NEW YORK – UM, a division of IPG Mediabrands, has been selected by Build-A-Bear as its media agency of record in N. America and the United Kingdom.
As part of the media assignment, UM will handle all media business in N. America and the United Kingdom for Build-A-Bear, including planning, buying, analytics, strategy and digital. The account will be led from UM’s New York, Detroit and London offices.

Eileen Kiernan, Global CMO of UM, said, “Build-A-Bear has an exciting opportunity to build on their core competencies and evolve their brand equity to enhance their experiential brand for families. We look forward to partnering with Build-A-Bear on this transformation journey. We are thrilled that Build-A-Bear has chosen UM’s strategic vision and innovative media solutions, along with our advanced digital and analytics capabilities to attract new customers, deepen customer loyalty and drive competitive advantage for their brand”.

“Build-A-Bear is a powerful global brand with strong recognition and emotional connection with consumers of all ages. We are excited to be working with UM to engage a broader consumer base and elevate our interactive entertainment model,” said Gina Collins, chief marketing officer of Build-A-Bear. “UM’s highly creative and strategic team will help us drive dynamic growth as we evolve the Build-A-Bear brand.”

Build-A-Bear joins UM’s prestigious list of clients including Chrysler, Coca-Cola, Hershey’s, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal Paris, Microsoft, Nationwide and Sony.

About UM
UM (www.umww.com) is a global media agency that fuses curiosity and creativity to unlock competitive advantage for brands through media. Our philosophy of curiosity is driven by the power of story-telling fueled by intelligence, insights and ideas. A division of IPG Mediabrands, UM has more than 130 offices in 100 countries and over 4,800 employees committed to developing creative, strategic and customized campaigns for every client. Ranked as the most creative media agency by AdNews in 2012, UM also was recognized for leadership in advanced analytics by Media Magazine. UM’s list of clients includes Brown-Forman, Chrysler, Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, Hershey’s, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal Paris and Sony. In 2012, UM’s new business global wins and retention received a grade A from RECMA.

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 more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, 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 sixth year in a row in 2014.Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE:BBW) posted total revenue of $379.1 million in fiscal 2013. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the Investor Relations section of its award-winning Web site at buildabear.com®.

Press Contacts
Fiona McRobert
UM, SVP Global Communications Director
[email protected]
646.376.1506

Jill Saunders
Build-A-Bear, Director of Public Relations
[email protected]
314.422.4523