Show You Believe! Macy’s Invites America to Join The Santa Project
Macy’s aims to curtail Internet cynicism by filling it with
optimistic expressions of belief this holiday season
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As part of its annual Believe campaign, Macy’s today launches The Santa
Project, a nationwide movement to fill the Internet with positive
affirmations of belief. Macy’s is calling on people of all ages to post
a photo, message or video with #SantaProject via Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram or YouTube to show their beliefs. A selection of responses
will be featured in a Macy’s television commercial coming this December.
“The story of Virginia O’Hanlon and the importance of believing have
been the inspiration behind our iconic holiday campaign for the past
eight years,” said Joe Feczko, senior vice president of brand marketing
for Macy’s. “This season, we want to do everything we can to boost the
spirit of Santa for future generations. When you look at the Internet
right now, there is a lot of negativity out there. We’re asking people
to come together this Christmas to flood the Internet with a groundswell
of positivity that preserves belief for kids everywhere.”
About The Santa Project
The magic of Santa has been shared by word of mouth for generations and
then spread through books, film and television. Today, the Internet
provides an influential channel to continue this legacy. Children have
unparalleled access to the most expansive breadth of information of any
generation at the touch of their fingertips, and they turn to the
Internet for answers. When inquiring about Santa, the answer is not so
nice.
Macy’s is on a mission to change that. Starting this month, Macy’s is
encouraging people to flood the Internet with expressions of belief in
Santa and the Christmas spirit. By sharing a response that captures the
importance of believing and what Santa means to them, everyone can play
a role in keeping the magic of the holidays alive and ensuring that the
Internet is a place where Santa lives on for future generations.
The Santa Project comes to life in a short film featuring children as
they discuss what it means to believe in Santa. In addition, a
television commercial, inviting America to respond, will air during
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, the official kick-off to the
holiday season.
About The Research
The Santa Project conducted national quantitative and qualitative
research investigating the importance of belief in Santa and the current
state of belief across the country.
According to a recent Ipsos survey, two out of three people with kids in
the home (66 percent) think it is important to believe in Santa (54
percent for all U.S. adults). However, 44 percent of U.S. adults think
that belief is decreasing, versus just 8 percent who think it is
increasing.
According to Dr. Jacqueline Woolley, leading expert in the field of
child psychology, studies have shown that belief improves creativity and
imagination, while also strengthening critical thinking.
“The kind of thinking involved in imagining how reindeer could fly
through the sky is the same kind of thinking required for imagining
solutions to today’s biggest problems,” Woolley said. “This kind of
thinking — engaging the border between what is possible and what is
impossible — is at the root of all scientific discoveries and
inventions, from airplanes to the Internet.”
An additional qualitative study, commissioned by Macy’s, was conducted
with 40 children, ages six- to nine- years-old, to study belief in
Santa. Interviews showed that belief in Santa can build family
traditions and rituals, and instill ideas of morality and generosity.
Join The Santa Project
Here’s how to get involved:
-
Create a response that will help fill the Internet with belief, in the
form of a short message, photo or video on why you believe in Santa
and the spirit of the holiday season (filmed via smartphone, held
sideways in landscape format) - Post on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube with #SantaProject
-
Encourage your family and friends to join the movement and spread the
spirit of belief
Select video responses will be featured in a Macy’s television spot in
December.
The Santa Project is part of Macy’s Believe campaign, which benefits
Make-A-Wish®. Customers can drop their letters to Santa at
Macy’s or send digitally at macys.com/believe. For every letter
collected in-store or online, Macy’s will donate $1, up to $1 million,
to Make-A-Wish, the organization that grants the wishes of children with
life-threatening medical conditions.
To learn more about The Santa Project, visit macys.com/believe.
Visitors can view a counter that will keep track of expressions of
belief being spread throughout the holiday season, including an updated
list of Top 10 states in the country that are showing the most belief
via social media, letters to Santa, visits to Santa at Macy’s Santaland,
and visits to macys.com/believe.
The Santa Project was created by Macy’s in partnership with
Figliulo&Partners.
For media materials and video assets, visit http://pimsmultimedia.com/macys-holiday2016/believe.php.
Ipsos Methodology
This survey was conducted by Ipsos on Oct. 28, 2016, on behalf of
Macy’s. For the survey, a sample of 1,006 U.S. adults over the age of 18
was interviewed online, in English, including 328 adults who have
children under the age of 18. The precision of Ipsos online polls is
measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a
credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all
respondents surveyed, and 6.2 percentage points for parents.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers
fashion and affordable luxury to customers at 734 locations in 45
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to
customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations
through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores,
e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive
assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion
brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary
events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores
— including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San
Francisco, State Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South
Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are
leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year
tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees,
Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national
charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a
difference in the lives of our customers.
For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit
our online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.
Contacts
Macy’s Media Relations
Holly Thomas, 646-429-5250
holly.thomas@macys.com
or
Julie
Strider Fukami, 646-429-5213
julie.striderfukami@macys.com
