Case Study:
Macy’s Backstage

In 2016, I joined the Macy’s Backstage launch team to lead the development of the creative strategy for both paid and organic social media. I focused on generating content for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, ensuring a cohesive and impactful presence across platforms.

What I did:

creative strategy
art direction
set design
set production
photograpy
graphic design

Macy’s

Macy’s, the oldest and largest retail store in the U.S., possessed 770 stores and over 160,000 employees in 2016. Its iconic New York flagship, established in 1858, draws global visitors for immersive, televised, annual events like animatronic Christmas windows, the multi-story spring Flower Show, the Fourth of July fireworks spectacle, and the renowned Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Despite its storied legacy and widespread appeal, Macy’s was grappling with significant challenges in the evolving retail landscape.

Competition

Macy’s has taken on the rising competition from off-price giants like T.J.Maxx and Nordstrom Rack by launching its own outlet, Macy’s Backstage. Offering fashion, accessories, home goods, and gifts at outlet prices, Macy’s Backstage not only features exclusive products but also limited stock from Macy’s and Bloomingdale's, making it a strong contender in the off-price retail market.

Macy’s Backstage

Macy's Backstage offers products at least 50% off their original retail prices, driving sales through seven stand-alone stores and numerous in-store locations within Macy's countrywide. This strategy boosted foot traffic and encouraged cross-shopping. Our primary customers were savvy, resourceful women aged 24-44, often students or family supporters, who were seeking quality bargains.

Creative Strategy:

The Thrill of the Find

We focused our social media strategy on in-store experiences, unexpected creative content, and high-impact influencer partnerships. By showcasing the excitement of finding unbeatable deals, we inspired customers to explore our stores, eager to discover own bargains of their own.

Campaign Photography

I developed high-impact images to drive excitement for Macy’s new store openings nationwide. The campaign photography showcased Macy’s vibrant fashion energy and created a striking contrast with the bold CMYK Backstage brand colors, amplifying our promotional reach and engagement.

Art Direction:

In-Store

Between 2016 and 2018, we launched four stores per month across the country. I actively sourced and showcased a wide range of products and in-store photos on social media, driving visibility and excitement for each opening.

Art Direction:

Still Life Photos

In our still life photography, I zeroed in on products with distinctive features, amplifying their color, pattern, and form to showcase their unique value and drive customers straight to the stores.

Despite facing tight budgets and fluctuating product selections, I tackled these challenges head-on by crafting vibrant, dynamic color stories. This approach not only highlighted the merchandise in fresh and engaging ways but also sparked excitement and increased foot traffic.

Orange Handbag

The orange trellis mimics the front panel of the handbag, creating repetition and emphasising the design.
Bold, blue/orange complementary colours catch the eye.
The background blue corresponds to the CMYK brand colour palette.

Tea Time

The cookies were photographed, arranged into a pattern and turned into a wallpaper.
Styling the cyan and red together created a bold pop that communicated the brand colours.
Adding a paper prop to emulate steam filled out the story and allowed room for copy.

Impact

This method occassionally transformed how the mother brand leveraged Instagram and its color strategy. My images influenced Macy’s main channels, such as the standout orange handbag shown above. Additionally, my concepts were handed off to photographers and stylists at the Long Island City studio, resulting in content like the National Donut Day gif.

This was my sketch:

Set Design and Photography

Back in the office, I immediately organized the products and sketched out dynamic shot ideas. I quickly designed patterns that echoed the products’ features, then used the office printer to tile, cut, and assemble these into custom backdrops. I also crafted any necessary props. With these elements and colored paper, I set up a mini photo studio in the 7th-floor kitchen of the Herald Square headquarters, leveraging the big window for optimal natural light and capturing shots with my iPhone.

Post-shoot, I tackled the final step: intensive post-production on the computer. This crucial phase transformed raw images into Insta-ready visuals that made a splash.

The Feed

I collaborated closely with a business strategy partner to maximize the impact of our creative efforts. Together, we established a dynamic social media presence, infusing it with a distinctive, vibrant voice that set us apart in the off-price retail sector.

At Macy's, I produced hundreds of images, designing three to six sets weekly. This rigorous routine sharpened my consistency and creativity, enabling me to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.