Wiggles :: Yellow Is Out, Children Get The Blues
November 30, 2006 by Robert
How to deal with a crisis if you are a children’s music and TV super group.
“The Wiggles have sadly announced today that Greg Page, also known as the Yellow Wiggle, is unable to continue performing with The Wiggles due to a chronic condition and has reached the decision to leave the group.” Source: Wiggles News release.
Now, after we giggle a bit about a group called the Wiggles, let us remember that it is a serious issue. First, it is serious for Greg Page, personally, to be sure. Second, in marketing and public relations terms, it is a serious issue for the Wiggles, as they are a multi-million dollar concern doing business and concerts/TV/DVDs worldwide. Third, Greg Page is actually considered to be the lead Wiggle. He is their front man, in a sense.
The group has massive financial interests in everything from merchandising to concert tours. Their concert tour calendar, for instance, shows tours on three continents - Australia, Europe and North America.This is somewhat similar to when Muppets founder Jim Henson passed away and the part of Kermit was taken over by Steve Whitmire.
So, how do the Wiggles handle this? First, let us remember their key audiences. Kids and parents. And, let us not forget that Greg Page is a founding member and likely has a financial interest in seeing the group continue to flourish. Also, take note that MSNBC reports the Wiggles are Australia’s #1 entertainment property. They actually generate more revenue than Nicole Kidman and AC/DC combined. They are Australia’s #2 and 3 entertainment exports.
The Wiggles have issued a press release which, as of this writing, has generated 577 stories according to Google news search. On their Web site, the Wiggles have released a video of Greg Page explaining his illness and passing the “Yellow Skivvy” (turtleneck shirt) on to former stand-in Sam Moran. (Flash Video - 13.7mb download) CNN and MSNBC, for instance, have already covered the story. I will not be suprised if it is covered on the network newscasts, too. Surely Katie Couric will cover it. 
The video is quite interesting, on its own. It starts with upbeat Wiggles appropriate music and features a bit of voice over with clips of the group performing. Then, Greg Page is on screen with a drone-like “Kids, everthing is OK” sort of delivery we’re all familiar with in children’s programming hosts. Then, the “protect the brand” strategy kicks in. Page has Moran on screen with him for the ceremonial endorsement of Moran and the passing of the Yellow Skivvy mantle … or, in this instance, turtleneck.
I’m curious to hear how Lee Hopkins, Trevor Cook and Paull Young feel about the strategies and tactics employed by the Wiggles. The group has their own online “Media Centre” for releases. Is there an agency of record for the Wiggles, or do they do all their PR / marketing in-house? The source code of their media enquiries page doesn’t reveal where the email goes.
Now, as I pause and realize I’ve written a post about the Wiggles, why not go the full route and play some video. The first is a rather “Barney-like” music video. The second is a rather unfortunate parody called “The Creepys.” The group, it seems, is suffering from the same backlash Barney experienced, years ago.
The Wiggles - Hot Potato
The Creepys - parody
It is an interesting phenomenon and, like the mother who posted this commentary, I believe it will signify the death of the Wiggles. It would be like Led Zeppelin carrying on as a band and replacing the late John Bonham with Phil Collins.
The faces may change and more worryingly the ’soul’ of the band will change. Greg will have to take on a ‘more managerial, less hands-on’ role and over time allow his replacement to have more say in the material.
But purely for personal reasons, I am stunned by the video press release, if only because a) it is so corporate and cold, and speaks only to adults; and b) because he uses my pet peeve phrase: “going forward” (how else does one go? I only want my chauffeur to use the phrase, not some business jargon-hunter).
The Wiggles will now enter the corporate world in the minds of the parents in the audience (although of course they have been a corporate entity for a long time now, but we kind of deliberately chose to ignore that because they were all just lovely, friendly ’song and dance’ men) and now may be the time to exit gracefully, rather than have, say 50-year old Mick Jagger look-alikes running around on stage waggling their hands. And Jeff already looks a bit like Keef…
Thanks, Lee. It may well be the beginning of the end for the Wiggles.
That link you provided is quite telling. If anyone will understand the emotion involved - what this is all about - it must be a parent that spent so much time with the Wiggles as their children grew up. That mom was quite touched by the news.
The video was a bit bizarre to me, too. I’m not familiar with the persona these guys exhibit when they usually talk to their fans, so it seemed to me like the video was a rather awkward attempt at settling people’s fears. I think you’re right, it was aimed at the parents and not so much for the kids.
I would have thought this was the perfect time for a song/music video that could explain the “how change happens, illness occurs, but life goes on” kinda thing. That could offset the video aimed at parents. But, I’m not too into the whole kids music scene.
It will be interesting to see how all this plays out.
Thanks, Lee.
I’ve only read the two wire reports from yesterday, and have not seen the video.
As a Wiggles fan — having seen them at least five times in Windsor and Detroit — there is concern for the group with Greg Wiggle’s leaving.
However, look who the Wiggles really target: 8yoa and under. Greg is a great lead singer — and has done solo, adult work, too — but it is a group effort. Anthony sings (and eats). Murray sings (and plays guitar). Jeff is really the only one who doesn’t sing solo (but he’s the only one with previous band experience).
Children get geeked up about the Wiggles’ songs and dances, and other characters — Dorothy the Dinosaur, Captain Feathersword, etc. (Note: Dorothy often tours on her own.)
While parents may notice a difference, as long as the songs are entertaining and colorful, the core audience won’t notice — much.
Mike
(a proud — old — dad of three, with one more due in June/July)
Mike, congratulations on the pending birth of your fourth child. Pretty cool.
So, you’ve seen the group five times! You know, the more I learn about this group, the bigger the story seems to be for children and their parents. Your experiences - along with those in the link Lee provided - certainly seem to illustrate the group’s strong appeal.
To some degree, this comes down to a customer/consumer issue. The customer is essentially the parents. The consumer, to some degree, is the children. However, it seems that the parents are also in that category, too.
I would think that if the kids continue to clamor for the Wiggles, then they are safe.
Now, on a totally different front … what if Greg Page had done a Magic Johnson? What if he had announced that he was retiring because he had AIDS? Or, what if the behaviours in the parody video above were revealed as truth? I know that’s a bit off the wall, but what would have been the strategies for dealing with it …. and, what would the likely outcome be? I have my opinions, but what does everyone else think?
Robert:
Thanks for the congrats. We first learned of the Wiggles from previews on Barney tape with our youngest son (now 8). Then, got into the Wiggles tapes and concerts. Later, they scored big with being picked up the Disney cable channel.
Based on your Magic Johnson reference, from a parents viewpoint, we would certainly tone down our kids’ exposure to the Wiggles.
My wife and I preview/approve what our kids watch, so we’d be leary about their exposure to the Wiggles *and* any subsequent news about them. But, the entertainment and educational value of the Wiggles as a whole would still be valid.
It’d be a tough call.
Mike
Sorry, never did answer your PR/image-related question, Robert.
Given your scenario, I’d say Greg Page would have to do what Magic did: Come clean. He’d have to admit he made mistakes (especially since he’s married), and fall on the mercy of public opinion.
Maybe proceeds from the Wiggles’ concerts and any of Page’s record sales would be donated to AIDS research.
But, all that is hypothetical. Wouldn’t want to start any rumors with the Wiggles.
Mike
“The Creepys” was just made as an invitation to a 30th birthday party for some of my friends. Its what, in Australia at least, we call a creative piss-take.
Its not supposed to be professional or as a “backlash”.
Chris