We don’t often share LEGO DUPLO news here, however, due to the nature of this press-release and the IP partner involved, I thought it might be interesting to some of you.
A delightfully unexpected mashup of companies founded in fun and play is now revealed between the LEGO Group, Hasbro, and Merlin Entertainments, who are coming together to bring a truly joyful and beloved character to life in LEGO DUPLO form – PEPPA PIG!
Just in time for PEPPA PIG’s 20th anniversary, the companies are celebrating everyone’s favorite piggy with new experiences for toddlers. With a shared commitment to create and deliver great play experiences to children all around the world, the three brands will introduce new ways for preschoolers to engage with the much-adored and globally celebrated PEPPA PIG character, known for her little snorts, giggles, and love of jumping in muddy puddles.
“PEPPA PIG is hugely popular and LEGO fans have been asking us to do a partnership for years, it was only natural that the world’s most popular pig needed to come to life in buildable LEGO sets, so we are excited to finally make that happen with the amazing team at Hasbro,” says Roberta Cardazzo, Design Manager at the LEGO Group. “Peppa is known for her confidence, ability to express herself, and adopt new skills. She handles everyday tasks and obstacles with curiosity and charm and inspires children to be patient and learn to share. Toddlers can be creative with the Peppa sets and play out stories with the iconic figures, while they learn about caring for nature, friendship, and daily routines. It has been a joy bringing Peppa to life in products and we hope our LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG will create laughs and joyful moments wherever she goes.”
The exciting collaboration will see PEPPA PIG come to life in LEGO DUPLO form for the very first time in LEGO products, as well as incredible attractions and rides in Merlin theme parks. The first experiences will launch this year in Germany and Denmark, including the world’s only LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG area at LEGOLAND Billund and the brand-new PEPPA PIG Park in Gunzburg in Germany, situated next to LEGOLAND Deutschland Park. The theme park experiences will bring to life the LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG sets, iconic scenes, and characters from the TV show in real-life PEPPA adventures.
“For 20 years, PEPPA PIG has leaned into storytelling that reflects the real lives and first experiences of preschoolers around the world. With kids at the center of the brand, we recognize the importance of working with best-in-class partners to deliver toys and experiences tailored to her littlest fans,” said Casey Collins, President of Licensed Consumer Products at Hasbro. “LEGO Group and Merlin share in Hasbro and PEPPA’s goal of designing play experiences specifically for little ones, giving children the confidence to treat every first step as a new adventure and confidently jump into all of life’s muddy puddles.”
Since the beloved animated television series first premiered in 2004, PEPPA PIG has encouraged kids to jump in together and explore the world around them. With their best friend Peppa by their side, preschoolers have the confidence to treat every first step as a new adventure – from the everyday to the epic. Now in its 10th season, the PEPPA PIG animated television series has been running for 20 years in over 180 territories. Globally successful, the brand connects with consumers across every touchpoint, from entertainment and retail to theme parks, touring shows and so much more.
Scott O’Neil, CEO Merlin Entertainments, said: “This is an exciting step forward for two of our iconic partners, whose purpose is to entertain and educate through creativity and play. We’ve partnered with the LEGO Group for over 18 years and the power of the brand, across borders and ages, is unparalleled. We’re really proud to bring Hasbro’s PEPPA PIG to life with the DUPLO brand, beginning with our new PEPPA PIG Theme Park in Gunzberg and our LEGOLAND Billund Resort, as our guests make life-long memories and learn through play.”
Stay tuned for the full reveal of LEGO DUPLO PEPPA PIG products coming soon at the LEGO DUPLO section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!
Well, that’s a surprise! But no pictures with the press release?
The press-release came with no pictures, so yeah, I assume any related products will be announced at a later date.
Hmmm. Is anybody counting, what proportion of Lego sets are based on external IP now? Don’t get me wrong, everybody loves a good Lego set from their favorite movie or tv show, but the reliance on it these days it striking. At least they have some internal IP as well (Ninjago, to a lesser extent Friends I suppose, plus retired ones like Bionicle, Chima, Nexo Knights, Elves). I can recall the 80s when they had no IP sets at all, and even the introduction of factions to the space and castle lines seemed like a new and exciting thing. The entire year’s line would be dedicated to a single faction, even if they were villains, no “battle in a box” good vs. bad sets, imagine that!
More interestingly, this is a collaboration with competitor Hasbro, once thought of a line Lego would never cross…
I remember those times too. Unfortunately, kids these days are into IPs. They want at least a tv show, like Ninjago.
What I have heard, one of the reasons they are doing more licensed sets is because working with licensed partners gives them extra protection.
You might have noticed that sites like Amazon are flooded by Lego-like sets. Fake Lego is now mainstream and they are everywhere.
Big brands working together gives them extra power and protection to protect their intellectual property in such a challenging market. Chinese fakes may copy Ninjago sets, but it’s less likely they will copy Lego Disney sets.
The minifig is an internal design, so the construction is protected. The general system is however based on an older model, Kiddicraft, so Lego basically has no legal rights to object to similar construction sets.
Oh, my nieces will love this!