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.
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