In 1952

Industry Outlook:

•More money to spend on entertainment

•Baby Boom creates greater population of children

Competition:

•Primary: Steiff Teddy Bear Company

•Secondary: Mr. Potato Head

•Weaknesses: Not customizable or washable

Product Overview:

•Customizable, washable, and able to add accessories

Marketing Position:

•New and different because children can create their own toy.

Build-A-Bear:

•Founded in 1997 by Chief Executive Bear, Maxine Clark

•Founded as interactive entertainment retail experience

•By 2006 there are nearly 300 stores worldwide

Target Market:

•Primary Market: Children ages 5-10

•Secondary Market: Adults with children ages 5-10

•Undeveloped/Potential Market: Young adults with sweethearts or significant others

Marketing Objectives:

•Generating Trial: grand opening sale

•Maintaining Usage: punch cards for every purchase and punching the cards for each additional purchase.

•Building Usage: buy outfits and accessories for the bears. Also have birthday parties in the store.

•Building Brand Loyalty: good quality and materials, friendly environment, the “Teddy Bear Experience.”

Advertising Goals:

•Create awareness of the brand because this is a new company. (Advertising pyramid-lowest level)

•Build Brand Loyalty: Punch Cards and Pink/Blue Socks

•During the first three years try to increase sales by 10% each year.

•Be the number one teddy bear company by end of the fifth year.

•Increase awareness of accessories and other Build-A-Bear products by promotions and coupons.

Quantified Objectives:

•Inquiries: Include a comment card with free postage with each purchase

•Increased Order Size: Encourage customers to buy accessories for the bears

•Morale Building: In store promotion with Bearemy the mascot.

Product Concept:

•Product Positioning: Company will be at the bottom in the mind of the consumers and other companies.

•Product Differentiation: build your own bear, it is washable, a new and fun experience

•Life cycle: The bear is durable and will last longer because it is washable materials.

•Packaging: Cub club house, clothes on hangers, shoeboxes for the shoes.

•Branding: Cloth tag, bags, houses, accessories with logo

Build-A-Bear is a unique experience that no two people will share the same Teddy Bear experience.

Key points:

• Customize your own bear

• “Making friends come alive.”

• “The teddy bear experience.”

Ads will appear in magazines such as LIFE, Highlights, Jack and Jill, Ladies Home Journal.

This will be one of the first ads since the grand opening is in the fall.

This ad shows the process of creating a bear at the workshop.

Female targeted advertising.

Male and parent targeted ad, with same copy as previous.