Build-A-Bear Tone of Voice — Best & Friends

Tagline: "Where Best Friends Are Made"

Industry: Retail

Sector: Consumer Goods

How Build-A-Bear Communicates

Build-A-Bear ties toys to making your own furry friend. "Where Best Friends Are Made" frames the experience around children choosing, stuffing, and personalising their own teddy bear — magical, personal, heartwarming. The voice is make-your-own-bear and tender, selling the special bond of a toy you helped create, positioning Build-A-Bear around the memorable, hands-on ritual of building a one-of-a-kind cuddly companion that becomes a child’s genuine best friend.

Tone Words

Build-A-Bear's brand voice is defined by the following tone words: Best, Friends, Made.

Communication Style

Language Style: Make-your-own-bear
Sentence Type: Statement
Tense: Present
Expression: Imaginative

Build-A-Bear Brand Story

Build-A-Bear makes custom stuffed animals in stores.

Brand Message

Custom stuffed animals

Brand Mission

To add a little more heart to life

Brand Positioning

Core Concept: Friend making

Central Tension: Bought vs. Made

About Build-A-Bear

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is an American retailer headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that sells teddy bears, stuffed animals, and characters. During store visits, customers go through an interactive process where the stuffed animal of their choice is assembled and tailored to their own preferences including varying scents, sounds, looks, and outfits. Build-A-Bear Workshop is the largest chain that operates in this style. The company's slogan was "Where Best Friends Are Made" from 1997–2013 when it was changed to "The Most Fun You'll Ever Make" from 2013 to 2024. With a rebrand in mid-2024, bears are now made with "The Stuff You Love". In 2013, Sharon Price John became the company's president/CEO.

Frequently Asked Questions About Build-A-Bear

What is Build-A-Bear's tone of voice?

Build-A-Bear uses a best, friends, made tone of voice. Their communication is make-your-own-bear, typically using statement-style sentences in the present tense. Their tagline "Where Best Friends Are Made" exemplifies this voice.

What is Build-A-Bear's brand message?

Build-A-Bear's core message: Custom stuffed animals Their mission: To add a little more heart to life

What is Build-A-Bear's slogan?

Build-A-Bear's slogan is "Where Best Friends Are Made". It carries their best, friends, made voice.

What is Build-A-Bear's mission?

Build-A-Bear's mission: To add a little more heart to life

What makes Build-A-Bear's brand voice unique?

Build-A-Bear stands out through their best, friends, made communication style. Their central brand tension, "Bought vs. Made", shapes how they communicate across the Consumer Goods sector.

What language style does Build-A-Bear use?

Build-A-Bear uses make-your-own-bear language, with imaginative messaging, in statement-style sentences, using the present tense.