Ogilvy scoops PR duties for Sesame Workshop in China

Ogilvy PR will be responsible for raising awareness of the non-profit educational organisation and its China initiatives, which includes not only the Sesame Street TV show but also the books, online games and videos produced by the Sesame Workshop brand.

The campaign, combining both traditional and digital strategies, also aims to help more children reach their highest potential through engaging, locally produced educational content and programming targeting Chinese kids, families, caregivers and educators.

Sesame Workshop has established a presence in China since 1983 when it aired ‘Big Bird in China’, an hour-long special produced in collaboration with CCTV. In 1998 Sesame Workshop partnered with Shanghai TV to produce 130 episodes of ‘Zhima Jie’, the Chinese equivalent of Sesame Street.

Short episodes of Sesame Street have been broadcast on Shanghai-based children’s channel Ha Ha since December 2010, marking the first time the TV show had been produced locally in China.

“We’re committed to the principle that all children deserve a chance to learn and grow. We hope to contribute to this by making educational content accessible to as many kids as possible,” noted Sherrie Westin, chief marketing officer of Sesame Workshop.

Meanwhile, Scott Kronick, president of Ogilvy PR Worldwide/ North Asia, said, “I am delighted to be part of Sesame Workshop’s expansion in China and I am thrilled that so many kids will have even greater access to what Sesame Workshop has to offer.”