freely build Super Mario courses and bring their Mario and Luigi figures to life.

LEGO Luigi will boast the character’s recognisable personality, unique voice, and in one LEGO plate taller than LEGO Mario, staying true to Luigi’s look and traits.

Similar to the Adventures with Mario Starter Course, this new set is an additional entry point to the world of LEGO Super Mario and is compatible with the Mario Starter Course, all Expansion Sets, collectible Character Packs and Power-Up Packs. Built with the same technology as his brother, LEGO Luigi comes with a colour sensor, LCD screen to display many different reactions to movement, and a speaker that plays iconic sounds and music from the Super Mario video game series.

When moving LEGO Luigi from the Start Pipe to the Goal Pole, players can earn digital coins in real-life level-play by helping LEGO Luigi complete a spinning seesaw challenge, interacting with the new Pink Yoshi and defeating Boom Boom and a Bone Goomba.

The 71387 Adventures with Luigi Starter Course includes brown-colored bricks signifying the Tower biome that will trigger a new sound from LEGO Luigi and a ? Block designed to offer exciting extra rewards. The LEGO Super Mario product line offers a unique play experience in which players will get instant feedback for creative ways to build and play.

“We are very pleased to add Mario’s twin brother, Luigi, to the LEGO Super Mario family with the new LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi Starter Course,” said Takashi Tezuka, executive officer and game producer of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

“Please welcome him as a companion on your adventures in the world of LEGO Super Mario. The addition of Luigi and Mario together creates new kinds of fun play. I look forward to see what exciting journeys kids will take with these two characters.”

Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer, the LEGO Group, added: “LEGO play lets children unleash their imaginations, and we’re so excited Luigi has arrived to help them create even more LEGO Super Mario adventures.

“Everybody loves Luigi! With his unique personality, green cap and distinctive moustache, he has been highly requested by fans all over the world, and we are thrilled to welcome him to this interactive playset that is really changing the way people engage with Super Mario and LEGO play.”

The 280-piece Adventures with Luigi Starter Course can be built, rebuilt and combined with all other LEGO Super Mario sets in many fun ways to create new LEGO Super Mario worlds. The free LEGO Super Mario app, developed by the LEGO Group, is compatible with all LEGO Super Mario products and keeps track of scores to encourage continuous rebuilding.

LEGO expands its Nintendo partnership to bring Luigi into the LEGO Super Mario universe

Super Mario’s often-forgotten brother, Luigi, is stepping out of the shadows and into the LEGO Super Mario universe as the toymaker extends its partnership with Nintendo to unveil the LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi Starter Course.

Featuring an interactive LEGO Luigi figure, this is the latest extension of the popular LEGO Super Mario product line that tipped best-seller lists last year. Based on a traditional LEGO brick product, the LEGO Super Mario play experience allows kids to freely build Super Mario courses and bring their Mario and Luigi figures to life.

LEGO Luigi will boast the character’s recognisable personality, unique voice, and in one LEGO plate taller than LEGO Mario, staying true to Luigi’s look and traits.

Similar to the Adventures with Mario Starter Course, this new set is an additional entry point to the world of LEGO Super Mario and is compatible with the Mario Starter Course, all Expansion Sets, collectible Character Packs and Power-Up Packs. Built with the same technology as his brother, LEGO Luigi comes with a colour sensor, LCD screen to display many different reactions to movement, and a speaker that plays iconic sounds and music from the Super Mario video game series.

When moving LEGO Luigi from the Start Pipe to the Goal Pole, players can earn digital coins in real-life level-play by helping LEGO Luigi complete a spinning seesaw challenge, interacting with the new Pink Yoshi and defeating Boom Boom and a Bone Goomba.

The 71387 Adventures with Luigi Starter Course includes brown-colored bricks signifying the Tower biome that will trigger a new sound from LEGO Luigi and a ? Block designed to offer exciting extra rewards. The LEGO Super Mario product line offers a unique play experience in which players will get instant feedback for creative ways to build and play.

“We are very pleased to add Mario’s twin brother, Luigi, to the LEGO Super Mario family with the new LEGO Super Mario Adventures with Luigi Starter Course,” said Takashi Tezuka, executive officer and game producer of Nintendo Co., Ltd.

“Please welcome him as a companion on your adventures in the world of LEGO Super Mario. The addition of Luigi and Mario together creates new kinds of fun play. I look forward to see what exciting journeys kids will take with these two characters.”

Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer, the LEGO Group, added: “LEGO play lets children unleash their imaginations, and we’re so excited Luigi has arrived to help them create even more LEGO Super Mario adventures.

“Everybody loves Luigi! With his unique personality, green cap and distinctive moustache, he has been highly requested by fans all over the world, and we are thrilled to welcome him to this interactive playset that is really changing the way people engage with Super Mario and LEGO play.”

The 280-piece Adventures with Luigi Starter Course can be built, rebuilt and combined with all other LEGO Super Mario sets in many fun ways to create new LEGO Super Mario worlds. The free LEGO Super Mario app, developed by the LEGO Group, is compatible with all LEGO Super Mario products and keeps track of scores to encourage continuous rebuilding.

LEGO marks 20 years of LEGO Harry Potter with new sets exploring the magic of the Wizarding World

Marking 20 years of the LEGO Harry Potter franchise, the Danish toy maker has rebooted its partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to reveal a new range of building sets that delve deeper into the magic of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The enchanted walls of Hogwarts will set the scene for many of the new sets, however, LEGO is giving fans the chance to spread their wings and explore the wizarding world with the likes of Dumbledore’s Phoenix, Fawkes, or the snow-capped streets of Hogsmeade Village.

Many of the sets will also interconnect, allowing fans to extend the play into different areas of Hogwarts.

A number of the new sets will also come with an exclusive golden minifigure to mark the 20th Anniversary of LEGO Harry Potter. These collectibles mark just some of the characters that have helped fans play out some of the franchise’s most memorable moments across two decades of LEGO Harry Potter.

The new sets will be available from LEGO.com, LEGO Stores and selected retailers from June 1st this year and more widely from August 1st. A selection of the sets will also be available to pre-order from April 16th at LEGO.com and other retailers globally.

The new line-up will include:

  • LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts: Polyjuice Potion Mistake. Builders can join Harry, Ron and Hermione as they brew the powerful Polyjuice potion in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and transform as they gulp the potion. Don’t forget to explore the hidden tunnel beneath the sink.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts: Fluffy Encounter. Young witches and wizards can try their luck at sneaking past the giant, three-headed dog, and reaching the trapdoor before Fluffy wakes.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Hogsmeade Village Visits. Take a trip to the snowy village of Hogsmeade to buy tongue-tingling acid pops from Honeydukes, or order a refreshing Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets. Budding builders can join the action in the Chamber of Secrets as Harry battles against Tom Riddle and the Giant Basilisk.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Wizard’s Chess. LEGO fans can try their hand at the magical game to save the Philosopher’s Stone before using the pieces again and again to master the art of Muggle chess. Available exclusively from Target in the US, and LEGO.com and LEGO Stores globally.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Harry Potter & Hermione Granger. Children can maximize the magical fun with these 10 in. (26 cm) tall brick-built Harry Potter and Hermione Granger models as they recreate some of their favourite storylines from the films. Available exclusively from Target in the US, and LEGO.com and LEGO Stores globally.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Fawkes, Dumbledore’s Phoenix. LEGO fans can capture the magical personality and graceful flight of Fawkes, the intelligent Phoenix from the Harry Potter films. Available exclusively from Target in the US, and LEGO.com and LEGO Stores globally.
  • LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts: First Flying Lesson. Builders can grab a broomstick and take part in a flying class with Madam Hooch, mounting a broom and shooting off on a wild ride around the Hogwarts rooftops. Available exclusively from Kohl’s in the US, and LEGO.com and LEGO Stores globally.

Marcos Bessa, LEGO Harry Potter design lead, commented: “Two decades ago, we launched the first LEGO Harry Potter set – which I played with as a 12 year old – and fans have remained just as enchanted by the magical adventures that they can relive and replay with the LEGO sets today as they were in 2001.

“These new products are packed full of captivating features and exciting design twists that we hope will excite and enthrall builders of all ages as they explore some of their favourite moments from the films.”

Opinion | Foundation of success: What can retailers learn from the LEGO approach?

As global pandemics go, the onset of Coronavirus, while forcing many to navigate a treacherously rocky road to begin with, hasn’t fared too badly for the toy industry; a global business that has provided support and entertainment to families and children worldwide. Among some of the last year’s biggest successes was LEGO, who achieved a 13 per cent growth on sales over the course of 2020.

With an eye for analysis, Utku Tansel LLB, MBA, an industry analyst who has led global research programmes across the entire toys, games, and licensed consumer products spectrum, turns his attention to the Danish toy maker and how shifting focus onto new and emerging audiences has helped the art of LEGO building continue to go from strength to strength.

While the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing some retailers around the world to close, LEGO opened 134 new stores – of which 91 were in China – last year. The company plans to open a further 120 new shops in 2021, including 80 in China alone, expanding its total global store count to almost 800 in 2021.

This is part of LEGO’s business strategy towards – what it calls an ‘omnichannel network’ – operating in tandem with LEGO.com, whose online visits doubled over the last year. This ties with Mintel’s COVID-19 tracker showing that nearly half of British consumers are now doing more shopping online – a double digit increase since mid-April 2020.

LEGO’s sales in 2020 grew by a substantial 13 per cent, while operating profit rose by 19 per cent worldwide. Its retail strategy is definitely working.

Merging online and offline

 

In terms of new product launches, the LEGO Super Mario set from 2020, which uniquely blends physical bricks with online games, has been one of LEGO’s most successful theme launches. The product line featured an interactive LEGO Mario figure that collects coins in real life game levels created with LEGO bricks. The figure has LCD screens in its eyes, mouth and belly to display a wide range of instant reactions to movement, colour and action bricks.

Meanwhile, and collaborating with Universal Music Group, the innovative company continues with this strategy in 2021 with the LEGO Vidiyo release –  which taps into kids’ creativity through music and play. Through LEGO Vidiyo, children can direct, produce, star in, and share their own music videos, using chart-topping tracks from Universal Music’s extensive variety of global artists. Its playful music video maker experience combines physical and digital play as special effect ‘BeatBits’ and music inspired minifigures integrate and come to life through AR in a vibrant new app.

Mintel Trend Extend My Brand investigates how brands are expanding into new categories and demographics to find new business as well as intrigue consumers. Brands are advised to assess the opportunity to use their company’s established image, visibility, and strong brand following to launch new product lines – which LEGO has been utilising very successfully in recent years. They are encouraged to explore new categories and price points that may cater to an extended clientele while still aligning with the brand’s identity.

Brick by brick, LEGO, which dominates the construction category globally, has been expanding its presence in toys targeting beyond its core business. In 2020, the company entered the arts and crafts category with the introduction of LEGO DOTS – a concept which offers kids a creative canvas for self-expression. Based on multiple shapes and colourful tiles, the line featured bracelets and items for home décor.

Targeting stressed-out adults

Aiming at adults, LEGO also released its 2nd 2D tile building theme, LEGO Arts, in 2020 featuring Andy Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, Marvel Studios Iron Man, and Star Wars The Sith. Mintel Traditional Toys and Games, US, May 2020 report highlights that consumers need toys and games to bring more than just fun and brands can connect with adults by appealing to their need for wellness.

With products for adults that can tout stress relief and relaxation, each LEGO Art design is accompanied by a bespoke soundtrack. These soundtracks dive deep into the inspiration behind each wall art set helping adults unwind and fully immerse themselves in the building experience. Our consumer research (US, March 2020) confirms that there is a large market for toys and games for adults, since half of consumers who have purchased toys and games in the previous 12 months have done so for an adult.

 

Providing a unique retail theatre experience             

LEGO stores are a great example of retail theatre with plenty of life sized models and figurines as well as play stations. Their outlets are seen as a destination in their own right by consumers. Mintel Trend Experience Is All highlights that most consumers still put a premium on the advantages of shopping in-store, which includes the ability to try products in person and to be helped by customer service associates.

This trend is not about countering online sales, but rather turning shops into enjoyable experiences that promote purchases – either in-store or remotely. Retailers are reminded that shops are windows and adverts as much as places to purchase stock and they need to extend the time people spend there as well as the frequency of their visits.

So, what’s next?

Post-pandemic (or when the restrictions are eased), LEGO should be able to continue to build on its success. As I also investigated in my West End Farewells? – Regent Street’s Hamleys has met a modern cross-roads Opinion piece in ToyNews recently, for consumers, a shopping day out will continue to be a leisure activity and it will increasingly be a choice rather than a necessity.

Overall,the retail landscape will be leaner, the battle for consumer attention will be fierce and when the economy recovers, consumers will remain value conscious. In city centres, particularly, newer and better retailers are coming in which will undoubtedly help with the footfall into the high street, moving forward.

There is a huge opportunity and good retailers will continue to do well. LEGO is in a very good position to capitalise on these.

Utku Tansel has 17 years of success in driving global thought leadership, project and content management, delivering strategic business intelligence and insight to major international companies. He can be contacted via LinkedIn

LEGO reveals its Dark Side with the launch of its LEGO Star Wars Helmets collection

The LEGO Group has unveiled three new LEGO Star Wars construction sets for adult builders to recreate some of the most iconic designs from the Star Wars galaxy, including two new additions to the LEGO Star Wars helmet collection.

First revealed last year, the helmet collection features a bust inspired by Darth Vader and a helmet designed in the likeness of a Scout Trooper. Making up today’s launch is the new model honouring the Imperial Probe Droid.

The range has been designed with the LEGO’s community of adult builders in mind, allowing fans to build, display, and pay homage to the Dark Lord of the Sith. The LEGO Star Wars Darth Vader Helmet is an 834 brick build, the Scout Trooper helmet is a 471 brick set, and the LEGO Star Wars Imperial Probe Droid weighs in at 638 pieces.

“Some of our favourite Star Wars characters have the most profound, intimidating on-screen presences, despite the fact that you can’t see their facial expressions,” said Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, creative director, LEGO Star Wars. “In recreating the sinister helmets of Darth Vader and the Scout Trooper, it was important to capture the details and essential features that people around the world will recognise, even those who aren’t too familiar with the Star Wars galaxy.

“I think all three display sets are extremely cool and I hope fans will enjoy the building process and be thrilled to display them once complete.”

Passionate builders can enjoy some time to relax as they take on these complex creative challenges, recreating every authentic detail in true LEGO style. When done with the build, the models can be displayed with a bespoke plaque.

The sets will be priced between £44.99 to £59.99 and will be available for pre-order from March 25th, 2021 from LEGO.com and other retailers, and on general sale globally from April 26th.

LEGO, Hasbro and Microsoft Xbox among second wave speakers at Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit

The LEGO Group, Hasbro, and Microsoft Xbox have been unveiled among the second wave of speakers to take to the stage at this year’s Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit.

They will be joined by the likes of Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Studiocanal, Chefclub, and Perry Ellis as well as the already announced BBC Studios and Asda for the three-day digital licensing event taking place from June 9th to 11th this year.

The LEGO Group’s Stephanie Freeman, global licensing manager – outbound, and Mark Bezodis, licensing managing director, Perry Ellis International will contribute to an opening day panel session called Brainstorming the future of licensing in retail and vice versa, alongside Penguin Random House and Licensing International MD, Graham Saltmarsh.

Day one of the event will focus on Trends and Retail and the five experienced panellists will cover questions being asked at retail right now, including:

  • Whether and how to pivot online
  • How stocking and selling licensed product could change in the future
  • The benefit of adapting to in-store experiential offerings
  • How to reinvigorate returning customers to bricks and mortar stores
  • The impact digital strategies are having on IP

Bezodis commented: “BL&IS is an important event for the licensing industry because, for many, it’s an opportunity to pause and listen to the pioneers of the industry and the only event which seems to have its finger on the pulse of all things licensing and retail.”

LEGO’s Freeman, added: “I am honoured to join a panel at B&LIS and provide my insights and experiences over my time in licensing and also during the last year. Touchpoints for people within the industry are essential during these times, to ensure we all keep connected and feel a sense of being part of a larger team, and I am looking forward to learning from fellow panellists and it will be great to engage with people I wouldn’t necessarily cross paths with.”

The second day of BL&IS will focus on sustainability and CSR with content curated by Products of Change and speakers from Hasbro, George at Asda, Lyfcycle, DNA Brands and Brands In Limited will address the damaging effects of the fashion industry on the planet, and how the industry is transitioning to a sustainable future.

John Friend, head of Halo and Xbox Consumer Products at Microsoft will join a day three panel alongside Difuzed head of gaming and esports Dan Amos and Scott Macrae, Asda’s new business and partnerships manager.

The summit’s third day takes a deep dive into content and digital transformation, and John Friend’s panel is called Next Level: Why Gaming and Esports is Dominating the Entertainment Leaderboard. He and his fellow panellists will help delegates to understand:

  • The types of games on the market and their relative franchise strength/accessibility to consumer products markets
  • The role of community and evangelism in gaming consumer products
  • Navigating rapid speed of consumption to capitalise on opportunity and maximise longevity
  • Tapping into the potential of streaming

BL&IS is a three-day virtual event that has been designed to help middle-management, business leaders and owners to navigate the changing retail, content and consumer landscape.

Online registration for the Brand & Licensing Innovation Summits is now open at www.brandlicensinginnovationsummit.com.

Early bird discounts of 30 per cent are available until 16 April. A three-day delegate pass at the early bird rate will cost just £175 (£158 for Licensing International members). Qualified retailers are invited to register for free.

LEGO and NASA partner on Space Shuttle Discovery set launch, with help from Astronaut Dr Kathy Sullivan

The LEGO Group has partnered with NASA to launch its new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set, a new science-focused construction set aimed at the adult LEGO fan audience.

The new set was officially revealed this week by the former NASA Astronaut, Dr Kathy Sullivan, who was part of the original NASA STS-31 mission over 30 years ago. This was the mission that launched the Hubble Telescope, the telescope that has gone on to capture images of the universe and shape our understanding of space.

To celebrate the launch of the new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery, the LEGO Group spoke to Dr. Kathy Sullivan about her experience onboard the original NASA STS-31 mission and how the real-life space shuttle compares to the LEGO model’s detailed build of the spacecraft and famous Hubble Space Telescope.

Filmed at COSI (Center of Science and Industry), the interview is now available on lego.com/gobeyond, and sees Dr. Kathy Sullivan detail the incredible mission, which launched the Hubble Space Telescope into the cosmos – enabling NASA, and scientists around the world, to explore more of the universe than ever before.

The interview also delved into Dr. Sullivan’s thoughts on encouraging more young people into STEM careers and the future of space exploration.

The new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is a complex 2,354 piece build that pays homage to this pioneering moment in space history and marks the 40th anniversary since the first Space Shuttle flight on 12th of April 1981.

Aimed at adult builders, the set features the Discovery orbiter with functional landing gear, payload bay doors, elevons and rudder; and the Hubble Space Telescope, which can either be folded and contained within the payload bay or expanded with solar array and displayed separately.

Both also come with a display plaque which features key data from the mission.

Dr. Kathy Sullivan said: “I was thrilled to see the space shuttle in LEGO form, and was very impressed by the amount of intricate detail they have managed to recreate from the module where we used to sleep and eat through to what we called the “milk stalls” on the telescope.

“Looking at the model, it was great to reminisce about my experiences in space launching the telescope for the first time. Hubble is definitely the highlight of my career. This LEGO model is a great way for LEGO builders and space fans alike to get excited about space travel and learn more about the famous mission in a fun and engaging way.”

Marking the passing of 30 years since the original mission, LEGO has delved into people’s passion for space to uncover what they think of exploration. 72 per cent of those asked believe space exploration is ‘essential’. 24 per cent of them believe that we will find new planets, and 13 per cent think we will find alien life in the next 30 years.

71 per cent of people believe there is life on other planets, while over half think there will be space tourism in the next 30 years.

Speaking with LEGO, Dr Kathy Sullivan suggested that “the biggest barriers to space tourism in the next 30 years is the safety and costs elements, if we can break through these the general public really could take a trip to space in the future.”

As part of the wider LEGO Go beyond campaign, that kicks off with this product launch, space and LEGO fans alike can head to lego.com/gobeyond to watch the interview and find out more about the original mission, discover more about the LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set and access some great online space learning tools from LEGO Education.

LEGO® NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is on sale 1st April from LEGO.com and LEGO Retail stores.

LEGO and NASA partner on Space Shuttle Discovery set launch, with help from Astronaut Dr Kathy Sullivan

The LEGO Group has partnered with NASA to launch its new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set, a new science-focused construction set aimed at the adult LEGO fan audience.

The new set was officially revealed this week by the former NASA Astronaut, Dr Kathy Sullivan, who was part of the original NASA STS-31 mission over 30 years ago. This was the mission that launched the Hubble Telescope, the telescope that has gone on to capture images of the universe and shape our understanding of space.

To celebrate the launch of the new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery, the LEGO Group spoke to Dr. Kathy Sullivan about her experience onboard the original NASA STS-31 mission and how the real-life space shuttle compares to the LEGO model’s detailed build of the spacecraft and famous Hubble Space Telescope.

Filmed at COSI (Center of Science and Industry), the interview is now available on lego.com/gobeyond, and sees Dr. Kathy Sullivan detail the incredible mission, which launched the Hubble Space Telescope into the cosmos – enabling NASA, and scientists around the world, to explore more of the universe than ever before.

The interview also delved into Dr. Sullivan’s thoughts on encouraging more young people into STEM careers and the future of space exploration.

The new LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is a complex 2,354 piece build that pays homage to this pioneering moment in space history and marks the 40th anniversary since the first Space Shuttle flight on 12th of April 1981.

Aimed at adult builders, the set features the Discovery orbiter with functional landing gear, payload bay doors, elevons and rudder; and the Hubble Space Telescope, which can either be folded and contained within the payload bay or expanded with solar array and displayed separately.

Both also come with a display plaque which features key data from the mission.

Dr. Kathy Sullivan said: “I was thrilled to see the space shuttle in LEGO form, and was very impressed by the amount of intricate detail they have managed to recreate from the module where we used to sleep and eat through to what we called the “milk stalls” on the telescope.

“Looking at the model, it was great to reminisce about my experiences in space launching the telescope for the first time. Hubble is definitely the highlight of my career. This LEGO model is a great way for LEGO builders and space fans alike to get excited about space travel and learn more about the famous mission in a fun and engaging way.”

Marking the passing of 30 years since the original mission, LEGO has delved into people’s passion for space to uncover what they think of exploration. 72 per cent of those asked believe space exploration is ‘essential’. 24 per cent of them believe that we will find new planets, and 13 per cent think we will find alien life in the next 30 years.

71 per cent of people believe there is life on other planets, while over half think there will be space tourism in the next 30 years.

Speaking with LEGO, Dr Kathy Sullivan suggested that “the biggest barriers to space tourism in the next 30 years is the safety and costs elements, if we can break through these the general public really could take a trip to space in the future.”

As part of the wider LEGO Go beyond campaign, that kicks off with this product launch, space and LEGO fans alike can head to lego.com/gobeyond to watch the interview and find out more about the original mission, discover more about the LEGO NASA Space Shuttle Discovery set and access some great online space learning tools from LEGO Education.

LEGO® NASA Space Shuttle Discovery is on sale 1st April from LEGO.com and LEGO Retail stores.

Moonpig grows its kids’ gifting portfolio with LEGO partnership and ‘ambitious plans for more to come’

The online gifting specialist, Moonpig has detailed its huge ambitions’ for its giftable kids range, growing its portfolio of toy partners and most recently welcoming LEGO into the fold.

The firm’s partnership with the LEGO Group marks a significant step forward for the company as well as ‘its biggest brand launch on its site to date.’ Until now, Moonpig has partnered with the likes of Playmobil, Hasbro, and Pokemon, but not launched a portfolio as large as its LEGO deal.

The partnership has been billed as ‘the first of more to come,’ as Moonpig outlines its vision to “become the ultimate gifting companion for customers.”

David Rimmer, commercial director of Moonpig, told Licensing.biz: “We have been a huge emphasis on bolstering our gifting offer. As part of this, we have brought on board a number of new toy brands recently, including Playmobil, Hasbro, and Pokemon and will continue to add beloved brands as we build our kids’ gifting and birthday ranges.”

The new LEGO range features 13 different themes with more than 50 products, spanning Duplo LEGO, LEGO Marvel, and LEGO Architecture.

Its licensed line up features the popular LEGO Harry Potter and LEGO Star Wars, while the top selling LEGO City and LEGO Friends also feature.

Moonpig launched the new brand with bespoke site looks – a dedicated landing page as well as content all around the site to showcase the extensive range, and has the ambition to grow the offer even further throughout the year.

Rimmer added: “We are very excited for Lego to join our offer as the latest addition. Our ambitions are huge for our kids range, so make sure to watch this space.”

The Moonpig business has been bolstering its expanding gifting offer with a long list of brands. In the past three months, Moonpig has introduced over 50 new brands across food, alcohol, beauty, home and toys, including Playmobil, Hasbro, and Pokemon.