Sesame Street in Europe

Sesame Street reaches new heights in Europe!

You may think you know Sesame Street from growing up with the brand, but you are in for a surprise! While fan favorites Cookie Monster will always have a love of cookies and Elmo will always love “love”, everyone’s furry friends continue to excite fans of all ages as stars in brand new content and unexpected collaborations around the world.

Produced by the nonprofit educational organization Sesame Workshop, Sesame Street has never shied away from tough topics. Its latest season, streaming on HBO Max in the U.S., is devoted to helping children grow up with a healthy self-identity and sense of belonging, in full celebration of our diverse world. Both beloved and new friends model the power of relationships and show the many ways we are all connected and belong in our families and communities. Sesame Street is also reaching new heights in Europe with the launch of Sesame Street Mecha Builders. Having debuted on Germany’s Super RTL this autumn, the 3D animation reimagines Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby as robot heroes-in-training who use their STEM superpowers to solve problems. Mecha Elmo has a ton of gadgets - some useful, some not so much. Mecha Abby’s stretchy arms can lift heavy objects and reach far away places. Mecha Cookie has a handy hammer hand, googly vision, and springs to help him bounce from place to place. Viewers will love this new take on classic characters. And the adventures continue with Cookie Monster. RTL+, Super RTL and Sesame Workshop are in production for Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck with Steffen Henssler, a new cooking show for German children and families. Debuting in spring 2023, the 13-episode series stars TV chef Steffen Henssler, Cookie Monster and Gonger, a Sesame Street character appearing on German TV for the first time. In each episode, Chef Gonger asks how, when, and where food grows. How do you weigh ingredients? How do you store different foods? Cookie Monster wants to try everything, of course! And expert Steffen shares his knowledge about food and its preparation. The three are joined by celebrity guests and delicious dishes are cooked, baked, and sizzled with great passion. Gonger and Cookie Monster also take their truck on the road to explore ingredients more deeply. Sesamstrasse will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in Germany in 2023. To mark this milestone, the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (MK&G) unveiled a major exhibition titled “Sesamstrasse: 50 Years and Counting.” Visitors are invited to immerse themselves into the world of Ernie & Bert, Elmo, and Cookie Monster. Created in cooperation with the NDR (Sesame Workshop’s long-time co-production partner for Sesamstrasse), the exhibit highlights the design of the puppets, sets, costumes, props, and music pieces and introduce the creative minds and skilled hands behind the children’s TV series. There’ll be more special events, unexpected collaborations, and new content throughout the anniversary year. Extending the laughter and learning of its flagship brand, Sesame Workshop is thrilled that Just Play becomes its multi-territory master toy licensee for Sesame Street launching in 2023. Under this multi-year partnership, and with a dedicated focus on Europe, Just Play will manufacture and market an expansive array of products. Key preschool play patterns and categories include plush, figures, playsets, vehicles, role play/dress up, bath, and learning toys. Just Play will also contribute to Sesame Workshop’s social impact efforts by providing funding for initiatives that bring early learning and support across a broad variety of challenges to children around the world. “Age is just a number, and nowhere is that more apparent than when you think about the iconic brand Sesame Street,” said Chris Becker, Director of Franchise, Europe, Sesame Workshop. “We are a heritage brand, but you won’t catch us resting on our laurels. We enter new product categories with innovative, fresh approaches, do deeper dives, and team up with creatives who can reimagine our characters in surprising new ways giving consumers a daily dose of Sesame Street.”