LEGO(R) Brick Gets 'Doodled' by Google

    BILLUND, Demark, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- A LEGO(R) brick-inspired
 'Doodle' appears today on the Google homepage to the mark the 50th
 anniversary of the world-famous creative building brick.
 
     Google, the world's largest internet search engine, uses 'Doodles' on
 the homepage to mark special days, celebrate original, innovative artists
 and thinking, and, as is the case of the LEGO brick, to celebrate quirky,
 fun icons that resonate with people around the world. Google's 'Doodle'
 team embraced the idea of a LEGO 'Doodle' because of the special role LEGO
 building has played in Google's 10-year history.
 
     Google co-founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, used the iconic
 building bricks as the external low-cost and expandable casing for 10
 4-GigaByte hard disks when they were busy developing the Google search
 engine. The original server casing still exists and is on display as part
 of an exhibition chronicling 80 years of computing machines at Stanford
 University in California's Silicon Valley. Additionally, LEGO bricks can be
 found scattered around Google's many offices to provide creative
 inspiration, and have reportedly been used in Google's college graduate
 recruiting exercises to test potential candidate's creative horsepower.
 
     "We are honored to have the iconic LEGO brick celebrated in this way by
 Google, because we know the 'Doodle' is reserved for only the most special
 of themes," says Jorgen vig Knudstorp, CEO of LEGO Group. "Mr. Brin and Mr.
 Page are prime examples of who we often refer to as 'builders of tomorrow'
 -- people who embrace the power of creative exploration and curiosity that
 leads to lifelong innovation and creativity. The LEGO brick -- the heart
 and soul of the LEGO Group -- is a catalyst for that development, and we're
 proud that it has also inspired the innovation that is the heart and soul
 of Google."
 
     The LEGO Group will celebrate its legacy of inspiring and developing
 the builders of tomorrow this through several important milestones,
 including the 50th anniversary of the LEGO brick, with a variety of
 programs and promotions. Two products have been developed to commemorate
 the brick's anniversary: an open-ended LEGO set with a classic village
 theme including a gold 2x4 LEGO brick launches in August, and a
 one-of-a-kind Town Plan, featuring city hall, movie theater, gas station,
 car wash, two automobiles and eight minifigures, including a letter from
 Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the company's owner, is now available on
 http://www.LEGOshop.com
 
     The LEGO Group (http://www.LEGO.com) is a privately held, family-owned
 company, based in Billund, Denmark. It was founded in 1932 and today the
 group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of play materials for
 children, employing approximately 4,500 people globally. The LEGO Group is
 committed to the development of children's creative and imaginative
 abilities through its products, which can be purchased in more than 130
 countries.
 
 

      LEGO Group
      Michael McNally
      860-763-7825
      michael.mcnally@LEGO.com
 
 

SOURCE The LEGO Group