The LEGO Group has teamed up with Universal Music Group for a new theme that combines digital and physical experiences – LEGO VIDIYO.
LEGO fans can now find out more about LEGO VIDIYO, the new product line that the company is launching in March. Blocks magazine will be going in-depth on the new theme with set reviews in Issue 77, but in the meantime, we have some new info to share on what this digital infused product range is going to offer.
The whole concept of LEGO VIDIYO is based around letting children create and share their own music videos – with themselves, or a host of minifigure characters, as the stars. Thanks to the involvement of Universal Music Group, children will be able to take chart-topping music as the basis for their original videos. Within the app, they’ll also be able to design album covers and name their band.
What’s more, children will be able to share their music videos on the VIDIYO app, which will have parental control and external moderation along with anonymity to give families confidence in using it.
Here’s how LEGO VIDIYO works:
- You choose one of the songs in the VIDIYO app, which contemporary hits and familiar classics
- Build a band of physical minifigures from the new selection specially created for the theme, then scan them in and change their scale using AR (augmented reality) technology
- Grab some of the 2×2 tiles specially designed for the theme – known as BeatBits – and scan them into the app. They unlock special digital effects that will enhance your music videos with effects, backdrops, character moves, audio and more.
- The stage can be wherever you are or even be a LEGO model – just scan it into the app.
- VIDIYO clips are 60 seconds and can be trimmed down ready for sharing.
- Completed music videos can be saved in-app or shared publicly, with protection in place to keep children safe.
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Like LEGO DOTS, the theme offers a new entry point to the LEGO system – while still focused on creativity, it seems that building aspect is a smaller part of it, suggesting that it is seeking to appeal to children who are not yet immersed in the brick.
As ever, the new theme has been painstakingly researched and tested by the LEGO Group. It is aimed at children aged 7 to 10 years old, with surveys showing that 74% of children aged 5 – 12 years old saying music helps them connect with friends and over half of children aged 6 – 10 confirming they listen to music every day.
“We want to feed the imagination of the next generation of creatives, providing a new canvas for kids to creatively express themselves,” says Julia Goldin, LEGO Chief Marketing Officer. “Research shows over three quarters of parents globally wish their children had more creative confidence, so we’re launching LEGO VIDYO to help make that happen. We know children are always chasing new ways to experiment creatively, and LEGO VIDIYO is here to help all kids with a passion for music unleash their creativity through LEGO building and music video production. We can’t wait to see what they come up with!”
“Through this innovative global partnership – with the power of music and play harnessed to support early development of creativity – children around the globe will be able to express themselves as they stage, direct, perform, and share their music videos,” says Olivier Robert-Murphy, Executive Vice President, Universal Music Group and Brands. “LEGO VIDIYO is a great way for millions of kids to discover new music and get closer to their favourite artists while learning and connecting through play.”
At first glance, adults might not see a great deal within LEGO VIDIYO of interest to them – but with appealing new minifigures and new printed tiles, there will be at least something within these theme worth looking at.
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