How Sesame Street Saved the World
Yes, you read it right, Sesame Street saved the world, at least my world.
It’s Sunday, 10PM in Madrid and I can’t believe how thankful I am of my silly/foolish/childish decisions and of the fact that I always stick to them.
I had an important meeting earlier today for which we’ve been working long hours for weeks.
I had to “introduce” a new application to a group of college students. Everything was ready until it wasn’t, suddenly the application wouldn’t work. There I was, ready to pull a Steve Jobs about something that wasn’t going to work, as if it was Microsoft (where everything fails) instead of Apple.
What now bitch?
When we were working on the slide show, the initial presentation contained names of people, pictures of humans and serious information.
When I saw it I was disgusted, so I decided to change all pics and names and use Sesame Street characters. People thought it was not professional.
“It’s for students not business men, this will at least make them laugh,” I said, “So do it this way”
I started the presentation, making up shit as I was going. People looked kinda puzzled as to why there was no app. I was losing my public till we got to the “Social” section of said application and under Profile they saw a pic similar to the one below.
I’ll forever love you
They started to laugh, I had to explain that Cookie Monster was not going be part of their group of friends as he’s too famous now. That broke the ice, and after that we jumped to the “Chat” section. When they saw Abby and Elmo asking people where the coolest party was tonight and if they needed to bring booze, they lost it, and I think they secretly started to like me.
You say it girl!!!
I had a laugh attack, but I had them where I wanted them, relaxed. They soon started to show interest for the application and started to ask questions.
You know how hard is to make college students ask random questions, they never ask!
Yes, it was hardly professional but it worked. The app doesn’t work yet, but they are really curious about it and once I was done and started to check the company’s email, there were a ton of kids inquiring about the app and asking to be part of the “test group.”
Here’s when not taking yourself too seriously comes into its own.
I rarely do, when I do is because I’m pissed lol
You did the perfect thing. You gauged your target audience perfectly and that, in itself, is the most professional thing you could do. Well done!
Owww thanks, I was laughing cuz I was sorta nervous, but all was fine at the end.
Great job! Sometimes when we think things aren’t going right – they actually are…..I like when that happens! BRAVO.
Pam
So do I, was fun, stressing but fun.
I need vacations now.
Who says Sesame Street is not still relevant!
And to think Romney wanted to shut them down.
No he just thought they should fund themselves or find private funding. They can sell out arena shows. Not to mention the toy licensing. They should be able to pay to make those shows.
Haven’t they suffered enough? lol
I don’t know, it’s PBS, they do some good work when it comes to education. But that’s a matter of the past now.
My hubby watches PBS for the hunting shows. But those could pay to make their own too. They have some big money sponsors.
That’s true, they could remove some of the useless and endless “as seen on TV commercials” and do better advertisement
I love the Muppets! You done good Leo!!
The Muppets are the best
Great Job! With the Sesame Street you can’t go wrong ;o) That’s not fiction – Sesame Street is the REAL life ;o) and I love it – except the Oscar – don’t trust a guy who lives in a trash can
)
Oscar is nice, I can’t stand Big Bird tho
You captured the audience in the end
well done Leo
I was lucky!
Hahaha. That Abby Cadabby is a total hooker. Professional or not, I would’ve paid attention. Very creative, Leo!
I think you just gave me an idea for a post lol
You did a great job!
And now I need to go search youtube for drunk Sesame Street characters and Elmo mooning because you put it in my head
There are youtube videos of drunk Sesame Street characters? WHERE?
If I had the time I would make a couple, but I don’t have the time nor the creativity lol
I looked for them, but didn’t find any.
There’s one of the Spanish Big Bird (you know he changes from place to place) he was in a movie where he loses his job and start to walk the streets, really funny, a tranny big bird.
Somebody told me years ago that the first 3 min of every meeting we through our lives is the most important minutes … and it will dictates how the meeting will end. So if you can start with a laughter – that means you have the ending too. I strongly believe in that – so who ever I meet I try to remember that rule, sometime I do forget and the meeting isn’t turning out for the better.
That’s so true Viveka, I try to break the ice as soon as I start the meeting, sometimes is really hard tho, specially with groups of young kids where they wanna be cool or badass.
You know what’s pretty funny? As I sit here reading this, my son is playing with a Sesame Street play kitchen and Cookie Monster is doing his cookie song. Good job
Cookie Monster is the most lovable character of them all.
You probably were too intellectual for students and went over their heads.
I like the way you think lol
WHY couldn’t you have been one of my teachers? Laughing so hard at Elmo and that fairy muppet getting wasted.
My friend once described me as the “jerk that everybody loves”, I tend to have a condescending tone in those meetings, but it makes people laugh when I’m making fun of them, hey it works.
You know that Abby is next on True Life of The Muppets right?
Once I’m done with fairy tale characters I’ll take on the Muppets.
I’ve been thinking on the story of Alice, you have no idea how hard it is to come up with something when you “are” Alice.
I think Elmo is perpetually wasted. I mean, how else can you explain his total lack of pronoun usage? What a tool.
He’s drunk and stoned.
See?
way to bounce back Leo and kudos on S. Street. Who doesn’t love Cookie Monster? Hard task indeed to cater to a college crowd
Cookie Monster is the best, college kids couldn’t resist his charm.
I want to be part of the test group.
Pick a character
Oscar the grouches hoe
It’s yours!
Score!
Great save!
No one is ever too old for Sesame Street. I’m glad you didn’t use Barney.
” Never let them see you sweat ” right Leo! Superb job of improvising!
That was a brilliant save, Leo. Since Sesame Street is not my generation, I probably would have used Bugs Bunny, and those kids would have been snoring.
Brilliant Leo, would of loved to of been there
xx00xx
Mollie and Alfie
All adults love playing and laughing, they just try to keep it a secret:) Good job:)
The minute I saw Cookie Monster, you would’ve had me!