Elmo advises people to hum away their frustrations and anger in new video on mental health

Weeks after people poured their hearts out to Elmo when he asked how they were doing on X, Sesame Workshop dropped a new video featuring the beloved red Muppet asking people to hum for better mental health.

The public service video, developed in collaboration with the Huntsman Mental Health Institute, is part of Sesame Street and Ad Council's “Love, Your Mind” campaign, Sesame Workshop said in a news release Thursday. Two videos in English and Spanish will be released under this campaign, according to the news release, under Sesame Workshop's "multi-year commitment to the emotional well-being of children and families".

The first video, in which Elmo highlights the benefits of humming for emotional well-being, along with friends including Big Bird, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Bert and Oscar, was released on Thursday, while the second one is expected to be released in May.

Other resources, including print and outdoor public service announcements will also be released as part of the campaign, Sesame Workshop said.

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"In this first video, Elmo shares that emotions like frustration and anger are okay and how humming a song can help manage big feelings," says Sesame Workshop about the video released Thursday.

Sesame Workshop's Chief Marketing and Brand Officer Samantha Maltin, in a statement, said that the "growing mental health crisis" is one of the biggest concerns parents face today.

“We know that caring for a child means supporting their whole circle of care, whether that’s parents, teachers or other caregivers," said Maltin. "We’re grateful for our partnership with the Ad Council and ‘Love, Your Mind’ campaign through which we can reach even more children and caregivers with these emotional well-being resources.”

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit arm of Sesame Street, works at the intersection of education, media, and research, and offers strategies and resources that support families and help children learn the essential skills they need to manage their emotions.

Similarly, the Ad Council is a national nonprofit that collaborates with advertisers, storytellers and platforms to create campaigns for social issues. The council, in November 2022, announced a Mental Health Initiative to address the mental health crisis throughout the U.S. at scale.

What is the 'Love Your Mind' campaign?

Sesame Street, in the news release, said that the "Love Your Mind" campaign aims to create a "more open, accepting, and proactive society when it comes to mental health".

The new videos, featuring characters from Sesame Street, were created by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council "in response to the growing mental health crisis in the United States, to encourage people to care for their relationship with their minds, which can help them to flourish in all areas of their lives," as per the release.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.