Sesame Street has long been a popular children’s television show that combines entertainment with education. The show launched on November 10, 1969 and is the longest running children’s show in American history. According to USA Today, Sesame Street has its largest audience with 8 million viewers in more than 120 countries.

That is an amazing testament to the power of a television show. Sesame Street has impacted so many lives. Even Google has gotten into the celebration by displaying various characters from the show, including Big Bird, in their logo on the Google search engine page. This is nothing new for Google. When Christmas arrives, Google will likely also modify its logo on the search engine page with symbols of this holiday. Google understands not only the fun of this cute mod, but also the emotional connection with millions of viewers.

How can you, like Google, incorporate a current memorable event into your charity auction to create an emotional connection that your entire audience will experience? These symbols of our life that everyone recognizes can provoke sentimental feelings that go beyond your event. The warmer the feelings toward your charity auction, the more buzz, hype, hype, and exposure you can get to increase your support.

What kind of memorable image should you use to promote your charity auction? Stay away from any controversial topic, such as politics (past and present). You should also use something that reaches the spectrum of generations of your audience. Avoid events or icons that are specific to a single generation, such as pre-1960s music or SpongeBob SquarePants.

That’s what makes Sesame Street a great choice. Who doesn’t like Bert and Ernie? And I don’t know of any generation yet among us that hasn’t had some connection to that. Other good options might be a local hangout that has been around for generations, like a drive-in or restaurant, toys that have been enjoyed by generations, or classic movies.

So when marketing your charity event, think of icons or events that can stir up the sentimental feelings of your donors. Use these good thoughts to highlight donations at your fundraising auction.