First New Build-A-Bear Float Since 2007 Reflects New Brand Look and
Feel
On Nov. 26, a new float from Build-A-Bear, a global brand kids love and
parents trust, will roll through Manhattan during the 89th
Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. The latest
Build-A-Bear float in the annual spectacle will feature a variety of
scenes and of course, bears – all with one mission in mind: Discover
Adventure! A part of the Macy’s Parade family since 2002, this year’s
latest floating wonder marks the third Build-A-Bear float for the Parade
which is sure to delight the more than 3.5 million spectators lining the
Parade route on Thanksgiving Day.
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“Making memories and celebrating life’s moments are at the heart of
everything we do, and countless memories are made every year when the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of America’s most anticipated
events, takes place,” said Gina Collins, chief marketing officer,
Build-A-Bear. “We worked closely with the talented team at Macy’s to
create exciting scenes that evoke a sense of adventure and incorporate
teddy bears – the icons of our brand – into one incredible new float.”
“For nearly 90 years, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has
brought generations of families together to enjoy the wonder and magic
of the official kick off to the holiday season,” said Amy Kule,
executive producer, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Once again, we
enthusiastically welcome Build-A-Bear and their new float to our
glorious procession as together we celebrate the childlike spirit in
everyone.”
The engineers and craftspeople at Macy’s Parade Studio began working
with Build-A-Bear on the new concept in early 2015, and construction
took approximately five months. The front view of the float begins with
two bears playfully riding ocean waves, while a sailboat captained by a
Sailor Bear rocks gently overhead. A castle featuring Build-A-Bear’s
icon, Bearnard, serves as the centerpiece, complete with a friendly,
smoke-breathing dragon climbing up to see a Princess Bear, who showers
the crowds with confetti. The sides of the float feature different
scenes of wonder and adventure including a classic teddy-bear tea party,
as well as a trip to outer space on a rocket ship manned by an Astronaut
Bear, who turns his head to gaze upon the world as he flies into the air
with bouncing stars.
More than 50 million viewers tune in to watch the magic of the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade each year. The latest design from Build-A-Bear
is one of only five new floats that will take part in this year’s event.
“As we look ahead to our upcoming anniversary, we recently unveiled a
fresh look and feel through our new Discovery concept stores, so it was
important to reflect that into the design of our newest float in the
Macy’s Parade,” added Collins. “On Thanksgiving Day, our float will
allow millions to get a peek at the fresh face of Build-A-Bear.”
Build-A-Bear is a multi-generational brand that will celebrate its 20th
anniversary in 2017. Since the company was founded in 1997, more than
145 million furry friends have been made.
In addition to the Parade experience, this holiday season, Build-A-Bear
is once again teaming up with Macy’s to offer shop-in-shops at seven
Macy’s locations nationwide so that shoppers can take part in the full
Build-A-Bear Workshop experience inside a Macy’s store.
Build-A-Bear Workshop will also bring its wildly popular Merry Mission
story to life with the return of everyone’s favorite eight reindeer,
along with a brand-new face, to stores this season. Glisten, the
strongest, fastest reindeer of all time will light the night and help
Santa and his team deliver toys to everyone on the nice list. Her
special medallion unlocks the Merry Mission app and its features, and
additional outfits and accessories are sold separately. Fans can
download the updated Merry Mission app on iTunes and Google Play
starting Nov. 1.
For more information, visit buildabear.com
and follow the brand on Facebook,
Twitter,
YouTube
and Instagram.
The 89th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs
nationwide on NBC-TV, on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, from 9 a.m. – noon; in
all time zones.
About Build-A-Bear
Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear, a global brand kids love and
parents trust, seeks to add a little more heart to life. Build-A-Bear
has approximately 400 stores worldwide where guests can create
customizable furry friends, including company-owned stores in the United
States, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom,
and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico and
the Middle East. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies
to Work For® list for the seventh year in a row in 2015. Build-A-Bear
Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) posted a total revenue of $392.4 million in
fiscal 2014. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section
of buildabear.com.
About the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
With more than 50 million viewers across the country and more than 3.5
million spectators that line up along the streets of New York City each
year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has
grown into a world-famous holiday event. For almost 90 years, the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday
season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade proudly marches down a
more than 2-mile route in New York City with more than 8,000
participants in tow including Macy’s (NYSE:M) employees, their families,
celebrities, athletes, clowns and dance groups spreading holiday cheer.
The Parade also features America’s best marching bands, fabulous floats
and Macy’s signature giant helium character balloons. For more
information on the Macy’s Parade, please visit www.macys.com/parade or
call the Parade hotline at (212) 494-4495.
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