The Wiggles’ Big Red Ute replaces Big Red Car

A deal to promote one of the world’s largest car companies will put in-your-face branding in front of babies around the world.

COMMENT: Most rock stars sell out at some time, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that The Wiggles have done a deal with a car company.

The Australian childrens music institution famous for smash hits such as Hot Potato, We’re All Fruit Salad and Wake Up Jeff have traded in their Big Red Car for a Big Red Ute.

A Big Red Toyota ute.

The Wiggles driving their Big Red Car. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The deal makes sense. Clearly strapped for cash after releasing 62 (seriously) studio albums and touring for three decades, The Wiggles will get a not-very-much-needed financial injection. Toot Toot, Cha-Ching!

Wags the Dog will ride in the tray.

And Toyota gets to buddy up with an Australian institution.

This sort of branding is valuable.

The Wiggles have replaced their Big Red Car with a big red Toyota-branded ute. Picture: Supplied

It’s why the Japanese giant spends big money as the headline sponsor of the AFL, the Olympics, Cricket Australia, and why it’s going racing at Bathurst with Supercars.

That’s the sort of stuff car-buying mums and dads watch.

But marketing to children is a new and interesting development.

Getting the Toyota brand in front of kids can’t hurt sales prospects in years to come.

Toyota is the dominant player in new car sales today, but that might not be the case tomorrow.

After all, the road ahead for Toyota might be bumpy, as emerging Chinese brands such as MG and BYD take hold.

Those brands can be found on the jerseys of popular NRL teams in the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters – the latter estimated to have cost BYD $10 million.

Don’t be surprised to see unfamiliar names such as Leapmotor, Deepal, Zeekr or Xpeng kick off major sporting sponsorships in the future.

You can bet there are car companies trying to find a way to cash in on the popularity of Bluey by slapping a badge on the Heeler family four-wheel-drive.

The Heeler family drive an orange and blue four-wheel-drive. Picture: Supplied

But they won’t get onto the grille of the Big Red Ute.

I reckon you or I might be able to get behind the wheel of something similar-looking in the future, as the Toyota HiLux is due for an update and boxy, toylike styling is all the rage right now.

Check out the latest Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, Land Rover Defender, GWM Tank 300, Hyundai Santa Fe or 2025 Toyota Prado if you need more evidence of that.

The Wiggles have replaced their Big Red Car with a big red Toyota-branded ute. Picture: Supplied

The Big Red Ute was styled by Toyota’s design department – people who make actual cars – who claim, according to a company press release that does not at all sound like it was recorded under duress, that they “were thrilled when we were approached to design and develop the Big Red Ute stage car”.

“The team wanted to ensure every detail of the vehicle captured the fun and vibrant spirit of The Wiggles™,” they absolutely, unquestionably, definitely said.

“From the initial creative ideation process to the final, functional model build, every step has been an adventure filled with fun and excitement.”

Blink twice if your pyjama-clad captors have harmed you. The safe word is DOROTHY!

Having not had the pleasure of seeing The Wiggles live, I set out to do some extremely thorough research to bring you this news.

Did you know that the original Big Red Car was loosely based on a convertible VW Beetle?

That they made a real one as a PR stunt?

The Wiggles with a Big Red Car.

That they started with right-hand-drive car, then switched to left-hand-drive to become more relatable to US audiences, then changed back to right-hand-drive again?

Did you know the car is mainly driven by the yellow Wiggle?

I know this because I looked it up on Wigglepedia.

Yes, that’s a thing.

According to my new favourite website, “the Wiggles realised early on that Jeff wasn’t really the best idea as the driver of the car due to him sleeping most of the time, and the driver role was given to Greg”.

Additionally, “Murray is the only OG Wiggle that we haven’t seen drive the Big Red Car”.

This poses questions. Why not?

Would he rather catch a big red bus or ride a big red bike?

Is Murray hiding a dark secret? Is he a conscientious objector?

Wake up, people! And while you’re at it, wake up Jeff.

And the rest of the troop pushing Toyotas to toddlers while parents look the other way.