Violent Legos

Sometimes companies try to be PC by restricting their products and services to those that won't offend people. They market the non-offensive product extremely well, creating a huge market for their product or service, but leaving several holes due to their restrictions.

Into these holes pop small vendors who, through the power of the internet, are able to cheaply market "filler" products that make up the sometimes-offensive stuff the major company won't produce.

A good example of this is Lego. In reading the wired article I posted about earlier this week, I learned that Lego has a rule that they will not produce toys that reflect realistic 20th century violence in terms of guns and things. So you'll see Batman Legos with bat-a-rangs, star wars Legos with blasters and lightsabers, medieval legos with big swords, but absolutely no gangster legos carrying glocks, James Bond legos carrying sniper rifles, or...um...Under Siege ninja legos carrying Stephen Seagal.

Lego's restrictions have created a hole in their market. Everyone loves legos, but some of the little boys (and too many grown up men) who spend countless hours in their basements playing with legos want the real stuff. They want marines with MP5's and rocket launchers and grenades.

Into this hole jumps internet company BrickArms, who specializes in custom lego weapons and figurines that Lego won't produce.

BrickArms is interesting because I don't think a company like this could make it without the internet. The "real guns" hole in Lego's market isn't big enough to sustain a chain of retail stores or enough production to get their product into stores and fight off the lawsuit that Lego might file. But it is big enough to allow a guy to run a business out of his basement if he can ship his product all over the world.

As of today, they still don't have the Stephen Seagal lego, but I'm pretty sure he'll be included in the next weapon pack.

On a totally unrelated note, Stephen Seagal's online store sells a line of skin care products, and has released several CD's, the latest of which is called "mojo priest." Simply amazing.

Use my foot cream.