Dive Brief:
- Macy's Herald Square in New York is rolling out updated holiday promotions and refreshed in-store experiences with a reimaged Santaland and new shops and vendors, according to a Thursday news release.
- Included in the festivities will be the return of Macy's Holiday Square for a third year, per the release. Beginning Oct. 31, the 50,000-square-foot shopping experience will fill the flagship store’s lower level with more than 35 food and gift vendors, including local businesses such as Eataly, Levain and Pearl River Mart.
- Macy’s also announced the theme for its holiday windows, which will feature the Blue Hippopotamus, a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade character introduced in 1931. The window displays will debut on Nov. 19, a week before the store’s centennial parade.
Dive Insight:
Macy’s is pulling out all the stops this year as it celebrates milestone anniversaries and recent revenue growth across its portfolio.
Part of the store’s marketing strategy is a new campaign called “There’s Magic Inside.” The publicity campaign features gift recommendations, shopping guides and a series of commercials featuring actors Melissa Joan Hart and Adam Devine.
“At Macy's, we believe the most meaningful holiday moments begin with discovery: discovering the perfect gift, discovering a new tradition, or discovering time together with the people who matter most,” Sharon Otterman, Macy's chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “That's the spirit behind [the “There’s Magic Inside” campaign]. This season, customers will experience that magic throughout Herald Square, from a fully reimagined Santaland and our iconic holiday windows to Holiday Square, new beauty experiences, exciting brands and festive food destinations.”
The updated Santaland experience will offer “an immersive, multi-sensory journey to the North Pole,” with customers able to purchase premium passes now, or reserve free timeslots beginning Nov. 20. Macy’s is also partnering with the Child Mind Institute to introduce sensory-friendly hours with dedicated times for a lower-stimulation environment.
The Herald Square store will also feature new and recently opened shop-in-shops from fashion and accessories brands Coach, Kendra Scott, Kurt Geiger, Michael Kors and Tory Burch, as well as beauty brands Aesop and custom lip color brand Made My Shade by the Beauty Tailor. New dining options include Frankie’s Brooklyn Pizza, Gong Cha and Sunday Morning.
In addition, New York’s Museum of Ice Cream will bring a version of its Sprinkle Pool to Macy’s Holiday Square, offering visitors ice cream-themed merchandise and an Instagrammable opportunity.
Macy’s has been downsizing its fleet this year and revamping about half of its 408 remaining stores as the company continues to work on its Bold New Chapter strategy. Part of that plan recently included tapping Maya Dukes to be its senior vice president and executive creative director in August.
