Dive Brief:
- Macy's is creating personalized gift guides through Instagram carousels as part of its holiday campaign, the company announced in a news release. Instagram followers can answer questions about interests and price range and Instant Gift Guide Carousels let consumers swipe and follow lines of ribbons to find a gift from Macy's. Beginning Nov. 28, each carousel post will focus on a different friend or family member that people may be shopping for and show a collection of gifts. The last frame will be shoppable, so consumers can purchase items featured.
- For Pinterest shoppers, Macy's is launching the 360 Globe on Nov. 28. It will replicate a miniature snow globe like the one in Macy's "Space Station" holiday commercial and be filled with hidden gifts and holiday décor. People can pan around to get inspiration and find gifts hidden in the scene, and they will be able to shop the items they find, share what they like with others via a wish list or send it to themselves.
- Macy's holiday marketing push also includes a new heart-warming digital video ad, an Instagram-ready experiential shop at the Herald Square store in NYC, AR virtual mirrors at 50 stores for instant makeup try-ons, in-app AR for exploring how furniture would look in shoppers' homes and The Market @ Macy's shops in 9 stores in partnership with Facebook that showcase 100 e-commerce brands. Macy's is also allowing consumers to purchase online and pick in-store or have items shipped to the store. The retailer's new in-app loyalty hub is offering a self-serve checkout, Scan & Pay, that lets shoppers skip lines.
Dive Insight:
Macy's is embracing social shopping channels as part of its extensive holiday campaign. By focusing on Instagram and Pinterest, the retailer seems to be focused on younger consumers, whose shopping habits often blend online and in-store. The strategy aligns with an eMarketer report that suggests this year's holiday shopping season will be more social and that mobile will play a bigger role, with millennials and Gen Zers driving the trend. Among consumers, 39% said they would use "buy buttons" and 25% shoppable photos, while 57% of millennials and 56% of Gen Z will use "buy buttons" and 42% of millennials and 34% of Gen Z were likely to use shoppable photos, according to PwC data cited in the report.
Instagram has been an important platform for Macy's. The retailer redesigned its Instagram feed in May, including launching an Instagram page dedicated to men's fashion, and added a new group of fashion ambassadors. Macy’s also created an Instagram Live hack for its "Find the Remarkable You" campaign to help customers put together outfits with the help of influencers and Macy's stylists.
Instagram recently expanded its Shopping tool in Instagram Stories to attract advertisers, as more than one-third of Instagram Stories users said they became interested in a product after seeing it on Stories, according to the company. Shoppable Instagram Stories contain a shopping bag sticker, and users can pause the story and see more details, including product descriptions and additional photos.
More broadly, Macy's is focused on doing a better job at leveraging its extensive product selection online and recently expanded its relationship with brand commerce agency Madras Global for creative automation across its e-commerce platform. Madras will work with Macy's internal teams to provide high-volume digital advertising and marketing services including retouching, email and site content for the entire Macy's and Macys.com portfolio. The partnership includes helping the retailer create and manage more than 9 million product images.
