TNT apples Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) I normal support the good work Greenpeace does do......but they jumped the shark on this one......I don't call a handful of collectable car sets as working closely with Shell......if it was the 70/80's then yeah there were lots of Shell sets. I hope they cleaned all that oil off that Lego and give it to a children's hospital.....the Lego that is not the oil. Yeah, would be a huge waste of money if they just binned it... Edited July 19, 2014 by TNT apples
ummester Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 Do you think the add is trying to make any point about how LEGO is made, or just toys with Shell on the logo?
StickFig Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) I heard a rumor that TLG were going to change the way the bricks are made and use less (or no) petrol. LEGO bricks are made of ABS plastic; one of the three main ingredients in ABS plastic is a petroleum product. I don't think it's likely that ABS will be made without petrol any time soon, and if it is, I doubt a toy maker like LEGO has that at the top of their research budget. Do you think the add is trying to make any point about how LEGO is made, or just toys with Shell on the logo? I would guess it's about having anything related to oil/petroleum/greenhouse gases in the toys - so gas stations, Shell flags, etc... they're mad about the marketing partnership where LEGO uses Shell's logo on bricks. Edited July 19, 2014 by nstickney
lightningtiger Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 Shell logo on a Lego brick......yeah back thirty plus years ago.......a bit late eh ?
ummester Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) Being mad about marketing partnerships with an oil company seems silly - many products have them. Being mad about the use of petroleum made more sense to me :) The Game of Thrones minifigs in the add are cool though Edited July 19, 2014 by ummester
legoman19892 Posted July 19, 2014 Author Posted July 19, 2014 (edited) Here is a 5 page thread about the subject: http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=97291 It basically is this: Shell wants to drill in the arctic. Greenpeace does not want them to drill in the arctic. Shell apparently has a bad rep for drilling in Alaska. Even though LEGO and Shell have had marketing connections dating back decades, GP believes that Shell is using LEGO to improve their brand image. GP is also upset because LEGO has ended partnerships with companies due to environmental reasons and they think LEGO should do the same with Shell. IMO it doesn't make sense to end this partnership because I assume LEGO gets their plastic via ways that involve Shell. Edited July 19, 2014 by legoman19892
Bob De Quatre Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 Will merge this topic with the one in the Embassy... And done.
ummester Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 cheers for the merge and the link to the discussion legoman19892 - it all makes more sense in context. Seems to me that Greenpeace is leaching of of the popularity of the toy and film to make a point against Shell, which has more demonized the toy. It's all very misguided, with a lot of grandstanding, as noted here: There was a time when Greenpeace raised a voice that needed to be heard, but when the speaker is grabbing more headlines than the message - it's time to get off the stage. However, the speaker grabbing more attention than the message is the way most information seems to be delivered in this day and age. Making a fuss over nothing just to get heard is par for the course.
Faefrost Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 I heard a rumor that TLG were going to change the way the bricks are made and use less (or no) petrol. It was just a rumor, from a friend - so no basis for fact that I know of - but it does make sense considering the way the planet's environment is looking ATM. Not that I think LEGO pollutes kids imaginations - but plastics do pollute the planet. TLG has long been experimenting with newer materials, and looking for a renewable source plastic. But that is a decades long research project. We might see some new materials somewhere between 2030 and 2040.
AndyC Posted July 19, 2014 Posted July 19, 2014 Being mad about marketing partnerships with an oil company seems silly - many products have them. Being mad about the use of petroleum made more sense to me :) It would seem like a more logical argument. Of course the chances of the general public being on side with that argument is slim, it's much easier to raise funds and awareness by general demonizing of the oil companies.
Sam892 Posted July 20, 2014 Posted July 20, 2014 While LEGO do have very little to do with Shell, they do still have promotions with Shell every now and then. Only a few months back if you bought petrol at a Shell garage, you recieved a exclusive set that was covered with Shell logos. One of the sets was a couple of pit members with oil and tools I think. Still it's not really worth going after a LEGO for, and it's really starting to irritate me. First off I'm fed up of seeing Mark Ruffalo post links to the petition and calling LEGO out. It's even worst when you see the reply she gets from idiot parents who then claim to refuse to buy their children any LEGO until the issue has been resolved. Is that what it's really come to? Using Children as hostages against an innocent toy company? Personally I hope LEGO bring out an Arctic Shell Oil rig set next year just to piss these morons off more.
williejm Posted July 20, 2014 Posted July 20, 2014 Personally I hope LEGO bring out an Arctic Shell Oil rig set next year just to piss these morons off more. Amazing. And perhaps an Exxon Valdez tanker for good measure?
legoman19892 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Posted July 20, 2014 Amazing. And perhaps an Exxon Valdez tanker for good measure? Might as well do BP too.
williejm Posted July 20, 2014 Posted July 20, 2014 Might as well do BP too. Sure, if it helps underline your position on this and lets us file your comments accordingly. Lego don't make Exxon branded products anymore. They do have a partnership with Shell. That's Shell who are dead keen on drilling in the Arctic, and not strangers to a few screw-ups along the way. Does that partnership fit with Lego's stated ethos? I don't think so. But it would be nice not to need to have an oil spill in the Arctic to prove the point.
Sam892 Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 Sure, if it helps underline your position on this and lets us file your comments accordingly. Lego don't make Exxon branded products anymore. They do have a partnership with Shell. That's Shell who are dead keen on drilling in the Arctic, and not strangers to a few screw-ups along the way. Does that partnership fit with Lego's stated ethos? I don't think so. But it would be nice not to need to have an oil spill in the Arctic to prove the point. At the end of the day, if people are so against extraction of Oil, then they should buy less oil based products. Buy an electric car, or purchase products that use little plastics like Aluminium cased laptops. It's our demand for oil which is driving this thing.
legoman19892 Posted July 21, 2014 Author Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) Sure, if it helps underline your position on this and lets us file your comments accordingly. Lego don't make Exxon branded products anymore. They do have a partnership with Shell. That's Shell who are dead keen on drilling in the Arctic, and not strangers to a few screw-ups along the way. Does that partnership fit with Lego's stated ethos? I don't think so. But it would be nice not to need to have an oil spill in the Arctic to prove the point. I am for drilling in places like the Dakotas and Alaska, or any land based operation. I have done zero research on Arctic drilling, so I have no clue about the plan to do so and I do not have an opinion. I do lean towards being fine with that. I am also for finding better renewable resources that ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS DRAINING ON MY WALLET. Which the majority of renewable will be in the future when better energy conversions are found. Edited July 21, 2014 by legoman19892
SMC Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 (edited) This topic has been added to the Lego Requests topic where you can now support the idea of Lego cutting ties with Shell or you can not support the idea on there too http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=98013 Edited July 21, 2014 by SMC
Moebius118 Posted July 21, 2014 Posted July 21, 2014 While the haters gonna hate, I think this would be a great idea for my next LEGO project. http://www.shell.com/global/aboutshell/major-projects-2/prelude-flng.html But man is it going to cost me $$$$$$. That's what it's all about though right?
ummester Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 While the haters gonna hate, I think this would be a great idea for my next LEGO project. http://www.shell.com...elude-flng.html But man is it going to cost me $$$$$$. That's what it's all about though right? Design it minifg scale in LDD - hopefully ideas will still be around by the time your first render is finished :D
martensitic Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 You can see what they were trying to do, scare people away from Lego, forcing Lego to put pressure on Shell. As from all your responses, you can tell this was never going to work. Its not good that they have tried to create this biased hate for Lego, but they have broadcast this issue to a huge audience! I for one didn't even know you COULD drill in the arctic, i just assumed it was natural heritage or protected. I think Lego fans are willing to be the better person and will still support conservation of our beloved environment! http://www.savethearctic.org/ +the sooner it reaches its target the sooner Greenpeace will stop ;)
Moebius118 Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) Design it minifg scale in LDD - hopefully ideas will still be around by the time your first render is finished :D Guess I fail at life. Shell Australia already went there. https://www.flickr.c...157643629374944 Edited July 22, 2014 by Moebius118
Faefrost Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 You can see what they were trying to do, scare people away from Lego, forcing Lego to put pressure on Shell. As from all your responses, you can tell this was never going to work. Its not good that they have tried to create this biased hate for Lego, but they have broadcast this issue to a huge audience! I for one didn't even know you COULD drill in the arctic, i just assumed it was natural heritage or protected. I think Lego fans are willing to be the better person and will still support conservation of our beloved environment! http://www.savethearctic.org/ +the sooner it reaches its target the sooner Greenpeace will stop ;) What does it matter what Lego does or does not do? Notice Greenpeace is taking on Shell via an uninvolved third party in all of this, Lego? What heroics. However control over the arctic is not monolithic and it is much contested. All talking Shell out of it does is leave it uncontested for Gazprom to exploit and allows it to fund and fuel Putins regime. Or did nobody put those pieces together? The saddest thing about Greenpeace is it is entirely based on good and noble seeming ideas, with little actual thought through to real world geopolitic and unintended consequences.
LEGO Historian Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) I was contacted by a French journalist 2 weeks ago, who was interested in the relationship between TLG and Shell. Few folks realized that this went back to the early 1950s.... as did a relationship between BP and TLG, and also ESSO and TLG, and in the USA there was EXXON from 1978-1992. The Shell relationship went from circa 1952-57, and again from 1966-present. I gave the French journalist some images from my LEGO Sets/Parts Collectors Guide, and also some old ones from my LEGO 1:43 Chevrolet Trucks Collectors Guide (1952-57). Here's the entire article in French, but you should be able to get an online translator... http://www.terraeco....mour,55921.html I think that getting LEGO involved in the anti-Arctic drilling hoopla is rather absurd... Edited July 22, 2014 by LEGO Historian
Moebius118 Posted July 22, 2014 Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) All talking Shell out of it does is leave it uncontested for Gazprom to exploit and allows it to fund and fuel Putins regime. Or did nobody put those pieces together? The saddest thing about Greenpeace is it is entirely based on good and noble seeming ideas, with little actual thought through to real world geopolitic and unintended consequences. These two statements right here. Win. Noble intentions can be made in 5 minutes using DUPLO. Seeing the big picture and the complexity of the variables involved is massive undertaking of understanding and research into multinational entities and socioeconomics. The world isn't a simple black and white picture organizations like Greenpeace would like to paint for everyone. Edited July 22, 2014 by Moebius118
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