Equal parts humorous and heartwarming, the social-first Build-A-Bear campaign directed by Edward Andrews of Picture North for agency Highdive depicts the plushies as actual loved ones who are speaking in the voice recording–sitting on top of a dresser, positioned throughout the living room in a grand romantic gesture, and in this case even dragged across the floor in the hand of a young child. With Build-A-Bear’s Record Your Voice feature, it’s like your loved ones are right there with you any time you need them. All you have to do is give the paw a squeeze.
This spot entitled “New School” introduces us to a lad who’s anxious about his first day at a new school. His dad offers comforting, confidence-building words to the boy–and records them; they can be shared whenever the plush bear’s paw is squeezed. It’s like having dad right there at school. In fact we see the boy dragging his father across the floor at home in preparation for school. It turns out the man being dragged is in fact the bear uttering the soothing words of a loving parent.
The creative idea was sparked in part by research showing that “A voice is just as powerful as a hug,” positioning Build-A-Bear as the home of spoken-from-the-heart gifting. By elevating the power of recorded messages, the work brings modern emotional depth to the Build-A-Bear experience–highlighting meaningful gifts that last far beyond the day they’re made, while staying true to the brand’s roots of fostering imagination and joy.
In a joint statement, Highdive creative directors Colleen Keesey and Amanda Burger shared, The work finds that balance of heart and levity that lets us tell surreal, beautiful stories in a way only Build-A-Bear can.”
