STD-Testing Company Removes Sesame Street Advertisements Following Lawsuit Threat 'We sincerely apologize if we offended anyone or if any images were use inappropriately,' said Brandon Greenberg, CEO of Mately, in a statement.

By Sarah Whitten

This story originally appeared on CNBC

John Lamparski | Getty Images

One startup just learned the hard way not to mess with the gang from Sesame Street.

Mately, a STD-testing site and app, ruffled Big Bird's feathers earlier this week after it posted advertisements featuring Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street that suggested the pair were romantically involved, according to the BBC.

The ad, based on a viral internet meme, ran with the tag line: "See Ernie, you've got nothing to worry about, everything is positive!"

"The Mately ad is an unauthorized, unlicensed use of our characters," Sesame Workshop told the BBC. "We will be contacting Mately and the appropriate parties with a cease and desist letter instructing them to take this down.

The New York-based startup removed the image from its website and social media pages shortly after.

"We sincerely apologize if we offended anyone or if any images were use inappropriately," said Brandon Greenberg, CEO of Mately, in a statement. "This was inspired from an image that was obtained from a meme circulating around social media. This was by no means part of an advertising campaign intended to tarnish the Sesame Street brand."

Sesame Workshop declined to comment further.

Read the full report from the BBC.

Sarah Whitten

News associate

Sarah Whitten is a news associate at CNBC.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

'We're Not Allowed to Own Bitcoin': Crypto Price Drops After U.S. Federal Reserve Head Makes Surprising Statement

Fed Chair Jerome Powell's comments on Bitcoin and rate cuts have rattled cryptocurrency investors.

Making a Change

Expand Your Global Reach with Access to More Than 150 Languages for Life

Unlock global markets with this language-learning platform.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Franchise

KFC Is Launching a Chicken Tenders-Focused Concept Called Saucy — Here's When and Where It Opens

The chicken chain is making a strategic pivot towards the growing demand for customizable, sauce-heavy meals.

Business Ideas

Is Your Business Healthy? Why Every Entrepreneur Needs To Do These 3 Checkups Every Year

You can't plan for the new year until you complete these checkups.

Leadership

The End of Bureaucracy — How Leadership Must Evolve in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

What if bureaucracy, the very system designed to maintain order, is now the greatest obstacle to progress?