The Wiggles Franchise Shines Bright

Sharon Ramsay-Luck, the head of sales and business development at ABC Commercial, talks about the ongoing success of The Wiggles franchise, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

The Aussie musical entertainment group The Wiggles has been amusing preschoolers around the world for 25 years. The original members first began starring in their own television series, titled The Wiggles, in the 1990s. Today, the group includes original member Anthony Field (Blue) as well as newbies Simon Pryce (Red), Lachlan “Lachy” Gillespie (Purple) and Emma Watkins (Yellow). The foursome currently takes center stage in Ready, Steady, Wiggle!, which is part of the ABC Commercial catalogue alongside other programming produced by The Wiggles production company.

Ready, Steady, Wiggle! is the premier series from the new Wiggles lineup,” says Sharon Ramsay-Luck, the head of sales and business development at ABC Commercial. “It is fun and lively, and features new songs along with fresh interpretations of The Wiggles favorites.” Ready, Steady, Wiggle! has been airing on ABC KIDS in Australia for two seasons. The show began streaming on Hulu inImage the U.S. last year.

There is also a Wiggles spin-off show called Emma!, led by the group’s first-ever female member. “This is the fabulous Emma Wiggle’s very own series,” says Ramsay-Luck. “A huge hit for ABC KIDS, the series has had a strong following among Australia’s preschool set. Bright, colorful and fun, in each episode Emma invites the audience into her special bow room, where every day holds a new adventure—from singing the alphabet to dressing up or, of course, dancing the ballet.”

Then there is The Wiggles Meet the Orchestra, in which the group members and their friends—including Andy the Conductor, Dorothy the Dinosaur and Wags the Dog—perform alongside the world-renowned Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Ramsay-Luck refers to the hour-long production as “a wonderful musical and educational experience for preschoolers” that provides “accessible introductions to the sights and sounds of the orchestra.”

Emma! and The Wiggles Meet the Orchestra are slated to become available on Hulu soon. The new Wiggles series have also sold into New Zealand, Canada, India and Southeast Asia. The Wiggles exclusive short-form content (licensed outside Australia and New Zealand) can also be streamed on the PlayKids app.

Beyond the small screen, The Wiggles continue to tour the world with live shows that frequently sell out. The franchise enjoys strong digital sales for both video content and music downloads. There are also a number of Wiggles-themed licensing products, including Emma’s bow, books, dress-up items, dolls and more.

“The Wiggles resonate with preschoolers around the world and their success stems from their signature music and dance, which is the perfect combination of warmth, entertainment and education,” says Ramsay-Luck. “The Wiggles content is very versatile and well-suited to a range of broadcast platforms, which makes it extra appealing to buyers. And their live shows are full of the energy, color and fun of the broadcast content. This means that kids worldwide engage, dance and sing wherever they are.”

According to Ramsay-Luck, The Wiggles will be featured in additional content in the coming months. “Given how preschoolers around the world love them, there will certainly be many more years to come.”