By Guillermo Benavides
Shantou, China, Feb 1 (EFE).- While Chinese toy manufacturers have faced intellectual property breach accusations for years, some companies in the building block toy sector, often referred to as ‘Chinese Legos,’ strategically focus on national licenses to stand out in the competitive market.
Since the expiration of the last patents for the popular Danish toy company’s bricks in 1978, numerous companies have legally produced their own products, leading to concerns about design plagiarism.
However, the rise of China in the military, aerospace, and entertainment industries has allowed several ‘Lego clones’ to establish their identity, tapping into the growing patriotic sentiment within the country without resorting to imitating competitors.
Sembo Building Blocks, in the southern city of Shantou, emphasizes telling «Chinese stories with heart» through their building blocks, focusing on realizing ambitious dreams in a small world.
Sembo is one of the many manufacturers building empires brick-by-brick in the southern city of Shantou, home to more than 50,000 toy stores.
The company, founded in 2013, collaborates with the Chinese Army’s intellectual property for its best-selling military and aviation-themed series, to popularize knowledge about significant weapons.
The «Qiangguo Xiongfeng» or ‘The Greatness of a Powerful Nation’ series features models of China’s aircraft carriers, such as the Liaoning, Shandong, and the latest, Fujian, launched in 2022.
Sembo extends its patriotic theme to aerospace models, including “Long March” rockets, the Tiangong space station, and creations inspired by the blockbuster film franchise “The Wandering Earth,” obtained through licensing to infuse patriotic content into their catalog.
«Sembo has zero complaints regarding licenses according to public data,» Ecuadorian lawyer Luis Felipe Borja, with years of experience in IP in Asia told EFE.
Felipe Borja acknowledged that there is progress to be made in intellectual property in China but noted increased customs control, the development of anti-piracy technologies, and collaboration among sales platforms in withdrawing illegal products.
Xiangjun, another toy company, said their most successful products were military-themed and those showcasing Chinese culture.
They plan to release products from well-known franchises, obtained through licenses, adding diversity to their catalog, a representative told EFE, showing models from a famous humanoid vehicle franchise, affirming that in a few months, they will release products from another one set in a world magical, Lego banner.
Felipe Borja said specialized companies in Hong Kong focus on selling licenses for the Chinese territory, suggesting a potential explanation for the situation and noting that the negotiation process typically spans at least half a year.
The approach gained prominence, particularly following the Lepin case, once dubbed the ‘Chinese Lego,’ which went as far as replicating the design and typography of the Danish firm’s logo.
The case led to legal proceedings, the closure of Lepin, and the imprisonment of its owner.
The narrative clarifies the mural adorning the entrance to Sembo’s offices, where they proudly showcase all the agreements and licenses they have acquired, aiming to shed the negative reputation that has lingered over the sector since the past.
Lego’s Chinese name, Legao, includes the character for happiness, a sentiment that contrasts with the realistic designs of weapons and military vehicles found in some competing products.
This, combined with the rising patriotic sentiment in China, has shaped a legal and successful business plan for these building block toy companies. EFE
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