Brick by Brick: Building a World of Inclusion and Play with LEGO Braille Bricks
Hi, I’m LEGO. You know me; you’ve played with me, gifted me, maybe stepped on me – sorry about that. I am the go-to present for holidays, birthdays, and just-because days. Generations have enjoyed their building fun with me, sparking imagination and bringing people together. Today, I want to share with you the day I discovered a new purpose.
It all started with one question: « Can I play too? » said a visually impaired sister to her older sibling, who had very often not been able to participate in LEGO games simply because she could not see the colors. That is when something clicked: if sight wasn’t the key to playing, which sense would open the doors of creativity and learning? And thus, the Braille Bricks campaign was born in 2023-I wanted to leave no one behind.
The initiative aimed to make learning inclusive and playful for visually impaired children. Families signed up for workshops to explore the bricks together. These bricks weren’t just educational; they were appealing and fun, helping children come into contact with language and overcome barriers. Every arrangement of Braille Bricks symbolizes a spark of hope-a glimpse into opportunities brought alive by learning Braille.
As the two little girls continued building their creation, the older girl was in awe of the ingenuity of the bricks: each piece still had LEGO’s iconic interlocking design, vibrant hue, and tactile functionality, but now with Braille dots that spell out letters and numbers. It was just about the perfect mix of functionality and fun, all involving the core value from LEGO: learning through play.
The campaign’s impact on families like theirs was profound. In developing Braille Bricks, I (LEGO) collaborated with educators and organizations for the visually impaired to ensure its authenticity. The Braille bricks campaign was not just about releasing a product, it also carried a message of inclusivity and equality, reinforcing the belief that all children, regardless of their abilities, deserve equal opportunities for play, learning, and imagination together.
The experience stirred emotions in the siblings that words could barely reach. It was not about learning words in braille; it was about building bonds. Constructing sentences with LEGO bricks became a shared language, a symbol of connection and mutual respect. The older sibling’s eyes gleamed with admiration for the younger’s resilience, while the younger felt a deep sense of pride.
BRAILLE BRICK’s campaign did not only introduce a new product but a new perspective. It underlined the commitment of the brand to creativity and education, showing that play could be an agent of change. To the audience, Braille Bricks would mean hope, inspiration, and trust in a brand that imagined a world where no child gets left behind.
As the workshop ended, the siblings held up their finished sentences, a colorful patchwork of bricks and dots. Parents and children around them clapped, not just for the creations but for the connections they had made.
In that moment, the room wasn’t only filled with the delight of play but also with a promise of a world more inclusive, brick by brick. Anchoring the campaign design to LEGO’s core values of creativity, learning, co-creation, and inclusivity, Braille Bricks is exemplary of the brand’s vision in making the world better.
Through tangible elements like bright colors and palpable Braille dots, it promotes accessibility.
Psychologically, it fosters empathy and connection, while sociologically, it champions equality. Indeed, I developed a strong capacity to align product innovations with civic values to position myself as a brand that does more than just make play, a brand that makes an impact.
Through BRAILLE BRICKS, I say: Inclusion matters. Everybody should be allowed to play. Everybody should be allowed to learn. I may be little, but I carry a powerful message with me: We belong.
A Poem to conclude
I’m Braille Brick, a guide, a friend,
In playful hands, my lessons blend.
With raised-up studs, I softly say,
“You can learn, you can play.”
I build bridges, I break walls,
Between young hearts, my magic calls.
Inclusion, joy, together we grow,
One tiny brick with love to show.
Cohort: IMBA, IAE Paris-Sorbonne, promotion 2024
Group members:
- Ithri AIT HOU
- Ziad ABOU RIZK
- Dominique DECOTTER
- Oksana KUSKOVA
- Aigerim ISMAGULOVA
