BHAG in hand, I entered 1998 on a mission. No longer would Big Idea be simply Phil’s film company making Phil’s films. I would proactively grow it to the point where it could encompass the work of multiple storytellers working in film, TV, publishing, and whatever else we could think of. I was particularly driven by the impact I saw the Disney Company and Nickelodeon having on kids across America. Coming out of nowhere in the early 1990’s, Nickelodeon had grown so large by the end of the decade that half of all kids watching commercial television at any given time were watching Nickelodeon. Since the average American kid was watching more than three hours of television per day, the impact Nickelodeon’s programming and intentionally subversive attitude (Nick marketers freely admitted that their strategy was to position themselves as a kids “true ally” and to exclude parents from the conversation) drove me to do as much as I could, as quickly as I could. In my mind, Big Idea couldn’t be built fast enough. America’s kids needed it that badly.
I was aware, however, that I was a bit skinny on business experience. If Big Idea was to have the impact I hoped for, I needed serious help. So over the course of 1998, I assembled a group of experienced business folks to help. I didn’t have the industry connections or the money or prestige to pull people from Hollywood to suburban Chicago, so most of our executives were from the Chicago region and came primarily from large financial services and packaged goods companies like Kraft, Coca-Cola, Motorola, GE Capital and Price Waterhouse. It really was a pretty impressive group with tons of business experience. While they lacked traditional entertainment experience, the fact that VeggieTales was a product sold from store shelves made us all believe packaged goods experience would be just as valuable. (In fact, the growth in importance of Wal-Mart at that time had inspired even giant studios like Disney and Warner Brothers to hire packaged goods experts from places like Proctor & Gamble and Kraft to help shape their strategies.)
By the end of 1998, things looked promising for the “new” Big Idea. We had a hit product. We had an experienced, fired-up leadership team. We had a mission, and a big, hairy, audacious goal. What we were missing was a plan.
“No Man’s Land” threat number one, according to Inc.’s experts: Small companies, experiencing rapid initial growth, attempt to make the leap to being “big” without having a clear plan for sustaining that growth. What got you to $10 million in sales won’t necessarily take you to $100 million.
We sold something like seven million VeggieTales videos in 1998. Unable to imagine selling more than that, I assumed future growth would need to come from other areas like television and feature films. Unfortunately, the executive team I put together had no experience in television or feature films. Rather than wade into unknown waters, they figured future growth would come from selling even more VeggieTales videos using marketing techniques they had learned in the world of packaged goods. The team quickly discovered through research that even though we had sold seven million videos that year, only one-quarter of American mothers of young children had even heard of VeggieTales So, they reasoned, growing awareness would result in increased sales.
Enter 1999. I began the year investigating the TV and feature film businesses, looking for points of entry for Big Idea. I was working on these efforts more or less alone, though, as my executive team was busy building a large marketing group to launch an even larger VeggieTales awareness campaign. Between 1998 and 2000 our marketing department grew from 1 person to 30 people. We gave away 400,000 VeggieTales videos at the grand openings of malls and Target stores and took out two-page ads in People magazine to introduce America to the concept of VeggieTales. As a result, our marketing expense grew from $3 million in 1998 to $13 million in 2000. No problem, though, since the team estimated the increased awareness would double our sales within 24 months.
Except for one thing: The projected sales growth never happened. After 1998’s amazing 7 million video mark, sales actually declined in 1999 and 2000. Our marketing costs exploded, but our sales didn’t. That was a bit of a problem.
Meanwhile, I wasn’t having much more luck getting us into new businesses. Intrigued by the strategic possibilities of having a home in television, I began talking with the newly launched family network Pax TV about taking over their entire Saturday morning block. They seemed genuinely interested, given VeggieTales’ huge success. I spent time crunching numbers and identifying other shows that could fill out a block alongside VeggieTales and be introduced by Bob & Larry. The pieces were falling into place, when suddenly Pax announced they weren’t interested in a Big Idea Saturday morning block, but would much rather we supply them with an hour of programming for prime time. Since none of the shows I had been considering for Saturday morning would work well in prime time, I was back to square one.
As a hedge against the possibility that a TV strategy might not pan out, I was also trying to chart a course to take our animation studio toward feature film production. In late 1998 we put Larry-Boy and the Rumor Weed into production, our most cinematic half-hour video yet. It was my plan, in fact, that it would be our last half-hour video. With that in mind, I had already put Mike to work on an elaborate 45-minute script based on a classic Bible story that would take us one step closer to the world of feature films. The story was Jonah and the Whale.
Continued in Part 3 >
phil ya should have pulled the program. If you deny Him before man He will deny you before the Father. Your vision and ministry has been blessed thus far, why wouldn’t God open another door with a better opportunity. So often we miss out on His best because we feel our best is what matters.
I remember now the marketing push, in the late 90’s. I was thrilled to see VeggieTales in Tarpet and Kmart, but when tons (not just some) of marketing started happening, I remembering thinking you guys didn’t have as much integrity. Some how, tons of marketing says you’re “selling out”, maybe just a little. I am blessed that you guys stayed with it and God has given the increase – WOW – NBC!
Well Phil I think that it was a good idea that you had going into the movie and TV business I was a big fan of veggie tales ever since I was 4 in fact larry-boy and the rumor weed was the first veggie tales video I bought I’m also trying to do my own movies to
I think I should stop reading here until I finish the book, I am hooked though.
My son loves Veggie Tales, we have the Veggie Tales 10 Commandments memorized, it is fun.
Keep up the good work in all your new endeavors Phil, God is definitely not through with you yet.
sherrywaldrip.comPhil,
I have loved watching hours of Veggie Tales with my little grandsons.
I just have a funny story for you. I’m an author and a few years ago I was doing a reading at a special event for a Christian bookstore in the Seattle area. I had a semi respectable size crowd….until Bob the Tomato & two of his sidekicks strolled in to do something for the kids.
You always hear scary stories of tomatoes being thrown at someone on stage but I may be the first one that the tomato was not a projectile but a pied piper! It still tickles me that I was upstaged by vegetables.!
On a serious note. It was such amazing timing for me to hear you this morning on Midday Connection. Your testimony is just what my heart needed, just what the doctor ordered…better than vegetables! I’m going to get your book tonight!
Blessings!
Sherry Waldrip
http://www.sherrywaldrip.com
Wow. I am so very sorry that your brainchild was usurped by the classic greedy market of man’s buisness, when all that you were achieving reached so very many folks with such great positivity. Please keep on keeping on, because you are in our hearts and prayers. Thank you very much for helping our family to be better human beings. Renato Potato Pangelina
i have been so happy with what veggie tales has become, and i get so happy and excited that there are still a few good companies out there. i wish i could work for you!
“…so most of our executives were from the Chicago region and came primarily from large financial services and packaged goods companies like Kraft, Coca-Cola, Motorola, GE Capital and Price Waterhouse.”
This is what killed Big Idea. The same move almost killed Apple a decade before. A media company needs a media executive. A newspaper or magazine exec would have done far better than packaged goods people. The reason? Because packaged goods are *consumables*. People can’t use up a video (or a newspaper or magazine for that matter) like they can a bag of chips. Consumables need to be everywhere and heavily advertised, media just needs a hook. I’m sorry you got caught up in the consumable marketing money sink.
Dear Phil,
I’ve read your story and now I understand what really happened to Big Idea. I just want to let you know that Veggie tales had touched our hearts and our lives. We were missionary teachers for many years and have seen hundreds of kids from different religion and background watched Veggie tales with awe and excitement. I believe in my heart those kids will always remember what they have learned from watching Veggie tales. God bless you and your family.
You got greedy.
I haven’t watched the said veggie tales videos, it was never aired here on Philippine TV, but I’d really be glad to see one. I just saw mp3 files of songs this week and liked listening to it.Then, i researched about the “veggie tales” and ended up here, found out that it was a Christian-oriented song and was glad of it.
Phil, your heart was good towards the mission of “telling stories”…I myself am a “testifier” of how God changed my life. But as someone said, “I pray an hour a day, except for busy days – that’s when I pray for 2-3 hours”. The bigger the work, the bigger the help you need from God. When we work, God stays; when we pray, God works. It was a BIG task that needed a BIG God.
From what you said, “Meanwhile, I wasn’t having much more luck getting us into new businesses. ” Don’t depend on luck, man. If you’d depend on God, depend on Him COMPLETELY, otherwise, you are not depending on Him at all.
Don’t worry. If this is what you believe God told you to do, you’ve done your part. I remember a short story being told. God told a man to push the rock, but the man can’t move it. The man told God he can’t, but God was only asking to push it, for God will be the one to move it. Do your part in what God tells you. I’m absolutely sure, your work will not be in vain.
Bless God.
He did not get greedy – he thought outside of the box and wanted more for our children, a Godly approach to reaching kids through media vs. the crap you see on Nickelodeon.
Why don’t you break your contract with Classic Media and start working for VeggieTales again?
My children grew up watching Veggie Tales and loved them. I remember when Jonah came to the big screen – it was so REFRESHING to have a Christian message being played in the theatre. I think its good to dream BIG (love that your business name was even built on that – “Big Idea”). It seems like a pretty big fall, but I hope you dust yourself off and ask God for what’s next. I’m particular happy to see the recent DVDs out on teaching kids more about the Bible. I’m really looking for more on apologetics for kids and this is a start. Chin up – God isn’t finished with you yet. 🙂
Hi Phil! I love Veggie tails, it realy apeals to my weard sense of humour. Larry is my favorite and the peas. I have read your book, Me Myself and Bob several times (which is amazing for me, I’m not that big of a reader). Autobiographys are usualy boring and I never normaly get past the front cover, but from the moment I started reading, I was hooked from the first page. I was interested in the rise and fall of Big Idea, But what is realy got me, is how you shared the lessons you learnt from those mistakes. I got so much out of your book. The wish I have for my own life is to be in the centre of god’s will, in short, I want to be like the jelly fish
Hi Phil;Great reading you’re book. So refreshing to hear timeless truth brought out in the culture of the day. You’re life lessons, not the vegetable stories. Today I read your take on “can’t add anything to God” in my other prayer book by Garigou Legrange on Providence. We are one in the Spirit.
hey phil,
I just surfed into this website as my husband directed me to amazon to your book after hearing an interview with you on our local radio station. I just want to say that my 2 year old son LOVES veggie tales and me being a new christian have learned so much from the program and we have bought many of the veggie tales dvds. It has made the bible stores less intimidating and i must say that my favorite silly song is the monkey song.. i find myself singing it as i walk down the halls at work and working on a psychiatric unit it seems even sillier. Thank you so much for sharing a wholesome educational show I can share with my children
Hi Mr. Vischer, I’m one of your Veggie fans but I was so concerned about what was happening to Big Idea. I never wanted MSNBC to censor VeggieTales even though it was religious education for kids. I loved your shows.
Kevin the Spaced Penguin game was the best thing about Big Idea.
chang veggie tales website
back!
Hello, Mr. Vischer. I am 11 years old, but I am more intelligent than people think. I’ve grown up with VeggieTales for years now. My first video was the Jonah sing-a-long on vhs. I’ve always had a very personal connection to those veggies. These veggies (and you) have got me through my life. They helped me understand. They helped me to love God and to love others. I actually have a little cabinet filled with VeggieTales toys, books, and every single episode on dvd. I remember going to see God Made You Special Live! in Highland, Indiana (where my grandparents live.) If it weren’t for those veggies, I don’t know what I would be. Even though I’m only 11, I still know ALL the drama about the rise and fall of Big Idea. When I was younger, I always printed out VeggieTales coloring sheets. I still have a lot of them, today! And I still remember going on the Bid Idea site. I still watch VeggieTales today! But there is something that makes me sad. I loved the original Veggies! Not this Netflix series! I don’t even have a Netflix! By the way, is Veggies in the House a Christian show? But every time I think about what VeggieTales is today, I literally cry. Yes, it is still the same, but knowing that you are not art of it…it’s just not the same. I have a gift for singing. A very very very special gift for singing, and I always I agined myself, one day, being famous and singing on an episode, just once. I have even wanted to go to Chicago to see you guys at Big Idea studios when you were still Big Idea. I even remember seeing Bob and Lary at the mall and seeing them at live shows. My point is, VeggieTales was great, it still is. But one day, maybe one day, you could take it back under your wing. I know, there is the bankruptcy problem and, most importantly, you want to teach the word of God more than make a giant company. But I’m just dreaming. I also want to read your book: Me, Myself, and Bob. Just keep on with your Ministry! One day I might meet you when I’m famous. And I’m going to start to listen to your podcast. When I’m older, I’m going to show my kids VeggieTales. And they’ll fall in love with it the same way I did. Thank you for making my life what it is today. Keep on with your projects right now. Thank you for these years. Thank you for being God’s angle that was put down on this Earth. Thank you for everything.
Ps. I’m actually crying right now.