Lego Connects the Pieces of Its History in Animated Short [VIDEO]

Lego’s 80th birthday is this year, and to commemorate the occasion, the company has released a video that delves into the company’s history.

The animated video, which clocks in at just over 17 minutes, was released Aug. 10 and broke the 1 million hit level in 6 days.

In the video, the brand highlights “its humble origins (key words are ‘fire’ and ‘low sales’) and how it revolutionized the toy industry by offering kids a ‘system of play’ instead of ready-made toys with few, if any, customization options,” writes AdWeek’s David Kiefaber.

The overall message, he says, is “fail, try harder, succeed.”

The video is full of fun facts about Lego, such as where the origin of its name comes from — leg godt is Danish for “play well,” and Lego translates as “I put together” in Latin.

By telling the story of how Lego came to be, consumers are getting a behind the scenes look, and, simultaneously, learning about the people who built it. When customers get this rare glimpse, they tend to feel more connected to the company.

As Rob Wormley of one social media emphasizes, a good story will make a brand seem unique among similar fierce competition. Lego might not be the biggest toy seller in the market right now, but its video is a huge hit among consumers.

“If you want to stand out on social media, if you want people talking about your brand over all your competitors, if you want to get anything back from your social media efforts at all, share your story,” Wormley says. “Sometimes it’s the only deciding factor between you and the other guy for consumers like me.”