A few years ago, in the face of the obesity epidemic, Sesame Street tried to give Cookie Monster a new slogan: “Cookie is a sometimes food.” Cookie Monster bravely faced this new challenge, giving up his favorite phrase, “C is for cookie. That’s good enough for me.” Fans were not so kind. Petitions, blogs and forums sprang up protesting the change to fans’ beloved furry muppet.
I’m pleased to see Sesame Street has finally listened to the fans who miss Cookie Monster’s favorite line. In this new music video parody, Cookie Monster sings “Share It Maybe,” and follows up with an interview assuring us he’s not giving up cookies:
Video – Sesame Street: Share It Maybe
So what does this story have to do with small business marketing? Cleverly hidden among the muppets is a marketing lesson. When you have something customers absolutely love, don’t change it. Marketing and product improvements are essential when customers simply like them (or don’t like them at all), but when customers love something about your brand, it takes discipline to protect it from changing fads and trends.
Also, I just loved having a reason to share an awesome music video featuring Cookie Monster. Happy Friday!