Video of the Week: Macy's Accomplished Some Fantastic Festive Storytelling

Retail has seen a huge shift over the last decade, with digital sales and sites now standing shoulder to shoulder with brick and mortar stores. Macy’s new Thanksgiving ad, ‘Old Friends’ is the perfect reflection of this trend – no matter if you’re in the center of New York or at home, you can always get some Macy’s love. Retail, particularly e- and m-commerce, has transcended geography, to the extent that users can purchase at the touch of a button, no matter where they are. All that retailers like Macy’s have to do is identify these users and make sure the appropriate message is delivered, on the right device.

And Macy’s message could not be more appropriate. The recurring image of the giant Santa Clause – inflatable, interactive and inviting is a solid centrepiece for the 60 second piece.  As a longer video, it’s perfect for a skippable native, interstitial or interscroller format on mobile devices, with the eye-catching central figure of Santa grabbing user attention.

Macy’s have done well to jump the gun and get this Santa image out before traditional Christmas marketing starts – it’ll be relevant for the next two months in terms of advertising content.

Finally of course, the ad is heartwarming – showing the brand’s longevity to be a part of users’ lives for decades. It’s an easy message and a powerful one – one that resonates no matter where its placed.

Watch the ad here: