Built the toy of the century on one simple idea: high-quality interactive play with interlocking bricks. For decades, kids worldwide grew up building with LEGO, creating a beloved brand synonymous with creative construction.
The 1990s brought seismic shifts—big box retailers slashed prices, video games stole attention, birth rates declined. Leadership panicked and diversified into clothing, electronics, theme parks—chasing every fad late. Internal complexity exploded to 7,000+ brick variations. Costs soared while the core brand got diluted. By 2003, LEGO had $800M in debt and was months from bankruptcy.
World's biggest toy maker with $10B+ annual revenue and 25,000 employees globally. Family still owns majority stake. Adult fans now drive 30%+ of sales with $800 Millennium Falcon kits and architecture series.
