“I can’t believe I work here,” says Lauren Simon, AB ’06, about her position at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. “The Sesame Street Muppets were my heroes as a little girl.”
Simon joined Sesame Workshop in 2009 as licensing coordinator, Global Consumer Products. “The idea of developing products based upon the longest-running educational children’s TV show in history — not to mention a show that was such a major part of my own childhood — seemed like an incredible opportunity,” she says.
Working on more than 25 accounts, Simon coordinates the product development and approvals process for Sesame Street-branded toys, games, seasonal items, craft items, novelties, home décor and housewares.
The process works like this: After licensees submit a product concept, Simon collaborates with the Licensing and Creative Resources teams to review the submission. The groups do everything from critiquing the artwork to determining if the Sesame Street characters are represented appropriately.
“By assessing these details — down to whether or not Cookie Monster’s pupils are correctly positioned — we maintain certain creative standards that help preserve the equity of the Sesame Street brand,” she says.
At the same time, the Licensing team discusses how the product fits into the licensee’s line for the year and gives consideration to where it might sit at retail. The final step involves reviewing educational content with members of Sesame Workshop’s Education and Research team.
“The idea of developing products based upon the longest-running educational children’s TV show in history — not to mention a show that was such a major part of my own childhood — seemed like an incredible opportunity,” she says.
“Together we propose revisions to the content to ensure that the product is tailored to our educational guidelines and that it incorporates relevant themes from the show’s curriculum,” Simon says.
Serving as a liaison, Simon communicates the recommended revisions to the licensees. After the product is resubmitted, she guides the licensees through the approvals process to get their products ready to be shipped to stores.
Simon, who majored in film & media studies and English literature, credits her classes at Washington University for preparing her for the role of licensing coordinator.
“A critical component of my job is exercising a keen attention to detail,” she says. “In my film classes, I learned to analyze the elements and design of a frame, a shot and a scene. I also gained an intuitive understanding of the structure of a visual composition.”
Simon recently finished working on a Play-Doh product called “Cookie Monster’s Letter Lunch,” where children “feed” Cookie Monster with food they make out of Play-Doh.
“I’m excited about this product because I’m confident people will love it,” she says.
According to Simon, classic Sesame Street characters like Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Snuffy and Grover remain popular, but “with children, Elmo is the ‘rock star.’”
Sesame Street has co-productions in 140 countries. “Many of the international co-productions feature characters that are not part of the U.S. show and are designed to meet the educational needs of the local children,” Simon says.
This affects the development process for products that will launch in multiple territories. “We must determine which characters to include based on whether or not they are recognizable in those markets,” she says.
Simon is thrilled to be a part of Sesame Workshop. “It is a privilege to work with such gifted people,” she says. “I not only respect their talents, but also their dedication to Sesame Workshop’s mission of educating children.”
Other job perks include experiences she could not have had working anywhere else. For example, Simon was able to attend a recording session with Kevin Clash, the Muppeteer for Elmo, and she celebrated Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary with all of the Sesame Street Muppets and human cast.
“I still get star-struck,” she says. “And it’s incredibly fulfilling to know that something I worked on will enrich the lives of children.”
Visit www.sesameworkshop.org to learn more.
Blaire Leible Garwitz is associate editor of this magazine.