Lego invites stressed-out adult builders to unwind after the workday

'Lego Lates' event series will take place throughout October at stores in New York City, London and Shanghai

Published On
Sep 27, 2022

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Lego is holding an event series offering adults a space to unwind after a busy workday, as the brand continues to emphasize that it could be the solution for stressed-out grownups seeking a creative outlet.

This event series, called Lego Lates, will take place throughout October in Lego stores in New York City, London and Shanghai. At each location, Lego invites adults to participate in an interactive group building session themed around a creative medium: film and television in London; fashion in Shanghai; and music in New York. Lego is partnering with Universal Music Group for the New York event on Oct. 20 at the Fifth Avenue Lego Store, which will kick off with acoustic performances from artists Dora Jar and Skip Marley, the grandson of Bob Marley. Tickets are currently on sale for the events, with prices for the New York event set at $20 per ticket. 

The Lego Lates events are the toy company’s response to internal research that found over 93% of adults are stressed and nearly three in five are seeking new modes of relaxation. This research also showed that about 86% of adults use some form of play to unwind after they finish a day of work. 

A promotional video produced in-house at Lego for the event series highlights the daily stressors that accompany a day of work, showing several adults groggily silencing their alarm clocks, commuting to the office in bumper-to-bumper traffic and fighting with slow workplace WiFi. “But at the end of the day, it’s your time to play,” a cheery voiceover says, shifting to two adult builders smiling as they assemble a Lego creation.

The Lego Lates series is the the company’s latest push to target its adult audience, following Lego’s “Adults Welcome” campaign last fall that centered on a similar goal of encouraging adults to use Lego building as respite from stressful moments in life. As part of that campaign, the company also launched a page on its website aimed at adult builders that currently features over 120 Lego sets. 

“The Lego Group has championed the importance of quality, creative play for more than nine decades, but Lego building isn’t just for children,” said Genevieve Cruz, head of product for the Adults audience at Lego, in a statement. “The Lego Lates series of events [has] been designed to help inspire adults to take the time to reconnect with old friends, make new ones and explore a new hobby.” 

“Building with Lego bricks helps adults to relax, feel creative and get a real sense of achievement, it transcends age, and has benefits for builders both young and old,” Cruz added.