REDMOND, Wash., and BILLUND, Denmark, Jan. 10, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. and LEGO Company today announced the formation of a sweeping global alliance that will result in new services and enhanced products and technologies for consumers around the world. Through joint efforts, Microsoft and LEGO Company will create stimulating and exciting experiences by combining digital technology with the famous building bricks. The synergy between LEGO Company’s family content, MSN
and Microsoft’s software and service expertise provides a unique business platform to deliver an exciting environment where consumers can create and explore.
“Together with LEGO Company, Microsoft will deliver an imaginative and powerful way for consumers of all ages to learn and be creative through our technology,” said Rick Belluzzo, group vice president of the Personal Services and Devices Group at Microsoft. “The LEGO brick is recognized worldwide and will be an ideal tool as we pioneer new solutions consumers can use to explore, experiment and exchange information.”
“The combination of the LEGO brand’s powerful relationship with children and families all over the world – based on our values of imagination, creativity, fun and learning – with Microsoft’s vision of empowering people of all ages through great software any time, any place and on any device, creates a unique opportunity for a relationship that serves children in a way that truly makes a difference in their lives,” said Torben Ballegaard Sorensen, executive vice president, LEGO Company.
Microsoft and LEGO Company Forge Ahead
The alliance between Microsoft and LEGO Company will span a multitude of groups within each company and touch the lives of millions of their consumers. Initially, key areas of Microsoft involved in the LEGO alliance will include MSN, Microsoft Windows Media TM Technologies, the Xbox TM video game system and Microsoft .NET services.
Consumers already can benefit from the Microsoft and LEGO Company alliance at the MSN Kids channel (http://www.kids.msn.com/), where LEGO Company is working with MSN to deliver creative new content. In addition, LEGO Company products are featured on MSN eShop, the one-stop shopping location on MSN. As a result, consumers can experience the world of LEGO Company in a virtual environment by exploring the MSN Kids channel for the latest LEGO games and activities, as well as purchase products through MSN eShop. In addition, LEGO Company will have an advertising presence in targeted areas of MSN, and the alliance will be marked by further joint marketing opportunities through which consumers will be able to experience the advantages of the Internet together with MSN and LEGO Company.
LEGO Company will adopt Microsoft technologies in its future offerings by integrating Microsoft Passport for authentication and wallet data – as well as the COPPA-compliant Kids Passport – into the new LEGO.com Web site, to help ensure consumers the most secure, reliable and easy way to make purchases online. On the interactive entertainment front, LEGO Company has been named a game developer for the new Xbox for gamers of all ages. The company also will integrate Windows Media into new versions of the successful LEGO Studios line of moviemaking products. Similarly, LEGO Company will facilitate the integration of Microsoft .NET services and technologies throughout its global enterprise network to increase productivity of its users and the availability of content while reducing total cost of ownership.
About LEGO Company
The family-owned LEGO Company was founded in Denmark in 1932. The company is the world leader in providing quality products and experiences that stimulate children’s creativity, imagination and learning. It does so through activities that encourage hands-on, minds-on creation, fun, togetherness and sharing of ideas. These activities include the development and marketing of computer-based play and educational materials, such as the award-winning LEGO MINDSTORMS product line. By the year 2005, the company wants the LEGO brand to be the strongest in the world among families with children. More information about the company is available at http://www.lego.com/ .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, MSN, Windows Media and Xbox are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
LEGO is a registered trademark owned by the LEGO Group.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information, press only:
Michelle Simpson, Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, (503) 443-7000,
Rapid Response Team, Waggener Edstrom for Microsoft, (503) 443-7000, [email protected]
Eva Lykkegaard, for LEGO, +45 79 50 74 24, [email protected]
Kina Paegert, for LEGO, (760) 918-5377, [email protected].
For more information on LEGO Company:
Please visit the http://www.lego.com/ .
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.
