Build-A-Bear Holds #PayYourAge Event, Things Quickly Spiral Out Of Control
A marketing event spun out of control on Thursday, causing Build-A-Bear Workshop stores across the US, Canada and UK to close for the day.
The store's Pay Your Age Day had a simple premise. Show up to any Build-A-Bear location with your child and buy a stuffed toy for a price matching your child's age. For parents of young children, that's a good deal — especially considering how expensive some of the brand's toys can be.
The promotion worked too well. Massive, unruly lines have forced stores across North America to close their doors early.
Here's the official announcement from the company's Facebook page:
**Urgent Alert: Lines Closed for Pay Your Age Day Event
Per local authorities, we cannot accept additional Guests at our locations due to crowds and safety concerns. We have closed lines in our U.S. and Canada stores. We understand some Guests are disappointed and we will reach out directly as soon as possible.
Here's one such line from Destin, Florida. This clip was recorded just 15 minutes after the store opened. Notice how far from the store entrance the line extends.
And here's another line in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Yikes.
Build-A-Bear's official statement mentioned "reaching out as soon as possible," though we're not sure exactly what that will mean. Until the company clarifies what's in store for the future, Pay Your Age Day seems like the perfect example of a marketing ploy working so well that it actually flops.
