In our Anthem film, “Lighthouse,” we tell the story of two young children, and their families, who are unexpectedly brought together by the perfect gift from Macy’s. We launched the film with a prominent placement on the YouTube Masthead.

Macy’s has always been synonymous with the holidays, kicking off the season each year with the Thanksgiving Day Parade. In recent years, Macy’s brand message has lost its voice – making it difficult for the brand to connect with consumers.

We found that what people needed more than anything during the holiday season was a sense of togetherness and feelings of deeper connection. This year, we set out to reclaim Macy’s position as the holiday gifting destination with a campaign that rekindled shoppers’ love of the brand. Each story captured the meaning of the holidays by showing how the perfect gift from Macy’s brings people together.

This is a story of two children who live quite separate and different lives. We needed to create a sense of disconnect and loneliness, which was juxtaposed by the warmth and togetherness of a loving family enjoying the holidays.

It is a piece of emotional storytelling that relies on a combination of directorial elements. The cast was key, as well as extracting an authentic performance from young actors. This, together with beautiful cinematography, authentic (but highly considered) art direction, and an emotional soundtrack, created for a watchable journey that captivated audiences.