Build-A-Bear Builds an Audience

Build-A-Bear has always been about the experience.

The business model of letting children design their own teddy bear, right down to the outfit and heart, was modeled after department store experiences of past generations.

Traditionally, the magic of Build-A-Bear has been built on being in-person, typically in a mall.

With COVID and the growth of online shopping, it’s easy to assume the company’s business model was endangered.

Except Build-A-Bear is more profitable today than it’s ever been.

How’d the company do it? By building an online presence and focusing on a different set of customers.

You can create a custom bear from scratch on the Build-A-Bear website. But that virtual experience can only go so far in recreating the in-store magic.

The company has been open about the fact that it’s seeking more teen and adult customers online. It’s pursued that goal through pop culture partnerships with brands like Wicked and Marvel. It also launched “The Bear Cave,” an adults-only section of the website with grown up themed bears for a wider range of gift giving occasions.

Build-A-Brand Online

Build-A-Bear is far from the first toy company to realize adults can be a meaningful source of sales. And lots of brands differentiate their messaging by audience. But Build-A-Bear has found success tailoring different marketing channels to different audiences.

Coming to a brick-and-mortar location in a mall? You’re going to have the optimal experience for a child building a bear from scratch. Visiting the website? You’ll see more collectibles and grown-up products.

How your audiences find you tells you something about them – and what they’re looking for. A customer you meet at a trade show could be vastly different from one who downloads lead-gen content on your website.

For Build-A-Bear, the effort to attract a broader audience is working – today, about 40% of its customers are teens and adults.