LEGO（R） Brick Gets ''Doodled'' by Google

　　BILLUND, Demark, Jan. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- A LEGO? 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

The LEGO Group () 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