Build-a-Bear Workshop has been a staple of childhoods everywhere for generations, but it looks like their latest promotion has caused quite a stir.
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This week, the company kicked off its “Pay Your Age” promotion, which allowed members of the Build-a-Bear rewards program to, well, page their age for a stuffed animal. According to reports around the country, the promotion drew some pretty major crowds, causing Build-a-Bear to close the promotion for “safety concerns”.
Build-a-Bear issued a statement on their Instagram account, along with an offer for attendees to earn a $15 off coupon for their troubles.
Sure, the idea of a young child making a Build-a-Bear for a few dollars is pretty promising, but the $15 voucher will surely be seen as a good deal for some. Whether or not that will mend any bad PR from the campaign has yet to be seen.
“Instead of Build-A-Bear being a place of happiness or joy, it became a place of frustration and disappointment,” said Timothy Calkins, clinical professor of marketing at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, told the Chicago Tribune. “It really is a disaster for Build-A-Bear. You desperately want your brand associated with happy parents and happy kids.”
Were you a part of Build-a-Bear’s “Pay Your Age” sale? And do you think these coupons will help fix things? Let us know what you think in the comments below.