Luke Field and Luke O'Neill
For over three decades, The Wiggles have toured the world, delighting millions of fans. The band was formed in 1991 when founder Anthony Field had the idea to make a children's album, and since then, they have been entertaining children globally. Luke O'Neill, Chief Executive Officer at The Wiggles, and Luke Field, General Manager at The Wiggles, explain how they’ve achieved this success.
"The Wiggles" has been a beloved and successful brand for more than 30 years. What is the key to maintaining an IP and a brand for such a long time, and how do you approach the different generations of kids that you speak to?
Luke O'Neill: "The fundamental key to The Wiggles’ success is fun and education. The founder of The Wiggles, Anthony Field, earned a degree in early childhood education, and then there's the music. The Wiggles have updated and adapted to evolving musical styles, always looking for creative ways to stay relevant. That curiosity within the creative team is what keeps it going. And fundamentally, the music itself is good, which is why they keep producing hit songs for children."
Luke Field: "In 2021, The Wiggles expanded from four to eight members, all from diverse backgrounds. The youngest Wiggle just turned 18, and the oldest is 63. This diversity has brought incredible new elements, and the group’s members are passionate—they don’t talk down to children, they’re inspired by them. Each year, a new audience discovers them, which is really exciting."
How does The Wiggles adapt to the consumption habits of today's children?
Luke O'Neill: "This year, we focused on understanding where our audience is because it’s fragmented; it’s everywhere. We produced a few big projects, like Wiggle and Learn, which was our first YouTube series. We've also been working on our social media, making sure we’re talking to parents because, as our audience is young children, the parents still control the remote. Connecting with them on social media has been crucial for discovery, which then promotes our content."
What is The Wiggles’ experience in Latin America?
Luke O'Neill: "We launched a series called ‘Los Wiggles’ 15 years ago with Australian-based South American performers. Currently, we’re exploring dubbing options to reach the market more effectively. In the past, there were challenges with translation costs and adapting the music, as some Wiggles songs aren’t just simple nursery rhymes but are custom-made, so certain English phrases don’t translate easily. We’re interested in this market and meeting with people who can help us understand how dubbing might work and what we can do."
The Wiggles attended MIPCOM last month. What were the main goals at the market?
Luke O'Neill: "We’re selling content, so our goal was to connect with others in the industry. We announced a partnership with Sinking Ship Entertainment to create an animated series, which would be easier to dub. Our focus was on selling, learning, and building relationships."
What's next for The Wiggles? What are your plans for 2025?
Luke O'Neill: "Over the past 12 months, we’ve really focused on Dorothy the Dinosaur. She’s back now as a DJ, and she released a techno album with remixes of Wiggles songs. This is one way we stay relevant. Next, the core Wiggles are releasing a country album. We released our first country song, “Big Red Ute”, a few weeks ago, and the full album should come out in January. We also have a podcast for parents."
Luke Field: "We recently announced one of our biggest global tours, “Bouncing Balls”. We’ll be in the UK in May, and then throughout North America in June and July of next year, as well as Australia and New Zealand. It’s very exciting."