Chapter 74: The Team at Build-a-Bear Responds on the Thirteenth Anniversary of 9/11
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The Build-a-Bear marketing team meets to plan a tweet marking the thirteenth anniversary of 9/11. The boss insists they must post something because silence would “speak volumes.” Greg, the skeptical subordinate, argues that the public does not look to Build-a-Bear for 9/11 content. The boss overrules him, demanding a “tasteful” message that also reminds people of the brand. They land on “We Will Never Forget” with a flag, but the boss wants a bear added. Greg warns against resembling the infamous Pearl Harbor SpaghettiOs tweet, in which a smiling mascot seemed disrespectful. The boss dismisses the concern, envisions a saluting bear in camouflage with dog tags and boots standing next to a flag. The caption reads “We Will Never Forget” with “Build a Bear Workshop” in a cheerful font. Against Greg’s objections, the boss tweets the image. The post is deleted after only fifteen minutes, confirming that forced corporate remembrance fails.
Key Events
- The marketing boss declares Build-a-Bear must post a 9/11 tweet to avoid being seen as silent.
- Greg questions whether anyone expects 9/11 content from a teddy-bear company.
- The team brainstorms patriotic phrases and images, initially settling on “We Will Never Forget” with a flag.
- The boss insists on incorporating a Build-a-Bear mascot to differentiate the tweet from generic tributes.
- Greg references the Pearl Harbor SpaghettiOs gaffe as a cautionary example.
- The boss designs a bear standing at attention in a salute, with camouflage and dog tags.
- The final tweet includes the bear alongside a flag and a cheerful brand font.
- The tweet is deleted within fifteen minutes of posting.
Character Development
- Boss: Represents tone-deaf corporate leadership; prioritizes brand visibility over sensitivity, dismisses employee warnings, and fails to grasp why a tragic anniversary should not be used for marketing.
- Greg: Serves as the rational conscience of the team; understands the risk of appearing exploitative and correctly anticipates public backlash.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Corporate Performative Patriotism: The boss believes commemorating 9/11 is an obligation for any brand, treating national grief as a content opportunity.
- The Inappropriateness of Cute Mascots: The Build-a-Bear bear becomes a symbol of forced levity—attempting to make tragedy “tasteful” by adding a stuffed animal only highlights the absurdity.
- SpaghettiOs as a Historical Lesson: The referenced Pearl Harbor tweet represents a past failure where a smiling product trivialized disaster; the chapter argues such lessons are often ignored.
- Social Media Backlash: The rapid deletion of the tweet shows that audiences quickly reject exploitative posts, regardless of the brand’s intentions.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter satirizes a real phenomenon: brands feeling compelled to acknowledge national tragedies on social media, often with awkward or offensive results. Petri uses the fictional Build-a-Bear meeting to expose the disconnect between marketing departments and public sentiment. The chapter also warns against treating historical anniversaries as branding opportunities, showing that even a “respectful” bear fails to avoid backlash. By referencing the SpaghettiOs incident, the text connects to a wider pattern of tone-deaf corporate remembrance. The brief life of the tweet—fifteen minutes—becomes a punchline that underscores the futility of such efforts.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the boss believe Build-a-Bear must post a 9/11 tweet?
The boss argues that silence on the anniversary would “speak volumes” and that followers expect content from the brand every day. Greg points out that this expectation is a misapprehension, but the boss insists that not tweeting would be noticed.
2. How does the SpaghettiOs reference function in the chapter?
Greg mentions the Pearl Harbor SpaghettiOs tweet as a warning. That incident featured a smiling mascot on a solemn anniversary, causing public outrage. The boss claims the Build-a-Bear bear will be respectful—saluting, not smiling—but fails to see that any mascot on 9/11 is inherently problematic.
3. What does the deletion of the tweet suggest about the chapter’s message?
The tweet’s rapid removal confirms Greg’s fears that the public would reject the post. It illustrates that audiences can quickly penalize brands that try to commercialize tragedy, no matter how much thought is put into the execution.