The climate crisis, economic woes and conflict in the Middle East were all put into perspective on Twitter this week when the world suddenly faced a genuine crisis. Big Bird from Sesame Street was small.
People didn't even know what to call the much-loved character any more as, normally measuring 8ft 2in, he was now smaller than a ladybird. It was the biggest crises involving a fictional character since the disappearance of the M&Ms last year. But unlike that case, we've been left mystified as to what it was all about.
Uh oh! Does anyone know how to make me big Big Bird again? pic.twitter.com/NansEbvxQgJanuary 24, 2024
It all began when the famous yellow-feathered puppet published a cry for help on his official X.com account (yes, Big Bird has an X account). he said that he was now small and needed help to get big again. For five days, he repeatedly shared posts documenting the tribulations of being small as he continued to plea for assistance.
Day 3 of being tiny. I was able to get to Hooper's, but Baby Bear didn't see me. Do any of you have suggestions on how I can get big again? #HelpBigBird https://t.co/8Os7DndV0B pic.twitter.com/Qkt2MwnqzpJanuary 26, 2024
Other Sesame Street characters tried to help out, and those that didn't were pulled up for their lack of empathy by concerned fans. And fans were really very concerned.
Big Bird is small and this is how you’re tweeting? Read the room. https://t.co/ZjHSzwBDXoJanuary 29, 2024
me trying to explain the little Big Bird situation to my child: he’s in trouble, and we don’t know what’s going to happen. He may be fucked. He may dieJanuary 27, 2024
Civil War? Big Bird is small now and you’re concerned about a Civil War? Get your priorities in orderJanuary 26, 2024
The world breathed a sigh of relief last night when Big Bird announced that he was now big again, without much of an explanation of what had made him small not how he had grown.
I’m big again! What an adventure the last 7 days have been. I learned so much by seeing the world from a different perspective.@Elmo and so many other friends checked in on me. Thank you to all that checked in to #HelpBigBird. Today and everyday, let’s #HelpEachOther!💛 https://t.co/YoK8KROHj5 pic.twitter.com/DTXAVLigHrJanuary 30, 2024
Now, I have to admit that I lost track with the comings and goings on Sesame Street at around about the age of seven. In fact, it's news to me that the characters have their own individual social media accounts. I initially presumed the shrinking of Big Bird was a marketing stunt for something, but the resolution was a bit of an anticlimax.
Apparently, the adventure was a Twitter retelling of a 2005 TV episode The Adventures Of Little Big Bird, but it's not clear why the Sesame Street Workshop decided to run with it now. It may have been an experiment to see how they could make the brand and characters more relevant to today's world, and perhaps to test how they public would engage. Or maybe it really was all intended to get us to #HelpEachOther. Whatever the aim, it had some success, with the original post picking up 17m views.
See our character design tips for inspiration for our own work.
