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CARE BEARS™ TO DEBUT AT BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP NEXT YEAR
Partnership and 2016 Launch a First for the Classic Brand
June 9, 2015, Los Angeles -- American Greetings Properties (AGP), the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, and Build-A-Bear Workshop® announced today a global collaboration that will feature the Care Bears™ brand in Build-A-Bear Workshops for a limited-time worldwide promotion beginning in 2016.
Guests can create their own stuffable plush toys and choose from a range of accessories to personalize their huggable bears. The Care Bears collection will be available at Build-A-Bear Workshops around the world, including Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Norway, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and the United States.
"Build-A-Bear Workshop and Care Bears is an incredibly organic partnership," said Janice Ross, Head of Global Licensing, AGP. "The Build-A-Bear experience gives children the opportunity to connect emotionally with the Care Bears which is what our brand is all about."
"The emotional resonance of the Care Bears brand along with its message of sharing and caring is a natural fit with Build-A-Bear," said Jennifer Kretchmar, chief product officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. "We look forward to offering our guests the opportunity to customize their own iconic Care Bears in our workshops worldwide."
About Care Bears
First introduced by American Greetings in 1982 through consumer products, greeting cards, and later an animated CGI television show, Care Bears has become one of the world's most popular and endearing children's properties. Today, fans of all ages around the world are falling in love with these huggable bears who help kids have fun while sharing and caring, and they enjoy a robust portfolio of thousands of Care Bears licensed products at retailers globally.
The Care Bears are no strangers to television screens. They first appeared in their own television specials in 1983 and 1984, and then made the leap to the big screen in 1985-87 with "The Care Bears Movie" trilogy. They also had their own television series from 1985 to 1988 which is currently available to watch on Netflix. In November, AGP announced a new original kids series starring the whole huggable gang with a new show titled, "Care Bears & Cousins." "Care Bears & Cousins" is co-produced by Netflix and will premiere around the world in fall 2015. The brand also has a robust social media following, has more than 5 million views of new and classic videos on YouTube, and has a portfolio of popular apps for mobile devices. Their wholesome messages of caring and sharing resonate with parents who are familiar with the brand and feel comfortable introducing Care Bears to their own children.
About AG Properties
AG Properties (AGP) is the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, which was built upon the successful re-launch of Care Bears™ and other iconic kids' entertainment brands, including Holly Hobbie™ and Madballs™, as well as new properties Boofle™, Packages from Planet X™ and Twisted Whiskers™. AGP develops multi-platform entertainment franchises across all media channels, and extensive consumer merchandising programs that immerse children and adults in brands they love. Experience AGP online at www.agkidzone.com. For more information on AGP, visit www.agpbrands.com.
About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. There are approximately 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and Mexico. 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 (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $392.4 million in fiscal 2014. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the Investor Relations section of its website at www.buildabear.com.
Keep up with the latest on Care Bears: www.CareBears.com
Follow Care Bears on Twitter and Instagram: @CareBearsFriend
Find Care Bears on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CareBears
See Care Bears on YouTube: http://www.YouTube.com/CareBears
Follow Care Bears on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/CareBearsAGP