I experienced two big own-goals this weekend.
One by Nick Jr. and the other by Gullivers Kingdom theme park.
My little one saw an advert on telly citing the new Dora the Explorer attraction at Gullivers Kingdom. Knowing I am a soft touch and armed with the fact it was her 4th birthday she asked to be taken on a fun-filled family day out! The grand finale being the of meeting her hero Dora and as an added kicker her cousin Diego!
We got to Gulliver’s and noted the ‘Dora Show’ was to be held at 12pm and would last for 30 minutes.
Show? What show?
Around halfway through the tedious queuing process amongst excited children (and even more excited hoards of killer wasps) news filtered back that there was in fact no show at all. It turned out that we where queuing for a ‘meet and greet’ (yes, that’s what they called it) and a photo-op with the over-sized Dora and Diego mascot-type-characters in what can only be described as an above-average shed.
Tiny Tears and Toddlers Tantrums!!!
Needless to say, this would not do! Not for my little one or the hundreds of other 3-5 year olds. They wanted the show, they wanted the rides, they wanted happy memories – they wanted what was marketed to them!
Red Tape
According to the staff, they where restricted by the red-tape Nick Jr. wrapped around Dora and Diego – they couldn’t do a show, they couldn’t even let the Dora and Diego Characters wander around the theme park to interact with the kids in case they where photographed with other ‘non-Nick Jr.’ characters (oh the horror!!!!!!).
And get this….
Dora and Diego had to be kept in the shed to ensure Gullivers made every effort to prevent any camcorder footage of Dora and Diego being accompanied with any ‘non-Nick Jr.’ background music such as High School Musical, etc.
Dora’s been Dumped!
After the disappointment, the ‘little ‘un’ asked to go on the Dora rides…
“Sorry, sweetheart, it’s not like Thomas Land, there are no Dora rides here…”
“BooHoo, I don’t like Dora any more…”
So the own goals are…
By Nick Jr.
The kids are now all a bit miffed with Dora – they don’t understand a big corporate ‘rules’ – as far as they’re concerned, Dora is real, Dora is their friend and their friend has cheated them. Net result, they now get new friends, like the Mr Men – and get Mommy and Daddy to buy their merchandise instead.
By Gulliver’s Kindgom
Gulliver’s where no-doubt disappointed with the handcuffs Nick Jr. must have placed on them but they signed the paperwork regardless and marketed their new Dora non-Experience with all the tricks we know marketers have to get the bodies through the gates.
Trouble is – I ain’t ever going to back trough those gates again if you paid me. What’s worse for Gulliver’s is when school starts again, the Missus is going to tell all the other Moms about our experience – and believe me – nothing gets a message going ‘viral’ quicker than play-ground Moms – not even Twitter!!!
So where are the Lessons?
Nick Jr. – Stop being so anal! If Dora is photographed with Micky Mouse in the background the world is not going to end. (Honestly). Have faith in Dora and Diego – the kids love them because they’re not Micky Mouse, if they where, then you was too late anyway.
Gullivers – You signed Ronaldo but Man U kept his left foot! You tried to sign up a couple of big players in the transfer window. Trouble is, Dora and Diego didn’t pass the medical. Real Madrid wouldn’t have gone through with signing Rolando if Man U insisted on retaining his left foot. Would they?!
In both cases, customers have been alienated because of half-arsed efforts on both parts.
In business you either commit 100% or you don’t. You offer the full package or not at all. There’s nothing in the middle except disappointment.
