PR and marketing

Parents looking for fun, exciting and challenging activities these Easter school holidays can encourage their children to enter the National LEGO® Building Competition.

LEGO Australia in conjunction with Toyworld stores are searching for the nation’s best LEGO builder, with entries being accepted in Toyworld stores during the month of April.

Now in its second year, the competition gives Australian children the opportunity to use their creativity and imagination to build the LEGO model of their dreams for the chance to win a family trip to LEGOLAND® California.

LEGO Certified Professional Ryan McNaught said, “The National LEGO Building Competition is a great activity for kids to participate in these school holidays. LEGO is both fun and educational; it encourages children to keep their minds active while they are away from school.”

“The competition provides kids with the chance to use their creative skills to come up with the best model possible. I suggest they take inspiration for their models from all around them, from the world they live in, TV shows and the books they have read.”

“Building the perfect model will provide hours of entertainment. To get their model just right they should not just build one thing, but  build lots of different things and then choose their favourite one to enter,” said Mr McNaught.

All children interested in entering are required to build a LEGO model, take a photo of the model and present it with a completed entry form to their local Toyworld store. Entries can be submitted to any Toyworld store from 1st to 30th April 2011 and will be on display for the duration of the competition.

The Grand Prize winner will receive return flights to Los Angeles for four people, five nights accommodation in the luxurious Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and Hotel, admission for four people to LEGOLAND California theme park for four days, and $1,500 spending money. 

There will also be the chance to win store and state prizes with winners receiving $50RRP and $100RRP worth of LEGO toys respectively. All entrants will receive a Junior LEGO Master Builder Certificate.

Start building now!

Visit www.toyworld.com.au or visit your local Toyworld store for more details.

-Ends-

Notes to the Editor
Since 1932, when Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund, Denmark, began making wooden toys in his workshop, the name LEGO has been synonymous with creativity and learning through play.  LEGO is proud to carry on its historic tradition of learning through fun and creative play by announcing the National LEGO Building Competition.

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children, employing approximately 7,000 people globally. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities. LEGO products can be purchased in more than 130 countries.

LEGO® Australia in conjunction with Toyworld stores, are searching for the nation’s best LEGO builder in the National LEGO Building Competition with entries opening on the first of April 2011.

Now in its second year, the competition gives Australian children the opportunity to use their creativity and construction skills to build the LEGO model of their dreams for the chance to win a family trip to LEGOLAND® California.

All children interested in entering are required to build a LEGO model, take a photo of the model and present it with a completed entry form to their local Toyworld store. Entries can be submitted to any Toyworld store from 1st to 30th April 2011 and will be on display for the duration of the competition.

Ryan McNaught, LEGO Certified Professional is encouraging all children to start building their models now, ready to be entered when the competition opens in April.

“I suggest that children take inspiration for their models from all around them, from the world they live in, TV shows and the books they have read. Building something different and unique is definitely the way to go.”

“It is a good idea to not just build one thing, build lots of different things then they can choose their favourite one. Often it’s the other ideas and creations that are made that are even better than the original idea. So I encourage kids to build lots of models and pick their favourite model to enter as they can only submit one in the NLBC,” said Mr McNaught.

The Grand Prize winner will receive return flights to Los Angeles for four people, five nights accommodation in the luxurious Grand Pacific Palisades Resort and Hotel, admission for four people to LEGOLAND California theme park for four days, and $1,500 spending money. 

There will also be the chance to win store and state prizes with winners receiving $50RRP and $100 RRP worth of LEGO product respectively. All entrants will receive a Junior LEGO Master Builder Certificate.

It’s time to get building!

Visit www.toyworld.com.au or visit your local Toyworld store for more details.

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10 top tips for LEGO building

Ryan McNaught, LEGO Certified Professional has offered the following top ten tips to help children get started on their entries. Please feel free to use these.

1. Don’t just build one thing, build lots of different things then choose your favourite one.
   Often it’s the other ideas and creations you make that are even better than your original idea, so build lots and pick your favourite!
2. Get organised! Have your LEGO bricks all sorted out in a way that makes building easy, have your bricks sorted by colour and type, i.e. have all your mini figures and their utensils together.
3. Make things that you really like, if you really love space ships, then build a space ship, or if you are into making cities then build the best police station. Models are always better when you really love what you’re building.
4. Include things that move. Have hidden trap doors, sections that open and things that spin to make the model playable.
5. Every great model tells a story, for example; here is the King who is trying to defend his castle from the bad guy Prince who wants to take all of his cows!  The more interesting the story the more interesting the model.
6. Take inspiration for your models from all around you, from the world we live in, TV shows and the books you have read. Building something different and unique is definitely the way to go.
7. Work with other people, get together with your friends and family and build your models at the same time. This way you will get inspiration and ideas that will help you make an even better creation.
8. Build a strong model.  If you have to move your models around, make sure they are robust and tough, you don’t want your precious creation falling to pieces when you go to move it.
9. Don’t be afraid to start again, if you just finished building something and you aren’t happy with it, tear it down and build it again. All the great LEGO models around the world are made from many, many versions. 
10. Get colourful. Use different colours that you normally wouldn’t. Use colours in unusual ways, put a red stripe down the side of your grey space ship, it will make it super-fast and look super cool!

Notes to the Editor
Since 1932, when Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund, Denmark, began making wooden toys in his workshop, the name LEGO has been synonymous with creativity and learning through play.  LEGO is proud to carry on its historic tradition of learning through fun and creative play by announcing the National LEGO Building Competition.

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials for children, employing approximately 7,000 people globally. The LEGO Group is committed to the development of children’s creative and imaginative abilities. LEGO products can be purchased in more than 130 countries. www.lego.com

PR agency CP Communications has been appointed the public relations project for the National LEGO® Building Competition.

CP Communications will be managing the public relations project in Australia and New Zealand to promote the annual competition, in which children use their creativity and construction skills to build the LEGO® model of their dreams for the chance to win a family trip to LEGOLAND® California.

Director of CP Communications, Catriona Pollard said, “We are thrilled to be working on this project. Working with a well known, global brand offers many exciting possibilities. This year is shaping up to be very productive, with new growth bringing new ideas that we can use to benefit our clients.”

CP Communications tailors individual strategies and tactics to meet PR objectives and achieve amazing results for clients.