REGIONAL
Spectacular Events Set Macy's Apart
Macy's strives to make the shopping experience fun. There's always something going on in our stores - fashion events, product demonstrations, personal appearances, sales, cooking events, book signings or samplings. Shopping isn't just about finding products that meet a need - it's about entertainment.
That sense of adventure and excitement extends into the community. More than ever before, Macy's distinguishes itself by hosting major events that delight tens of millions of shoppers in the places we do business.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Nothing says Macy's better than the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2006.
Each year, thousands of Macy's employees join celebrities, volunteers, marching bands, clowns, balloons, floats and performers to put on one of the biggest shows in America. An estimated 2.5 million spectators line the streets of New York City, with another 50 million viewers watching via network television.
The Macy's Parade has marched on since its inception in 1924, with a brief hiatus during World War II. It was a tradition begun by Macy's employees, many of whom had recently arrived in the U.S. and wanted to give thanks for their newfound freedoms. Since then, the Parade has entertained generations of children and adults, becoming as synonymous with Thanksgiving as a turkey dinner.
"2006 was a momentous year in our history," said Robin Hall, executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "For 80 glorious years, we've been flying high, lifting spirits, exciting children and fulfilling the promise of 'The Miracle on 34th Street.' In 2006, six spectacular new floats and three new giant balloons plus scores of celebrities accompanied 10,000 spirited marchers, including nine remarkable bands, to make it a Parade to remember."
New in 2006, in celebration of Macy's National Launch and the Parade's 80th Anniversary, the Macy's Parade-on-Parade® caravan was created to introduce 23 cities in 19 states to a quintessential New York experience, bringing the Parade to life through interactive family entertainment.
From the first test drive in Detroit in September, to its last stop at the balloon inflation the night before the Parade in New York City, the free Parade road show generated excitement at every turn. Two 18-wheelers unfolded to reveal balloon flight training, a multi-media exhibit of Parade history, a 25-foot Grover cold-air balloon, a photo-op spot in a simulated NBC broadcast booth, as well as a stage for a live musical revue.
Macy's Annual 4th of July Fireworks
The annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks marked its 30th anniversary in 2006 as America's largest and most widely seen celebration of independence. Each year, it dazzles some 3 million spectators in New York City, as well as a national television audience.
The 2006 event, themed "It's All About U.S.," featured 120,000 blasts of pyrotechnic color, a live soundtrack from the New York Pops, plus a patriotic flyover courtesy of the U.S. Air Force. The vibrant fireworks burst 1,000 feet up in the air from three different launching sites: along the East River, at the Statue of Liberty, and the South Street Seaport.
The Macy's Fireworks are not just grand in scale. They also are grand in pyrotechnic innovations. An artistic approach guides the design of the show in order to balance the proper expression of American patriotism, with its traditional red, white and blue hues, with a full rainbow of color.
Flower Shows Bring Eternal Spring, Bloom in New Cities
The spectacular Macy's Flower Shows at Herald Square in New York City and Union Square in San Francisco herald an early spring for 650,000 attendees each year. In 2007, shows bloomed in Chicago and Minneapolis as well, bringing light and warmth to the Midwest. Through these inimitable displays, more than 2 million flowers and exotic topiaries from all over the world are arranged by renowned horticulturalists to create urban sanctuaries for flowers and visitors alike.
Macy's Union Square visitors experienced "La Dolce Vita" as the 60th anniversary event unfolded in April 2006, showcasing Italian culture amid lush greens and thousands of blooms, including the famed Gomes Snowbird azaleas, a part of Macy's Flower Show since 1946. The 2007 extravaganza, "Imagine India," led guests through the vibrant colors, distinctive style, delicious food and amazing flowers of India, celebrating the gardens, art, architecture, and history of Indian culture.
A floral collection of global proportions has taken root at Macy's Herald Square in New York for 33 years. In 2006, the World's Largest Store created "It's All the Buzz," featuring a 7-foot-tall Beehive Topiary complete with a giant flying bee as the centerpiece. The spring 2007 spectacular, "Flora Exotica," created a fragrant floral fantasy including gigantic giraffe topiaries and Jardiniére, African and black-and-white gardens. Animal lovers enjoy two special preview events, Barkfast, a light breakfast with pets and their owners on the store's first floor, and Macy's Petacular Fair with the Pet Bonnet and Costume Competition.
On both coasts, events for the entire family are scheduled throughout the two-week shows, including seminars by top florists, striking window displays, artisans and chefs, celebrity appearances, Bouquets of the Day, informal modeling, and entertainment amid a setting of millions of blooms.
In 2007, Macy's on State Street revived a Chicago tradition as it presented Gadina Africana, an exotic African flower garden and celebration of the art, music and life of Africa. The African theme was inspired by Macy's "Path to Peace" basket program benefitting women genocide survivors in Rwanda. Gadina Africana also bloomed in the downtown Minneapolis store. Both cities'events featured two photography exhibits and cooking demonstrations by Macy's Culinary Council member and acclaimed Ethiopian-born chef Marcus Samuelsson.
Culinary Council Brings Expertise to the Table
In 2006, Macy's launched nationwide its Culinary Council, a group of culinary masters representing Macy's as the destination for the ideas and products to prepare memorable meals at home. The Culinary Council members, 15 widely known chefs and culinary experts, are featured in Macy's signage, visual displays and books, all educating customers about the latest cookware options to make food preparation easy and enjoyable. Plus, the Council Web site, accessed through macys.com, offers the latest recipes, tips and trends.
Culinary Council members include renowned restaurateurs, television personalities and experts in specific areas of food and drink: Govind Armstrong, Rick Bayless, Elizabeth Brown, Cat Cora, Tom Douglas, Todd English, Tyler Florence, Gale Gand, Dave Lieberman, Andrea Immer Robinson, Marcus Samuelsson, Tim Scott, Nancy Silverton, Ming Tsai and Takashi Yagihashi. Through this creative council, customers are inspired by what Macy's brings to the table.
Savoring Sweet Frango® Mints
The now-famous Frango brand was created by the Frederick and Nelson Company in 1918 as an ice cream-like confection. It later turned into chocolate candies before the name and recipe were sold to Marshall Field's in Chicago and The Bon Marché in Seattle. Today, the Frango legacy has become a worldwide phenomenon with candies shipped to six continents every year. The original flavor, mint, is the signature Frango flavor. Frango chocolates became an exclusive product in all Macy's stores in September 2006, and the Chicago stores also began serving and selling a new Frango cheesecake made by Eli's.
As part of Macy's ongoing support of the fight against breast cancer, exclusive Frango® Pink Mint Chocolates were developed to help raise funds and awareness. These limited edition chocolates, sold in all Macy's stores and on macys.com, feature a design by Miranda Moss, a Minneapolis artist and breast cancer survivor. A portion of the proceeds benefits the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
In March 2007, "The Frango® Cookbook: Simple Recipes and Sweet Ideas" made its debut in stores and online, with 36 recipes to include Frango chocolates in favorite confections. Many of the recipes were created by Macy's Culinary Council Chef Elizabeth Brown.
Fashion's Flair for the Dramatic
Just as Macy's reaches specific customer groups through fashion and home products that reflect their lifestyles, the divisions present fashion and community events around the country that speak to the unique brands and types of merchandise in which customers are interested. These ongoing special events educate - but also entertain - as they present the latest color and accessory trends, styles of entertaining and new products to simplify customers' lives.
Every event focuses on what's new and what's exciting, including demonstrations of the latest cooking techniques, samplings with celebrity chefs from national television shows and guest chefs from the hottest local restaurants, in-store fashion shows with major designers, informal modeling, live music and DJs, fragrance launches and guest makeup artist events, bridal fairs and party-planning seminars, and celebrity personal appearances and fashion magazine events.
Path to Peace Basket Project Supports Rwanda
Macy's, Inc.'s growing supplier diversity initiatives hold great promise, and one important example is Macy's Rwandan basket program. The company's goals of differentiated product, minority and women-owned vendor development and giving back through economic partnerships led Macy's to the Path to Peace Basket Project, in partnership with four Rwandan widows'organizations. The women returned to a traditional art form to resurrect the country in the aftermath of genocide a decade ago. Income from the sale of one handmade basket available at macys.com can support an entire family for a month.
Chicago Flea Market Is a Find
For the sixth year in Chicago, and now in Minneapolis, customers will be able to browse among authentic European treasures at Macy's. The one-month event was so successful in 2006 that it will extend from May through July 2007 in the Macy's on State Street store and expand to Minneapolis from May through June.
In preparation for the spectacular event, the company's buyers traveled to Western Europe last fall, scouring flea markets in France, Spain, Portugal, England and The Netherlands. The result will represent the best of Europe, from old and rustic to new and sleek, a wonderful collection of the classic and unusual. Throughout the Flea Market, the assortment will be continually refreshed with new merchandise such as a vintage jewelry and accessories collection, a black-and-white collection and a vintage barware collection.
Holiday Traditions Spark Seasonal Spirit
Shining lights, stirring music and soaring evergreens all bring the holidays to mind, and the special event magicians at Macy's used them to present gifts of the season to customers nationwide. In addition to the spectacular Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, divisions coast to coast present signature events that have signaled the start of the holidays for decades.
Indoor and outdoor trees, up to 70 feet tall, are crowned with crystal stars and lit with thousands of bulbs, bells are rung, decorated windows debut, fireworks sparkle in the skies and children welcome Santa in colorful parades. Tens of thousands of people make these theatrical events - and the accompanying store outings - highly anticipated annual traditions.
Passport
The electrifying Macy's West Passport extravaganza brings fashion and compassion together. The latest trends in pop culture, style and music blend to benefit a crucial issue - finding a cure for HIV/AIDS. Passport has entertained West Coast audiences for 24 years, and through 2006 has raised more than $23 million for HIV/AIDS research, care, prevention and education programs.
The September 2006 Passport events in Los Angeles, with special guest Priscilla Presley and actor John O'Hurley as auctioneer, and in San Francisco, with Sean "Diddy" Combs on the runway and actress Sharon Stone as auctioneer, raised a total of $1.5 million.
The party continued after the curtain dropped with Passport In-Store, an exclusive shopping event in select stores that has raised more than $2 million for HIV/AIDS through non-profit ticket sales. Passport also included two Teen Nights where 4,000 San Francisco and Los Angeles high school students enjoyed the fashion theatre and HIV/AIDS awareness activities presented by youth health educators.
Glamorama Rocks Fashion
The famed Glamorama fashion event reigns supreme each fall in Minneapolis and Chicago. The 2006 show, "Glamosphere," officially kicked off Macy's fall fashion season with the best designs and world-class entertainment. VIP guest Beyoncé gave a high-energy show at the Chicago Theater prior to a fashion show featuring her House of Deréon clothing line. In their history, the annual standing room-only, celebrity-packed charity shows have raised about $7 million for The Art Institute of Chicago and the Children's Cancer Research Fund in Minneapolis.