Will Macy’s parade spot connect with new consumers?

Macy’s is celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. For the first time, the event will be the focus of a TV commercial. The commercial, “Old Friends: A Tribute to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” follows a man’s experience with the parade from youth to old age — with a link to Santa to boot. “We know from communications with our customers and research that Macy's is a brand that brings friends and family together and we really took that idea and that insight and that's what put us on this journey to create this commercial," Joe Feczko, SVP of Macy's integrated marketing, told Advertising Age. Macy’s said in a statement that since its start in 1924, the Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked “the official start of the holiday season, introducing a cherished march of magic that has dazzled generations of fans.” For the 90th year celebration, the event will feature 16 giant character balloons; 27 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonicles and trycaloons; 26 floats; more than 8,000 volunteers, 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; 16 marching bands and performance groups, and as always will be capped off by the “the one-and-only Santa Claus.” New balloons this year include Charlie Brown, Diary of A Wimpy Kid and characters from DreamWorks’ Trolls. Music stars this year include Tony Bennett, Sarah McLachlan, Aloe Blacc, Regina Spektor and De La Soul. More than 3.5 million spectators are projected to line the streets of Manhattan while more than 50 million will watch on TV. Macy’s doesn’t disclose the costs of the parade. Parade spokesman Orlando Veras said in a 2013 interview with NBC San Diego, “Macy’s views the Parade as a gift to the City of New York and the nation. Like any good gift, you cut off the price tag when you give it, so we keep to that tradition as well.” The anniversary comes a year after Macy’s reported a challenging 2015 holiday season. In August, Macy’s announced it would close 100 underperforming locations or 15 percent of its stores.

• A Historic Procession: The World-Famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Celebrates 90 Years as the Official Start to the Holiday Season – Macy’s, Inc./Business Wire
• Macy's Will Debut First Parade-Focused Spot This Thanksgiving – Advertising Age
• Here's Who Will Be At The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade – Fortune
• Macy’s 2013 Thanksgiving Day Parade by the Numbers – NBC San Diego
• Macy’s, Inc. Outlines Moves to Drive Profitable Growth and Enhance Shareholder Value – Macy’s Inc.