3. The Look
The Spice Girls management were masters of branding and marketing, that was intertwined with their success from the very beginning. Labelling Mel B, Mel C, Emma, Geri and Victoria as Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger and Posh was pop industry genius at the time and who can deny the impact that alone has had on pop culture. Each Spice Girl was so brilliantly unique. Wear leopard print and big hair to a party and your Scary Spice. Chuck on a Union Jack dress and enjoy the Geri Halliwell comparisons. Fans could become invested in their favourite Spice Girl, which made up part of their appeal. The Saturdays style is very conformed, with the girls normally wearing the same costume in different colours - as if fans watching forgot they were in a band together. It is very youthful and The Sats have a surprisingly young demographic. But young American girls, the ones who will most likely buy The Saturday's music and merchandise, are already suffering a small case of One Direction Infection. Would they really buy a Saturdays album over 1D? The Saturdays are clean cut, cutsie and fun. They aren't really pushing any agenda like "girl power" and don't seem to be oozing global ambition like the Spice Girls did either. They're just a bit apathetic and straight edged - with no rebellious appeal that the younger demographic love. American audiences may find The Saturdays a little bit bland, but until we see what the styling for the next album is, it is hard to comment. The Spice Girls were so different and took the world by storm because they
didn't conform. This is where The Saturdays fall down, because everything about them is predictable. No artist or group ever blew up to the size and scale of the Spice Girls by sticking to the status quo and The Saturdays are certainly not risk taking by any means. They don't look like nor come across as game changers, which is not what pop is about today. Accept the Spice Girls comparisons as a compliment ladies, but you have some serious work to do to get up to scratch.