legos - Jezebel

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Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
"Put The F**king Lotion In The Basket" Singlehandedly Revives American Musical Theater
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Loose Lips

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mauramcallister
07/19/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
I was just like this. Lots of little Lego creations, all multi-colored - but I was proud of each and every one of them. I hated the sets that you had to follow directions for (stupid, I thought). Give me the big tub of Legos and leave me be!

My parents were very against the stereotypical toys - in fact, for my 1st brithday, my parents got a Tonka truck!! You can see on the video (my grandparents taped EVERYTHING) that my grandmother was none too pleased at this - apparently I was supposed to be a girlie girl in her eyes (she eventually gave me a Barbie doll house).

I wish more ads were like this. Girls today need to know that it's okay for them to play with action figures, toy trucks, etc. And parents need to stop pushing these "gender specific roles" on their kids.

The girliest things I ever had was my first bike. It was a pale purple with those stupid streamer things coming out of the handle bars, and it had a white wicker baset on the front. The first thing I did was rip those damn things off the handlebars (but I kept the basket - it had some use).
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SitaGalooba
07/19/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
My 30-year old daughter STILL plays with her legos. And we still buy them for her for Christmas...
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Flackette Goes Retro
07/20/09

@SitaGalooba: Um, are you my mom?
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Blazing_Scribbles
07/19/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
From a copywriting standpoint, I'm already in love. I'm saving this.

Great line, beautiful piece of not-sappy but sentimental copy that targets the family market – love the kid and the scenario.

It's like a Darwin dodo sketch; I know I'll never see one today, bit just knowing it was around once is pleasantly fascinating.
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hortense promoted this comment Edited by Blazing_Scribbles at 07/19/09 4:21 AM Blazing_Scribbles was starred

rhymeswithfeather
07/19/09

@Blazing_Scribbles: Copywriters represent! And this ad could still work today -- just slash the body copy. Love it, and hope one day to see/make more like it.
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Nicola-M
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
Adorable! This was totally me as a kid, also even though I wore a dress it was not an uncommen sight for me to be on the highest wall in the play park with a giant mythology text book or rolling down the hilll on a skateboard. But then again at age 8 I did accuse a ten year old of being sexist when she commented on my playing with "boys toys".
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clevernamehere
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
I've started to think the intense gendering of children has a lot to do with consumerism. In the 80s there were a lot more gender neutral baby clothes, which would have been convenient since the 2-3 a family had aren't likely to all be one gender. But if you only sell pink princess onsies and tough boy onsies, parents are going to be a lot less likely to use hand-me-downs and a lot more likely to buy more.
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pumpkinsoup
07/19/09

@clevernamehere: You're absolutely correct. I used to work on ads for a major American discount retailer, and I was taken aback to discover there are now boy's and girl's car seats(upholstered in neutral blue and beige for boys and pink for girls), potty seats (pink for girls and primary colors for boys), bouncy chairs (again with pink fabric or neutral for boys), etc., etc.

Now, the economical and, perhaps, more progressive parent could just purchase the neutral or boy's options to be safe, but I know parents who have baby girls. A lot of them go girl crazy with the pink and princess motifs, especially if the girl is their first born. And then baby number two come, and guess what? It's a boy, and that pink car seat, potty seat and bouncy chair has to be replaced. Better run to Target, Kmart or Wal-mart to buy a second one then to reuse what you already have even though your 6-month or 2-year child won't notice the difference or care what color it is.
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Edited by pumpkinsoup at 07/19/09 12:30 AM pumpkinsoup was starred pumpkinsoup was unstarred

ZenScout
07/19/09

@pumpkinsoup: We just bought the neutral "boy" car seat, stroller, high chair, etc. They're much nicer anyway and I'd feel like a jackass pushing my daughter around in a frilly pink stroller with ruffles and lace.
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pumpkinsoup
07/19/09

@ZenScout: I have a girl, and I did the same thing, although when she was born eight years ago I don't think one could buy a pink car seat or potty chair. Still, I was probably motivated by practicality than anything else since I knew I wanted more children. And, yes, the frills and the lace can get a bit much, but I know parents who go for that crap. And the weird thing they are parents who seem very progressive otherwise.
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dasNeonlicht
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
What a smile! She's like, "Fuck yeah, I built that shit."
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MilointheMeadow
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
Someone told me that Lego is a Danish invention. Is this another case of the Scandinavians doing something awesome again?
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My_Latest_Incarnation
07/18/09

@MilointheMeadow: Yes, you can thank Mr. Ole Kirk Christiansen of Bilund, Denmark for LEGOS.

http://www.catalogs.com/info/crafts/who-invented-LEGOs.html
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Plum-Pie
07/18/09

@MilointheMeadow: I think 'lego' means 'play well'. I loved it.
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Stagtasticfantastic
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
I almost can't believe this add existed. I spent a 90s childhood dressed in hand-me-downs of all kinds (including my brother's) and playing with Legos (and Play-Mobils and stuffed animals and orphans running away from a mean orphanage...) and it seems like plenty of other people did, too. So why is this simple add so wonderful and almost impossible to believe? Is it really that hard to duplicate this? Sigh.

I hate to get into the (usually bullshit) mindset of, ohhhhh it was better back then!!!!, but it does seem like the 90s were a little more forgiving about blurry gender roles in play. At least in advertising and kids shows. Maybe?
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JennaW
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
What an adorable red-headed child (which I say whenever I say any red-headed child as they are my people, and they are adorable, each and every freckled one of them).
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angrycatinc
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
Legos aren't the same any more either -- it's hard to find the generic sets. (Do they still exist?) They're all prefab with pieces to make specific things, ie pirate ship, Star Wars, marine base, etc. I was this little girl too; I also used my brother's bridge set to build him stuff for his Hot Wheels. :)
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My_Latest_Incarnation
07/18/09

@angrycatinc: You can get buckets of plain ones at their website and at their LEGO stores.
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mariamariamaria
07/18/09

@angrycatinc: Target and Toys R Us also have the buckets, too. And at the Lego stores you can pick and choose the pieces you want, buffet style! It's the AWESOMEST!
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phalenopsis
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
At the Lego store a few weeks ago I heard a mom tell her little girl "Let's go look at the GIRL legos." I was horrified. Legos are for everyone! Except those pink and purple things in the corner of the store that are only about building a house. I don't know who those are for.

I whimpered pitifully to my mom, who told me even if they had those when I was little, she still would have given me the pirates and castles (we are talking about castles with OGRES, not those pretty princesses) and robots and shit.

Legos are the great equalizers. Legos for all!
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mariamariamaria
07/18/09

@phalenopsis: Guuuuurl! If I am fortunate enough one day to have a little girl, I am TOTES buying her the Indiana Jones and Agents Lego sets, because like me (and my nephew who I introduced them to as well) she will LOVE Indie and James Bond.
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goldcat
07/18/09

@phalenopsis: At least it it was lego! I work in a toy store and I could tell you stories! People are hopeless when it comes to gendered everything. Moms can usually handle when their sons want tiaras and wands, but dads, and grandmas,for some reason, especially can't stand it. I do believe in a lot of cases, parents use "you don't want that,thats for boys/girls" simply to avoid having to buy the thing in the first place, and their real motivation has more to do with not spending $14.95 than their kid growing up to be 'a gay'.
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mariamariamaria
07/18/09

@goldcat: I've never used "its for girls" but man I could see the temptation. It's hard to have to keep coming up with different ways of saying "no". Luckily my nephew is very sweet and sensible and usually just saying "not this time, it's not in the budget" is good enough.
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the_mighty_lush
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
This makes me want to cry :( HOW have we got to this place?!
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Pieces of Pi
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
She embodies me at 6 years old. Minusthe awesome hair.. I wasn't allowed to have long hair. I love lego.
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spamanda
07/18/09

@Pieces of Pi and her vagabond dreams: Aww, I had the red hair AND the braids! Still wear it like that, and with those clothes.
Also I just want to mention that Mr. Spamanda and I had legos on our wedding registry. You are never to old for legos
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mariamariamaria
07/18/09

@spamanda: Um, HEARTED for putting Legos on your registry!!!!!!!!!
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medeasdragons
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
My brother and I compromised over the toy issue. We played house with Legos and cars, which was fine with me because unlike Barbies, it's easy to put the head back on a Lego man.
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Sandicomm
07/18/09

In reply to Why Can't There Be More Ads Like This Today?
Weren't Legos meant to be the ultimate unisex toy? That's why this ad is so powerful: because we see the girl being treated like a kid, not a pretty princess. Of course, now when you look at Lego ads it's always little boys with tousled hair having a grand old time--unless it's an ad for the pink Lego sets, then the girls are laughing ever so primly. How things change in 30 years.
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