Wordless Wednesday - More Muppet Fun

Mahna Mahna - Famous Muppets Song Inspired by Softcore Porn Flick?

If you're a fan of the Muppets, you probably know a few of their hit songs.

It's Not Easy Being Green.

The Rainbow Connection.

Swedish Chef's theme song (Bork bork bork!)

C is for Cookie (and that's good enough for me)

...and, of course, the Mahna Mahna song...

Just in case you need enlightening:

(and now, this song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day... you're welcome)

Well, it turns out Henson and the Muppet crew may have been inspired to parody this song after watching a softcore porn film from the 60's called Sweden: Heaven and Hell.  Here's a clip, and you can judge for yourself:

Not that there's anything wrong with being inspired by a skin flick.

Personally, I think it's more than just the song with an adult theme.  If you look closely at the muppets singing the "do dooo do do do" part, they look suprisingly familiar to a blow up doll.

I bet I could fit my... er... I mean... um...

Once again, a childhood favorite like the muppets has been identified to have some adult overtones to it.  It's nice to know someone was doing it before Disney was adding dirty extras into The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and other Children's films.

Besides, any time you can add "muppets" and "porn/sex" into the same phrase, you're in for a few laughs.  Check out this parody of Katy Perry's Teenage Dream as an example:

As always, the Muppets rock.  Sometimes, in ways that you never imagined...

Marketing Tips From The Muppets

Unless you live under a rock (or maybe in one of the countries ending in -stan) you are aware that a new Muppet movie is coming out in a few weeks.

I'm 30 years old.  Anyone plus-or-minus ten years of me has probably been influenced in their childhood by muppets.  From Sesame Street to The Muppet Show and beyond, Jim Henson's creations played a heavy role in late 20th century pop culture.

And they're making a comeback, 21st century style.

When a muppet movie was green-lighted, the PR team for this movie went to work.  The plot of the movie is "Are muppets relevant anymore?" with the main focus of showing this generation what muppets are all about.

How do you target this younger generation of movie goer?

The INTERNET!

In November 2009, they launched this video:

It was an instant hit, getting millions of views and being passed around Facebook pages galore.

Speaking of Facebook, the muppets are there as well.

Any major social media outlet has been infested with muppet-dom.  Even Miss Piggy, The Swedish Chef, and a host of other muppets are on twitter, tweeting regularly (and in character).

Interviews on late night talk shows, commercials galore, viral videos (you have to see The Pig With The Froggy Tattoo) and even guest appearances on WWE Monday Night Raw are making sure that everyone knows about this movie.

I mean, come on.  Beaker getting involved in a wrestling match, handing Santino Marella a concoction that helps him win the match.   When is the last time you saw Julia Roberts do this for one of HER movies?  What about Leo DiCaprio?

Again, the plot of the movie is "Are the muppets relevant anymore?"  They're marketing tactics are making sure they are.  Gen X'ers are loving every bit of it.  Gen Y'ers and the newest generation (Generation Internet?  iGeneration?) are getting a taste of what made the muppets hilarious in the 70's and 80's.  They are fuckin crazy, and will make you laugh in unconventional ways.

Businesses.  Entrepreneurs.  Learn from the muppets.  If you're going to market yourself, go all out, and get as unconventional (read: CRAZY) as possible.