The Rise of LEGO Licensing

***** The viz is replication in Tableau of original work of Gerard Duggan in Power BI.*****

This visualization titled "The Rise of LEGO Licensing" illustrates the growth and impact of licensed LEGO sets from their inception to 2022, and provides insights into how licensing agreements with major franchises have shaped LEGO’s product line and target market over time.

Tools & Technologies:

• Data Visualization: Tableau
• Design Techniques: Figma
• Data Preparation: Tableau Prep and Excel

Link of the project: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/jay.charole/viz/TheRiseofLegoLicensing/TheRiseofLegoLicensing

Key Insights from the Visualization:

1. The Evolution of LEGO Themes Over Time (1972–2022): The central area graph shows the growth of LEGO's product range from 1972 to 2022. LEGO started with 40 sets across four themes in 1970, which steadily expanded over time. Around the year 2000, there is a marked rise in the production of licensed LEGO sets, which are represented by a distinct yellow band on the graph. By 2022, licensed sets account for 37% of all LEGO sets, demonstrating how significant licensed themes have become to LEGO's overall output.

   • Early Years (1972–1992): LEGO themes were largely focused on non-licensed, original content, including classic themes like town, space, and castle, categorized under "Miscellaneous" and "Action" themes.
   • Licensed Themes Explosion (Post-2000): The growth of blockbuster movie franchises around the year 2000, particularly Star Wars, caused a surge in the production of licensed sets. This trend continued, expanding into other franchises such as Marvel/DC Universe, Harry Potter, and Disney, contributing to a dramatic increase in licensed LEGO set production.
   • By 2022, LEGO has grown to produce 662 sets across 10 themes, with licensed themes making up a substantial portion of these offerings.

2. Licensed Franchise Dominance: A horizontal bar chart highlights the dominance of specific licensed franchises. Star Wars, which launched LEGO's first licensed set in 1999, continues to lead by a significant margin, producing the most sets. Other top franchises include the Marvel/DC Universe, LEGO Movies, Disney, BrickHeadz, and Harry Potter.

   • Star Wars dominates in both the number of sets and variety of set sizes, as indicated by the bubble chart to the right, where larger bubbles represent a higher volume of sets produced.
   • Marvel/DC Universe also shows a high volume of sets, though slightly fewer compared to Star Wars.
   • Other franchises, such as LEGO Movies, Disney, and BrickHeadz, have relatively fewer sets produced but still hold a strong presence.

3. Target Market and Age Distribution: The scatter plot at the bottom right of the visualization shows the distribution of LEGO sets by age recommendation (represented by different colors for 4-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-14 years, and 15+ years) and their pricing (indicated on the x-axis).

   • Larger, more expensive sets tend to be aimed at older customers (15+ years), likely targeting collectors or adults who have more disposable income.
   • Star Wars sets dominate the high-cost, older-age market, with many sets priced above $300 and marked for 15+ years.
   • Other franchises like Marvel/DC and Harry Potter also have significant portions aimed at older customers, while some Disney and LEGO Movie sets are more accessible to younger audiences.

4. Larger Sets for Older Audiences: Larger, costlier sets tend to target older customers, suggesting a shift in LEGO's marketing strategy to appeal not only to children but also to adult collectors and fans of major franchises. This trend is especially evident in the Star Wars franchise, where a substantial number of sets are priced high and recommended for ages 15+.

Conclusion:

The visualization highlights LEGO’s strategic expansion into licensed themes, driven by partnerships with major movie and entertainment franchises. The advent of Star Wars licensing in 1999 marked the beginning of this transformation, and by 2022, licensed sets accounted for over one-third of all LEGO sets produced. Franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and Harry Potter have played a significant role in LEGO’s growth, particularly in the premium market for adult collectors. This data reflects how LEGO has broadened its appeal beyond traditional children’s toys, leveraging popular culture to create a diverse, global fan base.

In sum, LEGO's shift towards licensed themes has allowed it to capitalize on blockbuster franchises, diversify its product line, and appeal to a broader demographic, including both young children and adult collectors. This transformation underscores LEGO's ability to adapt and thrive in a changing entertainment landscape, where iconic franchises dominate cultural and consumer trends.