Future Builders

Background

Many adults still have gender biases when it comes to their children’s career aspirations.

International Women’s Day in March was the perfect moment to celebrate young female ‘future builders’, the girls who would soon be running both the LEGO company and the world.

Idea

2021 was the 40th anniversary of an iconic LEGO ad featuring a young girl and her creation. Parents were invited to recreate this famous ad with their own daughters by taking a photo of them holding their creations. Next, they answered a quick quiz to get their very own poster with a headline tailored to the subject’s unique style of creativity. Copy explained that LEGO had recently partnered with UN Women to reshape its workplace and workforce.

The campaign was launched with influencer parents and their daughters sharing their posters using #LEGOFutureBuilders. A ‘Future Builders’ gallery on LEGO.com showcased the creations of girls of all ages from all over the world.

Results

On social media, the campaign reached 12.5 million people, exceeding benchmarks by 64%.

Engagement estimates were surpassed by 302%.

The seed was planted in parents’ minds: ‘My daughter is really inventive. One day she could work at the LEGO Group, hey, she could run the place!’

Our Thoughts

The girl in the original ad is Rachel Giordano and she is now a 44-year-old doctor in Seattle. In an interview (at womenyoushouldknow.net) she makes the point that all too often today toys deliver a message to children “and this message is weirdly about gender.” She notes that “doctor kits used to be for all children but now they are on the boys’ aisle.” LEGO, magnificently, continues to shun stereotyping (no pink bricks produced specially for girls etc) and to revel in the fact that creativity does not discriminate. Isn’t it great that of the 12 people credited for this idea 10 are women?