• The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, August 23, 2007 10:15 AM

A new star-studded ad campaign featuring folks like Martha Stewart, Donald Trump and Jessica Simpson is Macy's latest attempt to turn itself around. The Cincinnati-based department store chain is currently readying a $100 million fall marketing effort, according to insiders, with TV spots set to roll next month.

While most of the celebs involved are well-known, they also all sell name-branded items at Macy's. "Where the inspiration came from was all of the great brands -- and celebrity designers -- under our roof," says Martine Reardon, executive vice president of Macy's corporate marketing.

Of course, the attempt to lift a category with such a dowdy image could risk turning off its customer base. "Simply putting a sexy marketing campaign on top of a business that is out of step with shoppers is risky," says Bob Kahn, founder of branding firm Kahn Consulting. In its last major fall television campaign, Macy's concentrated on its private-label brands, like Alfani and Charter Club, which accounted for 18% of its total sales in 2006.

Read the whole story at The Wall Street Journal »