Macy’s Relaunches, Mails Magalog to 3.8 Million

Federated Department Stores Inc. is launching the largest nationwide advertising and marketing campaign in its history for the re-launch of its Macy’s brand.

The campaign will focus on a new spin to Macy’s familiar theme line, “Way To Shop.” Direct mail will include a glossy 54-page Macy’s magalog which will be sent to the homes of the 3.8 million best customers in markets that are new to Macy’s. The company will be opening more than 400 new stores, giving the brand a national presence of over 800 Macy’s stores.

Advertising will include national broadcast and cable television, local newspapers, local and national magazines, targeted radio spots, outdoor boards and an extensive online advertising approach. Television spots will run in “an extensive schedule of leading programs,” according to a statement from the company, with a Spanish-language adaptation of those spots produced by Grammy-nominated producer Andres Levin.

JWT Chicago and Latinvox, a New York-based agency specializing in reaching Hispanic consumers, created the ads in partnership with Macy’s Corporate Marketing and Macy’s division marketing teams across the country. Starcom USA of Chicago is Macy’s national media planning and buying agency.

The brand re-launch will also include hundreds of special events such as block parties and shopping parties in cities including Boston, Chicago, Denver, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and El Paso. It also includes activities by the new Macy’s Culinary Council, a group of 15 leading celebrity chefs and restaurateurs with a mission of helping build Macy’s role as the national authority and shopping destination for all items relating to the kitchen and dining room.

Federated, with corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York, is one of the nation’s premier retailers, with fiscal 2006 sales expected to be more than $27 billion. Federated operates more than 850 department stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico under the names of Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. The company also operates macys.com and Bloomingdale’s By Mail.