Beloved Brand Launches "The Stuff You Love"
Campaign with Consumer Engagement Outreach to Share "The Stuff They
Love"
ST.
LOUIS, May 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Build-A-Bear
Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW), a multi-generational,
multi-dimensional global brand known for its heartwarming
one-to-one experiences, proudly unveils its new communications
campaign, "The Stuff You Love," commemorating more than a
quarter-century of creating and celebrating cherished memories
worldwide. The heartfelt initiative is being launched at a timely
moment and is on point with current consumer sentiment given a
reported 88% of people are searching for new experiences to
make them smile and laugh. "The Stuff You Love" serves as the
embodiment of the brand's mission to 'add a little more heart to
life' and is intended to encourage its broad base of fans to take a
second to share the special moments of their own lives. Many guests
have noted Build-A-Bear has and continues to play a part in
creating memories and commemorating these special moments.
Today Build-A-Bear kicks off a UGC contest
for consumers to share special moments with
#TheStuffYouLoveContest
The company is honored to have been woven into the multitude of
stories behind the creation of more than 240 million furry friends
since its inception in 1997 as it has evolved from a mall-based
children's retailer that united the teddy bear with imagination and
joy to an iconic brand that crosses categories and consumers. In
like manner, Build-A-Bear's role of being at the forefront of
family memory-making has also evolved, from childhood birthday
parties and being "where best friends are made," which was the
brand's early advertising tagline, to commonly being a part of
nearly every aspect of life milestones for kids and adults alike,
ranging from wedding proposals, birth announcements, team
celebrations, anniversaries and holiday gifts. Over the years,
participation in the beloved "heart ceremony," where guests make a
wish on a small heart and place it inside the furry friend and the
personalized "Build-A-Sound," where guests can record a message in
their own voice, are often noted as the most memorable moments of
the "bear building" experience.
"It is remarkable how many amazing and emotional stories have
been shared with us about what Build-A-Bear furry friends and our
personalized experience has meant to people over the years. We are
truly honored that Build-A-Bear has become an inextricable part of
so many heartfelt memories and it is humbling that so many special
moments have been enabled by our furry friends," said Sharon Price John, President and Chief Executive
Officer at Build-A-Bear. "We believe 'The Stuff You Love' embodies
that sentiment wholeheartedly, and want to take this moment to
provide a platform for our guests to share their own stories about
the 'stuff' they love, through this campaign."
Coinciding with the campaign introduction, today Build-A-Bear
kicks off a UGC contest for consumers to share their own special
moments about the "stuff they love" with the brand for the chance
to win a special Build-A-Bear Workshop experience.
#TheStuffYouLoveContest was designed to inspire a movement for
positivity, encouraging both existing and new Build-A-Bear fans to
share the stuff they love via a heartwarming photo, video or story
on social media. A new theme will be announced each week on
@buildabear's Instagram, ranging from celebrating PAWsome moms
ahead of Mother's Day to throwing it back to those OG furry
friends, and will run through June 6.
For official contest rules and information please visit
https://www.buildabear.com/share-your-story.html.
In partnership with Build-A-Bear's agency of record for strategy
and creative, Known, "The Stuff You Love" campaign began rolling
out in early April, coming to life across marketing and advertising
channels, an updated customer experience, continued retail
expansion, and more. Build-A-Bear's first TV commercial in many
years debuts today, May 6, on CTV and
across streaming networks such as Disney+ and Hulu.
Designed to resonate with a broad consumer base, the campaign
reflects Build-A-Bear's evolution from its origins as a children's
experience in malls to a beloved destination for teens, adults, and
families alike. "The Stuff You Love" is infused into messaging
across all consumer touchpoints, creating a cohesive and impactful
campaign that captures the essence of the brand. Key highlights
include:
- Advertising & Marketing: Modernization of
Build-A-Bear's strategy and narrative, including the brand's first
TV commercial in many years.
- Customer Experience: Website updates that build a
responsive, engaging platform to showcase the future-focused
Build-A-Bear vision, which will also be reflected visually
in-store.
- Retail Expansion: After opening 37 stores in 2023,
Build-A-Bear is aiming to surpass that number and open at least 50
new stores by the end of the year globally amongst tourist
destinations & malls.
- Partner Innovation: With an upcoming partnership with
Paramount Pictures' "IF" film this May, including robust retail
activations and licensed product, Build-A-Bear continues to tap
into the emotion of what people truly love through relevant
associations. Recent alignments with DreamWorks Animation's
"Kung Fu Panda 4" and a retail
pop-up at the NFL Super Bowl Shop also narrow in on the brand's
commitment to showing up alongside the stuff people love.
- Retail-tainment: In 2023, Build-A-Bear Entertainment
brought the brand to life in new ways with the release of
"Unstuffed: A Build-A-Bear Story" and "Glisten and the Merry
Mission." Looking ahead, the brand is continuing to grow its unique
position within the entertainment industry.
- Internal Communication & Employee Engagement: "The
Stuff You Love" will be celebrated across Build-A-Bear employee
community as well, and the global "BearQuarters" in St. Louis will undergo a refresh.
- Omnichannel Activation & Experimentation: Continued
activation within Web3 and the metaverse, bringing the Build-A-Bear
to life in new ways across Roblox and gaming platforms.
Build-A-Bear invites consumers to celebrate "The Stuff You Love"
and join the movement for positivity. From heartfelt moments to
shared experiences, Build-A-Bear continues to spread love and
happiness for generations to come. For more information about
Build-A-Bear and "The Stuff You Love" campaign, visit
BuildABear.com/the-stuff-you-love.
About Build-A-Bear
Build-A-Bear is a
multi-generational global brand focused on its mission to "add a
little more heart to life" appealing to a wide array of consumer
groups who enjoy the personal expression in making their own "furry
friends" to celebrate and commemorate life moments. More than 500
interactive brick-and-mortar experience locations operated through
a variety of formats provide guests of all ages a hands-on
entertaining experience, which often fosters a lasting and
emotional brand connection. The Company also offers engaging
e-commerce/digital purchasing experiences on www.buildabear.com
including its online "Bear-Builder" as well as "HeartBox" and its
age-gated adult-focused "Bear Cave." In addition, extending its
brand power beyond retail, Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a subsidiary
of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., is dedicated to creating engaging
content for kids and adults that fulfills the Company's mission,
while the Company also offers products at wholesale and in
non-plush consumer categories via licensing agreements with leading
manufacturers. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted total
revenues of $486.1 million for fiscal
2023. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of
buildabear.com.
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SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop