The Magic Of Macy’s Believe Campaign Returns With The Wish Writer™

 

 

Benefitting Make-A-Wish®, The Wish Writer Stylus And App Will Be Available At Macy’s And On macys.com

“The Wish Writer” Short Film Debuts In November

Macy’s eighth annual Believe Campaign launches this past week with a new film that provides a modern take on the beloved “Believe” story and a new element that will delight children and adults alike – Macy’s Wish Writer stylus and app. The Wish Writer teaches children the importance of giving back to others during the holiday season, while “The Wish Writer” Short Film shares the same heartwarming story of the gift of generosity.

Macy’s Believe logo

From now through Dec. 24, customers can visit their local Macy’s store to drop their stamped letters addressed to Santa into the big red letterboxes, create and send a letter with the Wish Writer app, or send a letter to Santa through www.macys.com/believe. For each letter collected in-store, through mobile and online, Macy’s will donate $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

“We’re proud to partner with Make-A-Wish for the eighth annual Believe campaign, which continues to be one of our most beloved programs of the year,” said Martine Reardon, chief marketing officer for Macy’s. “After many months of development, we’re excited to launch Macy’s Wish Writer as a fun, new element of this year’s campaign, which will benefit Make-A-Wish and teach children how acts of kindness can spread holiday spirit this season.”

Headquartered in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true has positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illness, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. With the help of generous donors and more than 27,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 37 minutes. It has granted more than 254,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 14,200 in 2014 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at www.wish.org to learn more.

“yes, virginia” characters Virgina and Ollie with Macy’s Wish Writer

“Macy’s continues to make helping wish kids with life-threatening medical conditions as simple and fun as writing a letter to Santa – this year adding a new and innovative way through the Wish Writer,” said David Williams, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “We encourage everyone to join Macy’s and Make-A-Wish this holiday season to ‘believe in the magic of giving’ by submitting their letters to help us grant even more life-changing wishes, because we know that a wish-come-true can be a powerful part of a child’s fight against their illness.”

The Believe campaign was inspired by the true story of 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon, who wrote a letter to the New York Sun newspaper in 1897 asking if there really was a Santa Claus. The paper’s response, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist …,” written by Francis P. Church, became one of the most famous newspaper editorials of all time. Macy’s has raised $90 million for Make-A-Wish since 2003, with $10.8 million donated over the last seven years through the iconic letter writing campaign during the holiday season.

The Following Are Key Elements Of The 2015 Macy’s Believe Campaign:

The Wish Writer logo

Macy’s Wish Writer is an interactive stylus and app, featuring a series of fun games to teach children about the importance of kindness and generosity, while also providing a way to write the most magical letters to Santa. Dr. Steven Fox, a leading child psychologist and expert in play therapy and gaming, served as a consultant during the Wish Writer development to help create a motivating, relevant and positive game for children. The Wish Writer experience is designed to encourage a sense of adventure and exploration, while enhancing children’s altruism and compassion toward others.

Compatible with both Apple and Android devices, the Wish Writer stylus will be available for purchase at approximately 600 Macy’s stores and on macys.com. To play, the stylus interacts with the corresponding app (free with the stylus purchase) and children can play the various games to spread holiday spirit and earn rewards for good deeds. The Wish Writer stylus also lights up when pressed on a surface.

In addition, children can write letters to Santa through the stylus and app, and for each letter sent, $1 will be donated to Make-A-Wish, as part of the $1 million goal. One dollar from the purchase price of each Wish Writer stylus (retail price of $14.99) will also go to Make-A-Wish.

To download the app separately on iTunes or Google Play, a free, limited-play version is available, as well as a full version for $1.99. One dollar from each app purchase will be donated to Make-A-Wish.

Art Watch: “Photo-Poetics: An Anthology” at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

November 20, 2015–March 23, 2016

This group exhibition, “Photo-Poetics: An Anthology,” features more than 70 works by ten artists: Claudia Angelmaier, Erica Baum, Anne Collier, Moyra Davey, Leslie Hewitt, Elad Lassry, Lisa Oppenheim, Erin Shirreff, Kathrin Sonntag, and Sara VanDerBeek.

Lisa Oppenheim, The Sun is Always Setting Somewhere Else, 2006.  Slide projection of 15 35 mm slides, continuous loop, dimensions variable. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Purchased with funds contributed by the Photography Committee, 2009. 2009.60

Drawing on the legacies of Conceptualism, these artists pursue a largely studio-based approach to still-life photography that centers on the representation of objects, often printed matter such as books, magazines, and record covers. The result is an image imbued with poetic and evocative personal significance—a sort of displaced self-portraiture—that resonates with larger cultural and historical meanings. Driven by a profound engagement with the medium of photography, these artists investigate the nature, traditions, and magic of photography at a moment characterized by rapid digital transformation. They attempt to rematerialize the photograph through meticulous printing, using film and other disappearing photo technologies, and creating artist’s books, installations, and photo-sculptures.

Leslie Hewitt, Riffs on Real Time (3 of 10), 2006–09. Chromogenic print, 76.2 x 61 cm. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Purchased with funds contributed by the Photography Committee, 2010. 2010.55

While they are invested in exploring the processes, supports, and techniques of photography, they are also deeply interested in how photographic images circulate. Theirs is a sort of “photo poetics,” an art that self-consciously investigates the laws of photography and the nature of photographic representation, reproduction, and the photographic object.

Sara VanDerBeek, From the Means of Reproduction, 2007. Chromogenic print, 101.6 x 76.2 cm
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Purchased with funds contributed by the Photography Committee 2007.138 © Sara VanDerBeek

New Details on Macy’s Annual March Of Magic

The 89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® Ushers In The Season With The Nation’s Favorite Holiday Event, Featuring Giant Character Helium Balloons, Signature Floats, The Nation’s Finest Marching Bands, Enchanting Performance Groups, Celebrity Appearances And The One-And-Only Santa Claus

America’s favorite holiday tradition will once again kick off the season of joy, as the 89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® returns to march down the streets of New York City on Thursday, Nov. 26. As millions celebrate the holiday with family and friends, more than 8,000 participants, including clowns, balloon handlers and marching bands, will travel through Manhattan to the sound of the iconic catchphrase Let’s Have a Parade™. With more than 3.5 million spectators and more than 50 million television viewers nationwide, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the nation’s most celebrated and anticipated holiday treat.

“The 89th edition of Macy’s famed holiday procession promises to deliver an unrivaled spectacle of magic for millions of spectators lining the streets of New York City and millions more watching it unfold in homes across the nation,” said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “From our signature giant character balloons to our floats of wonder, not to mention the nation’s best marching bands, whimsical clowns, celebrities and the big man himself – Santa Claus; the 89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will continue to delight audiences of all ages, as together we celebrate the start of the holiday season.”

Since its origin in 1924, the Macy’s Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season, introducing a cherished march of magic that has dazzled generations of fans. For the 89th edition, the famed spectacle’s line-up will feature 17 giant character balloons; 24 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonicles and trycaloons; 27 floats; 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; 12 marching bands; a host of celebrity performers; and of course, the one-and-only Santa Claus.

STARS ON PARADE

The procession will feature a star-studded cast who will celebrate the holiday with America, providing the nation with first-class performances along the way. Joining the festivities this year are Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Mariah Carey, Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson, Cirque du Soleil®, Daughtry, Andra Day, Andy Grammer, Sandra Lee, Shawn Mendes, MercyMe, Mipso, Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell, Jennifer Nettles, NHL legends Mark and Marty Howe, Jake Owen, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, Rachel Platten, Prince Royce, Questlove with the cast & Muppets of Sesame Street®, the cast of Broadway’s School of Rock, Trey Songz, Jordin Sparks, Chica and the gang from Sprout and Train.

In addition to the performing talent, leading the Parade will be a special invited guest. Each Thanksgiving morning, Ms. Kule leads the line of march through the streets of Manhattan as a representative of the more than 4,000 Macy’s employee volunteers who have given up their holiday to bring the nation an unmatched spectacle. Ms. Kule, dressed this year by Tony Award®-winning designer William Ivey Long, will be joined at the head of the Parade by Roseann Levy, a longtime Macy’s employee celebrating the 60th year of volunteering her time to put together this magical event for the City of New York and the nation.

GIANTS IN THE SKY

The Parade’s signature giant character balloons have showcased the world’s most beloved cultural characters since the late 1920’s. Evolving from a simple paper sketch to giant wonders on Thanksgiving morning, the balloons are transformed by Macy’s “Balloonatics” into high flying art.

This year, four new giant characters will take center stage including Angry Birds’ Red by Rovio Entertainment; the pre-historic and legendary DINO™ by Sinclair Oil; Ice Age‘s Scrat and his Acorn by Twentieth Century Fox; and Ronald McDonald® debuting in his fourth whimsical giant balloon.

Returning characters include Adventure Time with Finn & Jake, Diary of A Wimpy Kid®, The Elf on the Shelf®, Hello Kitty®, How to Train Your Dragon’s Toothless, PADDINGTON™, Pikachu™, Pillsbury™ Doughboy™, Skylanders® Eruptor, Snoopy & Woodstock, SpongeBob SquarePants, the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger and Thomas the Tank Engine®. Returning balloonicles (a Macy’s Parade hybrid of cold-air balloon and vehicle) include the famed-spokesduck The Aflac Duck and the supercool KOOL-AID Man.

FLOATING ON AIR

Macy’s floating wonders create a collection of magic and imaginative delights that dazzle and transport spectators. These stages are created by Macy’s Parade Studio’s team of designers, carpenters, painters, animators, metal fabricators and electricians, who work all year to bring the idea on a sketch pad to towering reality. Macy’s Parade floats are often three stories tall and several lanes of traffic wide, but must collapse to no more than 12 ½-feet tall and 8-feet wide in order to safely travel from the New Jersey studio to the Manhattan starting line via the Lincoln Tunnel.

This year’s six new floats include: Big City Cheer! by Spirit of America Productions, The Colonel’s Road Trip to NYC by Kentucky Fried Chicken, The Cranberry Cooperative by Ocean Spray®, Discover Adventure! by Build-A-Bear, Heartwarming Holiday Countdown by Hallmark Channel and celebrating the 50th anniversary of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Snoopy’s Doghouse by Peanuts Worldwide.

The returning float roster includes 1-2-3 Sesame Street, Big Apple (NY Daily News), At the Ball Game (Cracker Jack®), Dreamseeker (Cirque du Soleil®), Enchanting World of Lindt Chocolate, Frozen Fall Fun (Discover®), Free to Play (Sprout®), Girl-Powered Spinning Machine (GoldieBlox®), It’s All Rock & Roll (Gibson Brands®), Mount Rushmore’s American Pride (South Dakota Department of Tourism), On The Roll Again (Homewood Suites by Hilton®), Santa’s Sleigh; Santaland Express; Stirrin’ Up Sweet Sensations (Domino® Sugar), Stone Forest of Kunming, China (Sino-American Friendship Association), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon), Tom Turkey, Treasure Hunt (Pirate’s Booty®), Winter Wonderland In Central Park (Delta Air Lines) and A World at Sea (Royal Caribbean International®).

Completing the lineup will be a vintage 1924 Ford Model T Fire Truck, along with the FDNY Pipes & Drums in celebration of their 150th anniversary. In addition, the Casa Fresca Café float by Avocados From Mexico will entice and delight spectators with a tasty and fun fiesta.

Madonna Launches Rebel Heart Tour in Europe

Rebel Heart Tour Is Top Grossing Tour on Billboard Hot Tours and Holds 12 of Top 17 Tour Dates on Current Boxscore Chart

Madonna returned to Europe this week launching the European leg of her top selling and critically acclaimed Rebel Heart Tour. After 24 shows across 20 cities in North America, The Rebel Heart Tour kicked off with a sold out show in Cologne, Germany where the Material Girl played two nights to packed houses and will continue its seven-week trek across eleven European countries, in 16 cities in Europe and the UK through the end of 2015, before it returns to North America and heads to Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand in the first few months of the New Year (already confirmed for 2016). A full list of tour dates can be found HERE.

The Rebel Heart World Tour is produced by Live Nation Global Touring.

The Rebel Heart Tour is the best selling tour on the Billboard‘s Hot Tours Chart this week selling over 350,000 tickets, grossing over $45 million dollars and holding 12 of the top 17 tour dates on the Current Boxscore. Madonna performed three SOLD OUT shows in the New York City area (two at Madison Square Garden and one at Barclay Center) and two SOLD OUT shows in Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and Cologne. She will also perform three SOLD OUT nights in Turin and a sold out show to over 40,000 in Stockholm. The Material Girl will also stage two concerts in Prague, Berlin, Barcelona, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Mexico City, Miami, San Juan, Taipei, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau, Manila, Auckland, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This will be the first time Madonna will perform in China, Taiwan and the Southeast Asian markets.

The Rebel Heart Tour set list spans all decades of the iconic superstar’s illustrious career, including songs from her current album Rebel Heart (the No. 1 Dance hits “Living for Love” and “Bitch I’m Madonna,”) to classic fan favorites like “Material Girl” and “Holiday” and a “Dress You Up” medley that included “Get Into The Groove,” “Everybody,” and “Lucky Star.” Fan-created artwork is featured in a video montage shown during Madonna’s performance of the song “Rebel Heart,” and her rendition of “La Vie En Rose” played on just a ukulele received an overwhelming standing ovation from the audience.

The Rebel Heart Tour is directed by Jamie King with musical direction by Kevin Antunes (the band’s keyboardist Ric’key Pageot, drummer Brian Frasier-Moore, guitarist Monte Pittman, and background vocalists Kiley Dean and Nicki Richards), lead choreography by Megan Lawson, hair by Andy LeCompte, makeup by Aaron Henrikson, and costume design by Arianne Phillips.

A full list of tour dates and ticket information is below and can also be found at: http://www.madonna.com/tour.

16 Animated Features Submitted For 2015 Oscar® Race

Sixteen features have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 88th Academy Awards®. The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Anomalisa”

“The Boy and the Beast”

“Boy and the World”

“The Good Dinosaur”

“Home”

“Hotel Transylvania 2”

“Inside Out”

“Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet”

“The Laws of the Universe – Part 0”

“Minions”

“Moomins on the Riviera”

“The Peanuts Movie”

“Regular Show: The Movie”

“Shaun the Sheep Movie”

“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water”

“When Marnie Was There”

Several of the films have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and comply with all of the category’s other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process. At least eight eligible animated features must be theatrically released in Los Angeles County within the calendar year for this category to be activated. In any year in which 16 or more animated feature films are eligible, a maximum of five motion pictures may be nominated.

Films submitted in the Animated Feature Film category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other categories, including Best Picture, provided they meet the requirements for those categories.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 14, 2016, at 5:30 a.m. PT at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.