Marketing Plan for Build-A-Buddy Workshop

Essay by fchaconUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, April 2007

download word file, 8 pages 3.0

Downloaded 50 times

Teddy bears have been charming the lives of children and adults since November 1902, when the Berryman cartoon appeared in many newspapers. President Teddy Roosevelt was in Mississippi to assist in settling a boarder dispute. The host family, knowing that Teddy enjoyed hunting, planned a bear hunt, which ended in disappointment, since there seemed to be no bears to be killed. Finally, someone captured a bear cub and encouraged Teddy to shoot him. President Roosevelt refused to end the life of this helpless animal. Berryman created a cartoon showing Roosevelt standing with his back to the tied up bear cub, his left hand held up in the stop motion behind his back, and the right hand holding barrel end of the riffle. Morris and Rose Michtom were so motivated by the cartoon that they created a “teddy bear” which has captured the hearts of consumers to this day.

Maxine Clark founded Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc in 1997 after many years in the retail and marketing industry.

The first workshop was opened, October 1997 in the Saint Louis Galleria. “Teddy bears area tangible symbol of love, security, and friendship. As children, teddy bears kept us warm at night and comforted us while protecting us from the monster under the bed.” (Fact Sheet) Maxine created this “interactive entertainment retail experience” (Fact Sheet) which has grown into a worldwide company of 212 stores and net sales exceeding $300 million in 2003 and $602 million in 2004. The interactive concept engages the customer in seven creative stations; which include choosing the bear, equipping the bear with sound, stuffing the bear and giving it a heart, stitching the bear, grooming and fluffing the bear, giving the bear a name and certificate of birth, and dressing the bear with fashionable outfits and accessories.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc added...