But, yesterday's shock horror dumping of Sam Moran in favour of ex Wiggler Greg Page, showed that the organisation hadn't just thought through the exit strategy, they had failed in the entry as well.
Equally, Anthony Field's attempt to align the change in line up to the Rolling Stones and AC/DC missed the mark ever so slightly. The Stones and AC/DC never once thought of returning their ex members to the spotlight. Mostly because Brian Jones drowned at the bottom of a pool, and Bon Scott drowned in a pool of vomit. Charming, I know, when discussing children's entertainment, but it also shows how different the circumstances are.
So, what should the Wiggles have done? How should they have handled the situation of a founding member leaving the group for very legitimate reasons, be replaced, and then want to come back almost six years later?
Remembering in those six years, there has been a substantial churn in their core audience, most of which who would never know that Greg Page actually existed.
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| Pictured with the original 'red cardi' wiggle |
I reckon the problems began back in 2006 when the replacement decision was first made, and we should look to rock band KISS for inspiration as to how things should have been done.
KISS were a band that, like the Wiggles, each had a defined character to play. Peter Criss, made up with whiskers played under his alter ego of 'the cat', which is an unusual animal to emulate when trying to appeal to women. Long story short, Peter Criss was fired, and Eric Carr moved in.
KISS could have made the decision to cast Eric as the new cat. To differentiate himself, this could have been explained that he was a a Persian and that Peter was Burmese. Similar ... yet different.
Sensibly KISS bestowed the moniker of the "Fox" on Eric, and he maintained this all throughout his fairly short lived career.
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| Eric Carr - originally considered for the Wiggles gig |
Bringing me to my point about the Wiggles. There is a blue, red, yellow and purple Wiggle, but was this ever set in stone? Why not cast Sam as an Orange wiggle, or Green, or even Pink!
Fast forward six years, my solution would have made the re-introduction of Greg far less dramatic. To many, he would be seen as a new Wiggle, not just a replacement.
Let's go one step further. Who said there has to be four Wiggles? Why can't there be five? It's not as though adding a fifth wheel is going to do much to their finances, and the red car is, apparently ..... BIG
Instead, now the Wiggles find themselves embroiled in a marketing disaster. It will most probably be short lived. Few near-60ish men can dress in coloured skivvies and market themselves to kids and parents without having a few clues.
Craig Seitam 20/1/12
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