Build for Real

Background

LEGO Technic is the advanced building system that allows older kids to build complex LEGO models full of working mechanical features and functions. The latest of these models was a 3,599 piece, 1:8 scale model of the iconic Bugatti Chiron.

LEGO Technic’s positioning is centred on the thought of ‘Build for Real’, which is both a consumer promise and a directive for internal model development.

LEGO Technic needed a campaign that would raise the awareness of this relatively niche LEGO product line and bring ‘Build for Real’ to life.

Idea

The plan was to build a full-size Bugatti Chiron with at least 90% of the model using LEGO Technic elements. To make things even more challenging, the Technic version of the Chiron should actually drive, powered only by tiny LEGO Power Function motors usually used in smaller Technic models.

The vehicle took over 13,000 man-hours to construct, was made up of over a million Technic elements and achieved a speed of over 25 km/t.

It became the star of a co-ordinated, PRdriven campaign in which ‘hero’ content was a YouTube film that followed the car’s first run on the same track where the original Chiron had been tested. This was supported by a longer ‘hub’ documentary and a three-part podcast revealing the full story of the build.

A shorter facts and figures newsroom piece (or ‘help’ content) was put out specifically for social media.

Selected journalists and influencers were invited to a secret viewing before the campaign launch and with their help the campaign went far beyond LEGO fans to reach all those with a passion for cars and performance engineering.

The car continues to make appearances at events like the Paris Car Show.

Results

The three YouTube videos about the rebuilt Chiron have amassed a watch-time of 33.7 years on LEGO channels alone.

Over 3,700 articles were written for online and offline media including the BBC, CNN, Mashable, Gizmodo and UK newspapers such as the Sun and The Mirror.

16.2 million people were reached on Facebook, with 343,000 almost universally favourable comments and 78,000 ‘shares’.

The campaign drive 241,000 unique visitors to the LEGO Technic landing page, where the average dwell-time was 02:46 minutes.

Our Thoughts

The ‘How it Was Done’ video has had over two million views on YouTube alone even though it is over eight minutes long. Proof that people do have a longer concentration span than the average goldfish, provided the content is interesting. And this is genuinely amazing! It’s a brilliant demonstration of what you can do with LEGO. And the online film has its moments of hilarity too, such as when Bugatti’s own test driver, who has driven the original at over 420 km/h (yes, you read that correctly), gets out of the LEGO version, punching air at having reached 26 km/h.

Also proof that when advertising gets taken in-house it doesn’t have to suddenly get compromised and dull.