They've figured out that you sell more Lego with a story behind it.
Does it change much? I don't know, there's still a lot of cool builds.
The Friends Lego set seems to be in line with their investment in adult demographics, in the sense of being product lines that are decorative show pieces instead of play things.
What? The Friends sets are specifically designed to be for use as objects in play, and this is pretty obvious from looking at them (multiple disconnected builds per set, role-play focused themes, character designs). They're weak as decorative pieces compared to even the Creator line, let alone e.g the Architecture or Icon lines which are specifically designed for that.
https://www.lego.com/de-de/product/street-food-market-41701
Does that scream "adult desk toy" to you?
Very many interesting sets, and some are now in stores (saw the Lego Office set at a Walmart, can’t wait for that to clearance and I’ll grab it root sweet)
Lego Friends is also the name for a theme built in-house and designed to appeal to girls (though the sets are not overly ‘pink’ if you will, and quite well designed as a “city”) by replacing the mini figs with mini dolls that are more realistically proportioned. It has been very successful and arguably has replaced much of Lego City (the boys I know have no problem mixing mini figs and mini dolls, the girls prefer to keep to the mini dolls).
Ah Icons is Creator Expert.
Interesting fact: the various “lines” have developmental budget they can “spend” internally on design and parts and such - so a rebrand may indicate that the CE team now has more budget.
Think a piece that exists costs 1, needing a new color of an existing piece costs 5, and you only have budget for one or two entirely new pieces a year.
Point was that both Ninjago and Lego Friends are produced by Lego themselves, mimicking IP like Harry Potter and Marvel that they also make Lego of.