Yesterday I shared the top five themes I took away from this week’s Videonuze 2012 Online Video Advertising Summit. Now I want to take a deeper dive into a brand that is at the top of its game not only in online video advertising, but also in front of the “connected consumer” on all fronts: Macy’s.
Macy’s is one retailer that welcomes marketing innovation with open arms, and views online video as a blank canvas for developing its brand. Bravo! More than 150 years old, Macy’s is not scared of new technologies which is a significant characteristic of why the company is not only still around, but still relevant.
Joe Feczko, SVP of Marketing Innovation and Integration shared a telling example in his session: instead of buying technology and installing it in stores, customers enter with the best technology available in their pockets. That’s why Macy’s WiFi’ed all their stores, because they know and understand their “connected customer.”
Segmentation strategy is part of the Macy’s business, and the brand understands the different life stages of their customer. For example, Macy’s partnered with NBC on “Fashion Star,” a reality show that married entertainment and commerce. And while the show’s ratings were not chart topping, the series no doubt reinvented the way retailers connect with their consumers. And the result for Macy’s? They sold out of inventory very quickly.
So Macy’s, when will we see personalized, online video engagement from you, driven by your big data? Which we know you must have ; )
Mr. Feczko also stated that Macy’s is an entertainment brand. (Think: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Fourth of July Fireworks.) By launching their web series “Wendy,” they knew they needed to be in the digital entertainment space, too. We applaud the brand on their omnichannel marketing and digital chops.
