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 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. From Nov. 6 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 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.
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Macy’s new Wish Writer comes to life through a heartwarming film about spreading the holiday spirit; visit macys.com/believe to view “The Wish Writer” (Photo: Business Wire)
“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.”
“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:
Wish Writer Sweeps the Nation
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.
“The Wish Writer” Film
Macy’s and J. Walter Thompson created a special three-minute film that
follows the journey of a little girl and her brother as they discover
the power of kindness and generosity. With the help of a magic pencil,
evoking the spirit of the Wish Writer, the duo learns how good deeds and
kind acts toward others can go a long way. The film will launch in early
November on macys.com/believe, and a 90-second version will run during
this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.
National Believe Day
Friday, Dec. 11 marks the much anticipated, seventh annual National
Believe Day. Dedicated to celebrating the season’s spirit of goodwill,
Macy’s will continue its “Wishes Across America” initiative in
partnership with Make-A-Wish.
“Yes, Virginia” Animated Special
A treat each holiday season, the “Yes, Virginia” animated television
special will return to bring the story of Virginia to life. The
award-winning, half-hour holiday program features an all-star roster
including Neil Patrick Harris, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alfred Molina, and
Beatrice Miller in the title role. When the animated special first
debuted, a wish came true for 11-year-old Make-A-Wish recipient Taylor
Hay, whose voice and likeness were captured for one of the film’s
characters. “Yes, Virginia,” presented by Macy’s, will air on ABC on
Friday, Dec. 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. CT (check local listings).
Believe Merchandise Benefitting Make-A-Wish
Along with writing letters to Santa and purchasing a Wish Writer,
customers can give back to Make-A-Wish this holiday season by purchasing
gifts that give back – the “Yes, Virginia” illustrated storybook and
animated special DVD, available at Macy’s stores and on macys.com. Ten
percent of the purchase price of each book and DVD sold will be donated
to Make-A-Wish.
Additionally, in partnership with Macy’s Believe campaign, Godiva will
make a $50,000 donation to Make-A-Wish, and sell Believe Bars
exclusively at Macy’s stores and a 19-Piece Believe Holiday Ballotin
available in-store and online at macys.com.
“Yes, Virginia The Musical”
Now in its fourth year as part of the Believe campaign, “Yes, Virginia
The Musical” returns to local stages across the country. In addition to
providing the play’s script and score to schools royalty free, Macy’s
offered $1,000 grants to schools and organizations to support their
local productions. New for this year, the grant program was open to high
school groups and nonprofit community organizations, as well as past
grant recipients. To meet the needs of schools with a smaller student
population or limited musical resources, Macy’s also created a new
Abridged Version, which makes the musical more accessible than ever. For
more information about “Yes, Virginia The Musical” and to find a
performance near you, visit yesvirginiamusical.com.
Virginia Stars in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Virginia will charm millions of Americans as she returns as a balloon in
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, along with larger-than-life Believe red
star balloons to celebrate the season.
To learn more about Macy’s Believe campaign and the Wish Writer, plus
view “The Wish Writer” film visit macys.com/believe.
For a link to “The Wish Writer” film, click here.
For additional media materials, including images and b-roll: http://pimsmultimedia.com/macys-holiday2015/believe.php.
“Yes, Virginia The Musical” was adapted from the animated special “Yes,
Virginia,” written by Chris Plehal, created and produced by Macy's and
J. Walter Thompson in conjunction with The Ebeling Group and MEC
Entertainment, a division of Mediaedge:cia. “Yes, Virginia The Musical”
was written by Wesley Whatley (music) and William Schermerhorn (book and
lyrics), the Emmy® Award-winning creative team behind the original song
“Yes, Virginia (There's A Santa Claus).”
About Macy’s
Macy's, the largest retail brand of Macy's, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers
fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 775
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.
About Make-A-Wish
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. 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. 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.
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