Giant Lego Man Washes Up On Florida Beach

Giant Lego Man Washes Up On Florida Beach

Florida beach visitors lift giant Lego Man

Ahhh ... a relaxing day on the beach. Can you feel the warm sun beneath your toes as you stroll the shoreline?

But, wait ... what is that bobbing in the water? Could it be .... could it be a GIANT LEGO MAN?

Believe it or not, that is exactly what recently happened at Siesta Key Beach in Florida. An eight-foot-tall, 100-pound fiberglass man washed up on shore.

Now, I must admit that I immediately gave a high five to the other PR professionals at Branigan Communications. I mean, we may not have been the team that came up with this great idea for the Lego brand, but we must recognize brilliant work when we see it, right?

Wrong. Well kind of wrong.

It was a brilliant PR stunt, but the culprit was not Lego. Rather, this stunt was brought to beach-goers, complements of a Dutch artist named Ego Leonard.

When contacted by email, Leonard replied to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

“I am glad I crossed over. Although it was a hell of a [swim].

Nice weather here and friendly people.

I think I am gonna stay here for a while.” 

Leonard has extended his campaign to both Twitter and Facebook. Additionally, his website shows a partially obscured Lego man, whose face is covered by a big green apple.

Interestingly, this is not the first time this has happened. Other Lego figures have washed up on beaches in both Holland and England, in 2007 and 2008.

Fascinating viral campaign.

Legos ... Not Just Child's Play Anymore

You've heard it before ... don't extend the equity of your brand beyond the point where your target gives you permission to go. But, what if you don't have control of the line extension?

Take for example, Lisa Taylor and British retailer Selfridges who are set to launch a line of Lego jewelry later this month. The jewelry is designed to be whimsical, appealing to so-called "kidults." But conjuring up happy images of building a Lego fantasy castle when you were a child comes at a price ... around $75 for the simplest items in the line.

Sorry Lisa, you've gone a bit too far for my tastes. The jewelry is too big, too colorful, too gaudy for my tastes. And, sorry, but I still think Legos are a lot more fun when you can build something cool.

What do you think?