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Chinese Consumer Connection More Chinese Consumer Research at ccc.qbook.tv Build a bear workshop, where best friends are made. This brand slogan could just as easily add on to the end, “not bought.” This product is a great example of how young people are socialized into consumer behavior centering on purchasing and developing a relationshipwith the things purchased–a stuffed bear, then adding to thosethings–clothes, roller skates, a house. I visited Build-A-Bear as part of our department store coverage, and very quickly I thought this is everything people hate about marketing. Change a couple words, and asales pitch is a relationship pitch.Stephen Brown has been critical of just how changing a few words does not really create the holy marketing relationship, and it may not bewhat consumers really want. The more I looked around, the more I developed this cynical perspective. My daughter, however, showed me just how sophisticated young consumers are.She was not falling for any of the marketing code words–reinterpretingthem to be about social class. Then, a young visitor came into thestore and looked to be really enjoying a relationship with the brand,and all on the terms of Build-A-Bear. Is this any different than whatBarbie has been doing for 50 years? The veryfirst Barbie had many accessories and fashion ensembles. In my owncase, I remember my GI Joe from 1969, and I am not the only one. In this show, Clyde and James talk about Build-A-Bear, itscommercial aspect …
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