LEGO Fans to Help Build New Products

Danish toy manufacturer LEGO has rolled out an online 'open innovation' and crowd sourcing platform, through which consumers can submit and vote for their favourite new product ideas. Consumers who have their ideas chosen will earn 1% of the total net sales of the product.

Those ideas submitted on the new 'LEGO CUUSOO' site that are supported by 10,000+ votes, have a chance of being selected to become part of LEGO's product portfolio and sold in the firm's retail stores and online shop.

LEGO has worked on a pilot of the site since 2008, with Japanese crowd sourcing specialist CUUSOO System. During its testing phase, the site attracted hundreds of ideas and generated thousands of votes cast by a 20,000-strong Japanese fan-base community.

'Our fans and consumers have proved time after time that they have great ideas that can lead to products,' says Paul Smith-Meyer, Head of the LEGO New Business Group. 'LEGO CUUSOO is an attempt to gather more great ideas while streamlining the way we innovate and become inspired.'

Web site: www.lego.com .