THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 11, 1997 TAG: 9702110033
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERESA ANNAS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 89 lines
STARTING IN JULY, The National Maritime Center - Nauticus - will be getting $3 to $4 million worth of free national advertising as it interlocks with LEGO toy company.
The Norfolk center has entered into a partnership with LEGO in a national building contest for children with the theme ``Deep Sea Challenge.'' The competition, with its grand prize a trip to Antarctica, was announced Monday at an international toy fair in New York.
``The benefit for Nauticus? National exposure in 7,000 toy stores,'' said David T. Guernsey Jr., president and CEO of Nauticus.
``This is a real feather in our cap. The publicity on this could reach anywhere from 50 to 60 million people,'' he said.
Nauticus' involvement began when Guernsey approached LEGO officials in June seeking opportunities to collaborate with the manufacturers of colorful plastic bricks.
At that time, LEGO officials were planning a second themed contest, whereby children ages 5 to 12 are invited to create imaginative structures using any combination of the 1,900 different elements produced by the 65-year-old Denmark-based firm.
Lego had staged general building contests for kids since the 1980s. In 1995, the company devised a ``Space Challenge'' contest in partnership with NASA Space Center Houston.
Nearly 12,000 youngsters from throughout the United States entered that contest, said Katherine Lee, a Lego spokesperson; a similar one was staged concurrently in Canada.
Coincidentally, Lego was interested in pursuing an oceans-oriented contest, Lee said. ``In our research, we found that there are two themes that hold kids' fascination - one being space and the other being the ocean. It's unexplored territory. There's mystery and intrigue. And there's a lot to be known.''
The toy company considered several museums before settling on Nauticus, partly because of its commitment to education and preservation.
``We're very excited to be in a partnership with them,'' Lee said. Both Lego and Nauticus ``want to stimulate interest in future ocean exploration. There's a lot children need to learn about preserving our ocean's resources, and that is one of Nauticus' main messages.
``A contest is about nourishing creativity, and Nauticus is about that, too,'' she said.
``So, this is a way to stimulate their creativity. Have them build some type of Lego model that embodies their idea about futuristic ocean exploration, and at the same time underscore the importance of preserving our oceans and our resources,'' she said.
The grand prize is a 12-day trip for a family of four to Antarctica, following a submarine ride in the Pacific Ocean.
THE ``DEEP SEA CHALLENGE'' contest will kick off at Nauticus on June 8 - World Oceans Day, and also Harborfest weekend - as 200 to 300 local members of the national Lego Club convene on the downtown Norfolk waterfront.
The Lego Club was formed in 1986, and now has 800,000 members ages 5 to 12, Lee said. Members are dubbed Lego-maniacs, and receive a bimonthly magazine called Lego-mania, which will cover the contest.
On June 8, members chosen on a first-come, first-served basis will be handed a pile of bricks and a given amount of time in which to craft their model, said Lee, who expects to get national television coverage for this event.
Youngsters age 5 to 12 may enter. Models can be any scale, but must be made entirely of Lego pieces. Entry forms will be available after the kick-off event at Nauticus and toy stores nationwide, Lee said.
The big promotional push is planned to begin in early July. From summer to fall, Lego representatives will tote the ``Lego Fun Show'' complete with marine touch tank and giant Lego models to stores in 18 cities nationwide, including Los Angeles, Boston and Washington, D.C.
To enter, children must submit a color photograph of their model, along with a written description that explains how it embodies futuristic sea exploration.
``These kids building now will be the oceanographers, explorers and engineers of tomorrow,'' Lee said. ``So we want to encourage some forward thinking design.''
Entries must be postmarked no later than Dec. 31. In June 1998, the six finalists will be brought to Nauticus, where they will build models on site and be judged.
``This is the international Year of the Reef. And 1998 is the international Year of the Oceans,'' Lee said. ``There's a lot of focus on marine preservation, and all the more reason to get the kids involved now.'' ILLUSTRATION: LEGO photos
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The contest is for futuristic deep-sea themed Lego creations.
The winner of the ``Deep Sea Challenge'' gets a 12-day trip for a
family of four to Antarctica.