As the organization behind Sesame Street, Sesame Workshop had purposefully minimized the presence of its visual identity in support of the instant brand recognition that came from the beloved children’s show. But a focus on expanding original programming beyond the Sesame Street brand and global outreach initiatives escalated the need for a stronger visual presence. By bringing brand association to the beloved show while signaling new initiatives, the Workshop could pave new ways to further its mission to help children everywhere.
Brand identity
Working with a newly commissioned logo, this project started with a request to build a visual identity system. The more I researched, the more I saw that with very limited opportunities for a visual system to play out, there was a greater need to ensure clarity when the Workshop brand so often appeared in support of individually branded content or messaging (eg. Sesame Street or Ahlan Simsim, a co-production that appears across the Middle East). Explorations into language, graphics and motion investigated this relationship. A renewed focus on voice and messaging emerged to tell this rich and layered story, starting with the idea that the Workshop denotes a place. What does it do? What does it sound like? Who comes through the door? This resource became a culmination of examining what the Workshop stands for and how it materializes through everything spoken, experienced or visualized.
Donor report
Sesame Workshop puts every effort toward its mission to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. During the year of a global pandemic and a national reckoning with racial justice, the organization innovated to meet children’s needs. Production sprang into unconventional ways of working to produce essential content during times of unprecedented challenges. Staying connected to support children and their families was more important than ever.
First-hand stories of how the Workshop works is a fascinating view into an organization filled with people who are passionate about helping kids, no matter what is going on in the world. With a name that befits the approach—just like in the beginning with Jim Henson’s creative spirit—the Workshop pulls up their sleeves, tinkers with tools, keeps things real and adds sparks of giggles. By delving into a journalist’s mindset, finding the stories of what happens within the Workshop revealed that it will do whatever it takes.
These stories were designed into a package to share with partners and donors, and in tandem, an online version appeals to single donors who may be curious about how to get involved. View the entire 2020 Donor Report here.
In collaboration with writer: Jake Nassif
Sesame Street brand book
I spent about two years helping Sesame Street revamp their brand book, creating guidelines for an iconic brand that has been extending their presence beyond the iconic show. This 120+ page book covers the mission of the company and the attributes of all things Sesame, detailing guidance for visual and verbal expressions. It became an essential resource for internal use, as well as for an ever-growing network of domestic and international partnerships and mission programming.
Nearly 10 years after creating this resource, I returned to work with Theresa Fitzgerald, VP of Brand Design. We worked with the agency Open, in a massive update that would bring this resource to an internal site.
Sesame Street: Season 43 campaign
Promotion for the 43rd season of the show included subway posters (featuring a life-sized Elmo), web banners, print ads and a press kit microsite.
