BUILD-A-BEAR CELEBRATES THE GOOD 'STUFF' WITH NEW CAMPAIGN TO ADD EVEN MORE HEART TO LIFE

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.

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. 

SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop