Macy?s spring marketing campaign puts a new spin on integrating mobile with an in-application game enabling consumers to spin a flower-shaped wheel for a chance to win prizes.

The Spin & Win game in Macy?s mobile app gives users a chance to win a digital gift code worth between $10 and $500. For spring, Macy's has also introduced a new digital catalog with tablet-exclusive features and videos.

?Today's customer always has her smartphone in hand, and through mobile initiatives, we're able to add a layer of personal interaction and excitement to her shopping experience,? said Holly Thomas, vice president of media relations and cause marketing at Macy?s, New York.

?In celebration of Macy's new Secret Garden campaign, our ?Spin & Win? mobile game is a fun way to engage customers with a chance to win a digital gift code from $10-$500,? she said.

Spin and win
The Spin & Win game and new digital catalog are part of Macy?s Secret Garden campaign showcasing garden-inspired merchandise for spring that also includes special promotions and events as well as a fundraising program to support local parks.

The campaign is an example of how Macy?s continues to make its app a big focus of its mobile strategy and how the retailer is ramping up its offerings for tablet users, who typically are active shoppers and spend more than smartphone shoppers.

Macy?s customers will have a chance to play the Spin & Win game up to five times per day between March 5 and 30.

The chance to win is highlighted on Macy's microsite for the campaign, encouraging browsers to download the app. Customers can also text ?APP? to 62297 to download the app.

To play the game, app users must tap to spin the flower-shaped wheel.

App marketing
The strategy is a great way for Macy's drive app downloads and encourage customers to return regularly to the app.

Macy?s has previously prominently featured its app in its TV advertising.

Additionally, during the 2013 holiday season, Macy?s positioned its app as a digital personal assistant for customers to help them plan their shopping trip in advance and find their way once in store (see story).

Macy's well-rounded mobile strategy for engaging customers and driving sales is also focused on mobile email, SMS, image recognition, mobile advertising, photo-sharing, music streaming and engaging in-store shoppers via their phones using iBeacon technology.

In addition to the mobile elements, The Secret Garden spring campaign includes a fundraising component called Macy?s Heart Your Park, which aims to raise awareness and money for local parks. Macy?s stores across the country have each selected a local park or green space in their community to support, with more than 550 local parks benefiting from the program.

From March 7 to March 31, customers can visit their local Macy?s store and donate $1 or more at the register, and 100 percent of donations will benefit that store?s selected local park.

Macy?s will match customer donations across all stores, dollar-for-dollar, up to $250,000 in total.

Also during March, Secret Garden events will take place in Macy?s stores featuring fashion presentations, family fun day activities and cooking demonstrations.

?We aim to continually enhance the Macy's experience through new merchandise, great value and engaging activations that resonate with our customers,? Ms. Thomas said. ?Macy's focus on an omnichannel strategy works to create seamless shopping between our stores, online and mobile.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York