Macy's Still Believes

Macy's reprised its "Believe" holiday campaign for a fifth run in 2012, continuing to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation while infusing the effort with more digital elements.As in previous years (see "Macy's Revisits …" in Related Articles), Macy's pledged a $1 donation to the nonprofit for each letter to Santa Claus that consumers dropped off at in-store mailboxes from Nov. 2 through Dec. 24. Marketing support included a back-page circular feature and multiple Facebook updates. In stores, the "Believe-o-Magic" augmented reality application introduced in 2011 was utilized again to let smartphone-wielding shoppers pose for photos alongside animated characters from the retailer's Yes, Virginia holiday TV special. (See "Digital Signage Expo 2012 Overview.")For the fourth year, the retailer staged a "National Believe Day" to highlight its efforts. Every letter dropped in the boxes on Dec. 14 triggered an extra $1 donation (up to $500,000) to Make-A-Wish. The Yes, Virginia TV special aired the same day on CBS. For the first time, a Spanish-language version also aired, on Univision on Dec. 23.A Yes, Virginia illustrated storybook and DVD were again exclusively available in select stores and on macys.com, with 10% of the price slated for Make-A-Wish. Newly added to the assortment this year was a plush doll based on the animated character. (Post-holiday, the items were sold on clearance.)This year, Macy's also helped more than 100 schools stage local performances of Yes, Virginia: The Musical by providing $100,000 in grants and downloadable scripts and scores, reference materials and videos. A microsite at macys.com/believe additionally offered a related lesson plan for teachers while letting visitors create and decorate a letter and locate a local mailbox.Meanwhile, a "Santa tour" that launched in 2009 again sent St. Nick and Virginia to greet shoppers at stores in 26 cities beginning Nov. 24. Conducted this year in partnership with insurance provider Aflac, the effort included an exclusive "Aflac Holiday Duck" plush toy merchandised in stores on dedicated racks. The SKU was available in two sizes for $10 or $15. Accompanying signs pledge 100% of net proceeds to pediatric cancer hospitals across the U.S. Hoping to keep its iconic Thanksgiving Day Parade relevant to tech-savvy Millennials, Macy's introduced complementary digital elements. The retailer updated the existing "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" app (produced by MyCityWay) with a feature that lets users overlay photos of themselves onto a parade balloon to share via social media. It also let users tap into traffic cameras along the parade route to access a bird's-eye view. Additionally, broadcast partner NBC's relationship with social television app Zeebox let users view parade content, chat with friends and participate real-time in polls and other activities as the spectacle streamed on the network.For the first time this year, Macy's erected a pop-up shop on Nov. 21 in a schoolyard near where the parade's giant balloons were inflated. The shop merchandised collectible parade items including apparel, toys, tablet covers and clown noses.In stores, Macy's again leveraged its celebrity partners for a "Gifts from Our Stars" P-O-P campaign. In-aisle displays presented exclusive assortments from collaborators including Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein, Greg Norman, Kenneth Cole, Martha Stewart, Michael Aram, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren, Sean John and Tommy Hilfiger. Other displays showcased gift ideas by price point.The seasonal media program (developed with JWT New York) included a TV spot in 30- and 60-second versions that employed special effects to portray Kris Kringle from Twentieth Century Fox's classic Miracle on 34th Street (actor Edmund Gwenn), interacting with the retailer's star collaborators. (See video below.) Breaking on Nov. 8, the spot boasted Justin Bieber, Martha Stewart, Carlos Santana, Taylor Swift and Donald Trump. A separate spot had Bieber (see video below) promising a $2 donation to Make-A-Wish (up to $100,000) for every SKU of the singer's fragrance (from Give Back Brands) purchased on Black Friday. That spot launched on national TV on Nov. 20, but was made available to Macy's' Facebook fans on Nov. 18 and used in a home-page takeover of YouTube on Nov. 19.Meanwhile, any men's or women's fragrance purchase of $75 earned a free pair of high-definition headphones on Black Friday, when doors opened at midnight. A feature plugging the offer was included in the chain's Black Friday circular, whose front page carried a coupon for $10 off a $25 purchase. Throughout the season, similar "Wow Pass" coupons offered money- or percent-off discounts.A new feature in Macy's general mobile app steered consumers toward specials at their local stores. It also previewed exclusive products such a new "Taste Temptation" collection of MAC Cosmetics that was available only at Macy's from midnight through 4 a.m. on Black Friday. (The line launched nationally on Dec. 13.) App users also could navigate stores by accessing details for each location. Partner eBay Inc. enabled the functionality by aggregating information from a variety of sources on store layouts, product pricing and photos."The feature I think we are most proud of is that customers can pick a special that they are interested in buying in our store and they can find out where it will be stocked in their particular store, Jennifer Kasper, group vice president of digital media and multi-cultural marketing, told Mobile Commerce Daily. "We may continue some of the functionality ... in the future."Cyber Monday deals kicked off at 7 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 25 and included a promotional code customers could use for free shipping on $75 purchases (less than the retailer's standard $99 requirement). Later in the season, door clings plugged free shipping with $50 purchases.Macy's expanded its annual last-minute shopping marathon chain-wide this year, keeping most stores open for 48 straight hours in the last weekend leading before Christmas. The sales event began at 7 a.m. on Dec. 21 and ran through 7 a.m. on Dec. 23 (although most stores remained open for regular business hours that day). Twenty-three stores remained open for 24 hours daily through Christmas Eve.The retailer continued the excitement post-Christmas with a "Week of Wonderful" effort running Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, 2013. A supporting TV spot starring TLC's What Not to Wear co-host Clinton Kelley (and helmed by film director Adam Shankman debuted on Dec. 24. (See video below.) Multiple circulars supported.Throughout the season, Macy's marketing plan also included print ads in newspapers and magazines, radio spots, email blasts, Facebook updates and digital ads running online and via mobile.

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