Celebrating Kids! – Sesame Street is 40

Hoorah for Sesame Street!

This is something worth celebrating and not just for the fact that there will be a big licensing programme to exploit this anniversary, but for the years of fun and education brought to billions of children throughout the world. We have to thank the originators for a programme that today may not even get made! 

I have read many articles which point out that Sesame Street is not a “perfect” programme for educating children; that it breaks all the standard rules and that if it was made today it would need to be better targeted and to take into account the educational methods of the 21st century.

But isn’t this just the point?

Sesame Street in the way it has been made and the context it is set within, is by it’s very nature “counter culture”. The characters are lovable, yet urban and slightly anarchic. I always felt that Sesame St was sticking a finger up to education and saying to kids that you can learn with us, we are your pals and we are here to help. Kids love this and respond to it, and low and behold Sesame Street is still here and still educating and being loved by another generation of kids; and long may it continue.

It is certainly true from a licensing standpoint that certain characters such as Elmo demand the limelight and this will be driven by licensees such as Mattel, but this does not take away from the core essence of a brand.

This is one that moms and grandmoms love dearly and they want to pass Sesame Street to their offspring.  I hope that the writers continue to bring fun and education. Sesame Street is the original “edutainment”

Here’s to another 40 years!

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