“Blue’s Clues” Is Finally Back 🤗!
Warning: Serious nostalgia 🥺 ahead!
All of a sudden it is 2002 again! The original actor who played Steve on Nickelodeon’s “Blue’s Clues” is back in honour of the show’s 25th anniversary, and his latest video 📹 is going viral. To watch his video, click 👉 https://youtu.be/zotoTKJ3ivE.
Steve, played by actor Steve Burns, popped up on the Nick Jr. Twitter account on September 7th (Tuesday) with a sweet diatribe about his time ⏰ on the show. Burns, in character, begins the video talking about his “abrupt” departure 🛫 from the show in 2002 to go to college. He goes on to say that university was “really challenging” but great because he got to “use my mind and take a step 👣 at a time.” He adds that now he is doing all the things he set out to do.
Burns, now 47, starred 🌟 on the show from 1996 to 2002. He concludes the video by saying he is proud of all his fans for growing 🌱 up and helping him to do the same.
Blue’s Clues taught us many lessons since it premiered 25 years ago, but earlier this week, Steve taught marketers everywhere a lesson in empathy ❤️. As marketers, we have a responsibility to embrace empathy just as Steve and the Nickelodeon team have. We play an increasingly 📈 important role in the lives of our audiences on social media. The more content we make that makes people’s lives brighter 💡, more emotionally intelligent and empathetic, the better.
Here are 6 lessons you can learn from Blue’s Clues’ Steve Burns:
1️⃣ Met us where we were
Firstly, Steve literally asked if he could talk 🗣 to us by asking if we had a second to spare. He gave us a moment to stop scrolling, remember 💭 who he is, and opt in to learn more about what he has to say.
2️⃣ Helped us visualise a moment
Secondly, he helped us remember all of the good times we may have had with him while watching 👀 Blue’s Clues and the lessons we learned with him and Blue. He helps us visualise what it was like to watch his show 📺, learn with him, and grow with him. In this moment, he not only talks about the amazing things but also the negative 👎 things. For example, when he left us all behind with his brother Joe to go to college. He owns both the negatives and positives - and he addresses them.
3️⃣ Asked our permission
Again, after acknowledging that he may have messed up 😓 by leaving his fans so abruptly, Steve asks our permission to “talk” about it. The experience of having a conversation is carried throughout the two ✌️ minute video and is nostalgic of what it was like to watch the show itself.
4️⃣ Made it about us
Then, something magical 🪄 happened. He addressed us, talked about us and how we grew up. He acknowledged that life has its ups and downs, saying, “We started out with clues, and now it’s what? Student loans and jobs and families. And some of it has been kind of hard, you know? I know you know.” Talk about an emotional rollercoaster 🎢.
5️⃣ Expressed gratitude
He then carried it into gratitude 🙏 for those of us who had watched the show, supporting and helping him along the way. Cue the waterworks 😭: “In fact, all the help that you helped me with when we were younger is still helping me today.” It is alright, we all got teary-eyed when we heard it.
6️⃣ Ended with humour and a compliment
At the end of the adorable video, Steve said, “You look great 👍 by the way. Whatever it is you’re doing, it’s working.” Why, thank you, Steve 😊.
When you start to reminisce, you will be brought back to the good old days, and that is exactly what Steve Burns did. In his short video, he managed to still teach us something today - empathy marketing. Want to learn more about empathy marketing? Slide into our direct messages 🤩😎!
References:
Kubota, S. 2021, September 8. Steve from 'Blue's Clues' says he's proud of us — 25 years later. TODAY.
Timmons, P. 2021, September 9. Steve From Blue's Clues Just Gave Us All a Masterclass in Empathy Marketing. Adweek.
