On the last day of February, LEGO opened its largest European store on the grounds of Disneyland Village at Disney Paris. (The official Disney Paris site hasn't updated its 'coming soon' note about the new store, but the store's definitely open--it's listed in the LEGO store locator here.)
Increased distribution through company-branded stores is only part of LEGO's marketing plan for ongoing growth. The Danish company is also broadening its appeal by creating new minifigures featuring women as scientists (above, the chemist). The new minifigures were designed by a geochemist and submitted via LEGO's ideas crowdsourcing website, reviewed by the company's officials, and finally cleared for a new product introduction promotion in August.
Via this ideas website, several other new products are under consideration, including a Doctor Who block set, as shown above, and a set based on the US TV show Big Bang Theory. Watch for decisions in a few months. Given the immense popularity of these TV shows, new LEGO sets may tap into the adult market as a targeted segment, in addition to the traditional children's market for building blocks.
