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| Lego confirms Simpsons construction set | Lego confirms Simpsons construction set |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Lego, the world's second-biggest toymaker, has confirmed that it will produce a construction set based on the hit TV animation, the Simpsons. | Lego, the world's second-biggest toymaker, has confirmed that it will produce a construction set based on the hit TV animation, the Simpsons. |
| The kit will include figures of the main characters including Homer, Bart, Marge and Ned Flanders. | The kit will include figures of the main characters including Homer, Bart, Marge and Ned Flanders. |
| The Danish toymaker struck the deal with the show's owners, Twentieth Century Fox. | The Danish toymaker struck the deal with the show's owners, Twentieth Century Fox. |
| Fox is scheduled to air an episode of the show featuring the cast in Lego form in May, in the US. | Fox is scheduled to air an episode of the show featuring the cast in Lego form in May, in the US. |
| "We know our fans will love the challenge of building the Simpsons' family home in great detail and the ability to collect quintessential characters in Lego minifigure form," Jill Wilfert, from the Lego Group said in a statement. | "We know our fans will love the challenge of building the Simpsons' family home in great detail and the ability to collect quintessential characters in Lego minifigure form," Jill Wilfert, from the Lego Group said in a statement. |
| The Simpsons, a satirical parody of family life, has been running for 25 years making it the longest running scripted TV show in the US. | The Simpsons, a satirical parody of family life, has been running for 25 years making it the longest running scripted TV show in the US. |
| "Even though the Simpsons has been on for a quarter if a century it still resonates with young makes viewers an ideal target for the Lego brand," said Brad Adgate, head of research at Horizon Media. | |
| The set will go on sale in the US next month. The company plans to launch a separate line of 16 Simpsons mini figures in May. | The set will go on sale in the US next month. The company plans to launch a separate line of 16 Simpsons mini figures in May. |
| Media strategy | Media strategy |
| Strong sales growth saw Lego overtake Hasbro last year to become the world's second-biggest toy maker behind Mattel. | Strong sales growth saw Lego overtake Hasbro last year to become the world's second-biggest toy maker behind Mattel. |
| It has been helped by the success of kits and figures related to movies including Lord of the Rings, Toy Story and the Avengers. | It has been helped by the success of kits and figures related to movies including Lord of the Rings, Toy Story and the Avengers. |
| The strategy started in 1999 with Star Wars themed kits. | The strategy started in 1999 with Star Wars themed kits. |
| More recently, Lego has been focusing on Asia where sales have been booming. | More recently, Lego has been focusing on Asia where sales have been booming. |
| This year it plans to build its first factory in China. | This year it plans to build its first factory in China. |
| The firm is controlled by Denmark's richest man, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, who is the grandson of Lego's founder. | The firm is controlled by Denmark's richest man, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, who is the grandson of Lego's founder. |