Take9 launches “Count Before You Click” campaign featuring Sesame Street’s Count von Count

In a digital world where fraudsters rely on urgency, panic and split-second decisions, sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is pause. That's the thinking behind Take9's new "Count Before You Click" campaign, which enlists one of the world's most recognisable number enthusiasts: Sesame Street's Count von Count.

Created in partnership with Sesame Workshop and developed by Bully Pulpit International (BPI), the campaign uses the beloved character to encourage consumers to take a simple nine-second pause before responding to suspicious online messages, emails or alerts. At the heart of the campaign is a simple behavioural insight. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency, encouraging people to act before they've had a chance to think. By introducing a brief moment of reflection, Take9 hopes to help people identify red flags and avoid becoming victims of fraud.

How did the Count elevate this campaign?

For generations, Count von Count has been teaching audiences the joy of numbers. In the campaign's launch film, "Jazzercise", he guides a woman through a quick counting exercise after she's interrupted by a suspicious bank notification. The light-hearted interaction creates the pause she needs to recognise the warning signs and avoid falling victim to a scam.

The partnership is a great example of how entertainment IP can help important messages cut through. Characters like The Count come with decades of trust, familiarity and affection already built in. Rather than introducing a new spokesperson or concept, the campaign leverages an existing emotional connection that audiences immediately understand.

Born Licensing’s role

For Born Licensing, the project demonstrated the growing role that licensed characters can play beyond traditional commercial advertising. Acting as the central point of contact between BPI and Sesame Workshop, Born Licensing managed the entire licensing process from start to finish, including negotiations, contract management, creative development support and approvals. 

Working closely with both teams throughout production, Born Licensing helped ensure that The Count remained authentic to the Sesame Street brand while effectively communicating Take9's important safety message. From initial discussions through to final creative sign-off, the focus was on creating a partnership that felt natural, engaging and true to the character audiences know and love.

The launch

The campaign rolled out across television, streaming, social media and digital channels, helping Take9 reach audiences wherever they consume content. While the creative is playful and entertaining, its objective is serious: empowering people with a simple tool that could help prevent costly online scams.

At a time when digital fraud continues to evolve, "Count Before You Click" shows how familiar characters can be used not only to sell products, but also to inspire positive behaviour and create meaningful social impact. And if counting to nine helps even a few people avoid a scam, The Count might just have added another important number to his legacy.

Read more about our work with Sesame Street.

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