Macy’s is spreading summer vibes across America with a campaign featuring a new recording of “Lovely Day” and a montage of beaches, road trips, swimming pools and fireworks. It’s the first significant marketing push under chief marketing officer Sharon Otterman, who joined the retailer six months ago from Caesars Digital.
Ad agency Mono created the spot, which features Amber Mark, a Grammy-nominated R&B artist, singing the Bill Withers classic. Mark will also perform the song at Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks display, which will air nationwide on NBC and Peacock.
The effort stems from the central idea that summer is all about the joy in small and unexpected moments, not perfection and overplanning. “From the first day of summer to the 4th of July, to back-to-school shopping, we will celebrate all that makes summer, summer,” says Otterman in the company’s announcement. “We bring this campaign to life with exciting online and in-store experiences, enriched with compelling storytelling, music and creative across all our platforms.”
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The ads are running on TV, digital media, social media, out-of-home, and Macy’s brand channels.
Otterman is part of the newly installed management team at Macy’s, including Tony Spring, who recently moved into the chairman and chief executive officer role. To revive growth at the struggling department store chain, he is shifting the company’s focus to Macy’s First 50, implementing a series of pilots and new initiatives at a collection of 50 stores around the country. The idea is that these premier locations will serve as test sites for future success, even as it continues to update and close underperforming stores.
And it looks like those efforts are already paying off. In financial results released last month, Macy’s says comparable sales rose 3.4% in those 50 stores, compared to a 1.3% decrease companywide. “Although early days, our investments in product, presentation and experience are gaining traction and reinforce our belief that longer-term, Macy’s, Inc. can return to sustainable, profitable growth,” he said in the announcement.
Comparable sales declined 1.2% in its “go forward” fleet, the 350 or so stores it expects to keep in operation. In the non-go-forward stores—the 150 locations it plans to close eventually—sales fell 4.5%.