This is Part 2 of our State Street Showdown 2010. Make sure you read our Introduction before continuing…

Disqualified: Macy's

Another year, another time to mourn the loss of Marshall Field's.

Red lights in the trees on State Street (Last year it was blue)

As tradition here at the State Street Showdown, we cannot award Macy's a 1st Place award by default, given that there are no other competitors. Also, because Macy's is the Spawn of Satan.

Clock at State and Randolph

Note that it needs some maintenance

Back in November, the Chicago Sun-Times happily reprinted a Macy's press release, disguised as an article. Seriously, the thing reads like a commercial. In any case, the 'article' noted the following: "Seven State Street window scenes — smaller than the usual holiday showings — tell the story of the famous 1897 New York Sun editorial inspired by an 8-year-old girl's letter to the editor that questioned the existence of Santa Claus."

Amy reflects on a happier time

Let's back up a second, shall we? 7 windows? Wow, way to work really hard there, Macy's. In 2009, Macy's State Street had 9 Christmas windows. In the final year of the Marshall Field's brand — 2005 — they had 11 windows. Yup, this is a company set on maintaining quality and Chicago tradition!

But that's just it… these windows weren't designed for Chicago. Rather, they were franchised to major Macy's stores around the country. The exact same thing with no modification in story or display. Take a look at the windows in Pittsburgh… yup, no difference.

Talk about definitely not tailoring to your audience. There are so many elements that go against what a Chicago holiday crowd expects. This window theme plays off (A) a story that takes place in New York City, (B) highlights the Macy's flagship name in New York City, (C) plays up the importance of newspapers, even as the Tribune company has filed the largest media bankruptcy in our country's history, and (D) there's a crass TV special tie-in to the window display.

Oh look, a TV tie-in!

A big deal is also made about how these window designs are all hand-crafted paper scenes. Macy's makes a big deal about pointing that out, both in public relations materials as well as an informational piece on the windows themselves.

Macy's attempt to make it seem like they actually cared

But guess what? The actual characters used in the windows are not paper. So, we're supposed to get excited that you basically used regular, fiberglass characters in scenes made of paper? I'm not sure what the "unique" element is there. Either go one way or the other. Going half-way sort of kills the appeal. Macy's claims that it took more than 35 weeks for the State Street 2010 Christmas Windows to be created. I'm going to guess that number is inflated because they were mass producing the same scenes for stores around the country.

Despite the letdowns, still an Amy & Steve tradition!

Before we dig into Macy's Christmas windows for this year, a couple more observations. There are 9 possible windows that can be used on State Street; Macy's used 7 of them this year. 3 more windows can be found on Randolph St.; Macy's didn't use any of those for their story. Finally, there are 2 windows on Washington St.; again, none were used for the story.

Note closed doorways, ugly wallpaper borders

There are also 4 doorways on State Street that have been closed from public access for some time. Historically, Marshall Field's placed theme-appropriate signage on these doors, often explaining the Christmas windows theme, promoting the Walnut Room tree, or other activities that the store was hosting over the holidays (see an example from 2004). For the 2nd year in a row, Macy's did nothing with these doorways, rather leaving them a generic white color.

I know I rant about Macy's quite a bit, but since they've taken over the State Street store, there has been a continual decline in quality and effort when it comes to the holiday windows. In 2008, they fired the team that had designed the windows on State Street for 25 years. It's obvious.

Simple concepts like printing text on windows that is legible and visible seems to elude the team on State Street. You'll see some photos posted below that just make you scratch your head, wondering "why didn't this problem occur to anyone?" You'll also see less actual window space used vs. previous years. Again, this is an example of cookiecutter concepts being pushed out to all Macy's stores, not factoring in local details or attributes.

Doing a quality job, handling usability problems, being kid-friendly, and having a Chicago focus isn't an impossible task on a budget. Sears successfully pulled off excellent examples of this in 2003 and 2004.

As we showcase each window below, I'll also be showing the unused windows and doorways, to provide a virtual sense of what it's like to actually walk around the building.  With that said, here we go…

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Randolph Street #1 – No theme/story (Not Pictured)

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Randolph Street #2 – No theme/story

Unthemed window on Randoph Street

We start out on Randolph Street with no windows related at all to the Christmas story typically found on State Street.  It's just merchandise!

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Randolph Street #3 – No theme/story

Another unthemed window on Randoph Street

Before you round the corner from Randolph Street to State Street, take a look at our red stuff!

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State Street Window #1 – No theme/story

Unbelievable! State Street window #1 with no story

Shockingly, we start out on State Street and the first window isn't even part of the holiday window "story".  Wow, that's just cheap!

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State Street Doorway #1

First doorway on State Street (walking North to South)

Story still hasn't started yet, but hey, it's a doorway, so you might as well do some good.  Drop something in the kettle!

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State Street Window #2: Christmas Window #1

At the very top of
her house in New York City,
eight-year-old Virginia
and her pal Ollie delight
in a magical book about
Santa Claus.
"What's that?" asks Ollie
pointing to the large,
red sack Santa is carrying
on his back.
Virginia answers with
certainty, "It's his bag of
toys, you know, for kids
all over the world."

We finally start our "Yes, Virginia" story

She's reading a book... or something

Ollie is animated and pops up and down

Yeah!  We finally start the "Yes, Virginia" story with our first themed window.  Note how the artwork really only takes up a very small part of the window real estate.  It's like looking through a porthole.

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State Street Doorway #2 (Closed)

Closed doorway on State Street. Love the white nothing!

The first of the closed doorways, previously home to store information, holiday events, Walnut Room promotion, and text relating to the State Street windows.  Now it's just a wall of white, home to the homeless.

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State Street Doorway #3 (Closed)

Macy's posted their 'story' on this 2nd closed doorway

Another closed doorway.  The white is made even more dramatic by the black/red star window with the story about the windows (which we featured earlier in this post).  Would it have been that difficult to at least make the other doorways black to match?

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State Street Window #3: Christmas Window #2

Virginia and her
friends gather in
a nearby courtyard.
They admire her book, happily
recalling what Santa brought
them last Christmas.
"He brought me a train set!"
"He brought me a dollhouse!"
"I got a bow and arrow!"
"Grow up," sneers Charlotte, an
older girl with a worldly air.
"That's baby stuff. You can't
prove he's real. Face it, Virginia.
There is no Santa."
The children's belief dwindles
at these harsh words, but
Virginia has a plan in mind.

Story Window #2 features a courtyard scene

Buildings are paper, the people... not so much. Purple girl moves left to right on a track.

Nothing but happiness in this scene!

Detail on the paper craftsmanship

Easy to read? Nope!

In the Field's era, the base of windows used to have twinkling lights under the snow

This window showcases some of the paper construction techniques used in the 2010 windows, contrasted by the characters which were obviously made out of other materials.  Again, a smaller window design when it comes to actual content, probably created to be as universal as possible to be used with other Macy's store dimensions nationwide.  Also note the extremely hard to read text printed on the window itself.

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State Street Window #4: Christmas Window #3

To the library the
friends go for proof
that Santa exists.
The kindly librarian gathers book
after book from all over the world.
"In England he's called FATHER
CHRISTMAS," the librarian explains.
"In Holland, he's CINTER KLAS,"
exclaims Virginia.
Whether named BELLSNICKLE,
KRIS KRINGLE or CHIMNEY JOHN,
Santa is beloved the world over.
And yet… still no proof. Poor Virginia!
"None of this tells me Santa is real."
"But," asks the librarian, "if he
doesn't exist, why do children
everywhere believe in him?"
Why indeed?

To the library we go!

Who thought this border design was a good idea?

Librarian's ladder is animated to move left/right. Broken on our visit.

Nice use of forced perspective, however

Book features a video screen

Don't do this at home, kids!

We're in the library now, with the librarian on a ladder that's motorized to move left and right.  It was broken when we visited the windows.  The book on the table also has a video screen embedded within displaying… something.  Take note of the "green branch" border used around the windows.  Was this a clearance item from some 1970s garage sale?  It doesn't tie in visually at all to the story being told, again is just filler, and even worse, changes orientation when moving from horizontal to vertical around the window.

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State Street Window #5: Christmas Window #4

Maybe Papa knows!
"Let's examine
the facts," he says.
"Someone brought you presents last
year. And at the milk and cookies
you left out. Therefore…"
Virginia doesn't fall for Papa's logic.
But the newspaper on his desk
reminds her of his oft-repeated
words: "If it's in THE SUN, it's so."
That's when she writes to
the editor asking for the truth.
"Is there a Santa Claus?"
Then she waits… and waits
for a response. Worried,
Virginia's mother says gently
"Believing in Santa isn't something
you prove. It's something you do.
When you're kind to others
hat's all proof you need."
Virginia wonders,
could that be true?

Why use the whole window when you can just use 25 percent?

Apparently, Virginia's Dad still has Halloween decor up

Virginia moves left/right on a track. Seriously, what's happening here?

Window on back wall changes from stained glass to...

... Virgina's letter

This window reminds me of the Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute.  All that space in the window, but very tiny room itself.  It was a bit challenging for kids to view when we were there, due to the limited access and somewhat elevated location off the ground.  Again note how hard the text is to read on the window.  The chair in this window was motorized to shift between the office and bedroom.  The window in the back of the bedroom was also a video screen that changed from a stained glass look to a close-up of Virginia's letter.

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State Street Doorway #4

Middle doorway on State Street

Hey, it's another doorway to break up the action!

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State Street Window #6: Christmas Window #5

In his office at THE SUN,
the editor contemplates
Virginia's letter.
"Dear Editor: I am 8 years old.
Some of my little friends say there
is no Santa Claus. Papa says,
'If you see it in THE SUN, it's so.'
Please tell me the truth.
Is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia Hanlon.
115 West Ninety-Fifth Street."
How to respond? How to give
hope and inspiration to a little girl,
a city… and the world?
As last, the editor takes pen in
hand and composes the replay
that has become nearly as
famous as Santa himself."

Hard to read text? Check. Defunct newspaper? Check. Guy just sitting there? Check.

Nicely crafted scene, but hard to see... with no real action

Viewing this, do you care if everyone was made out of paper or not?

Half of the horizontal space in this window is blocked by the superimposed text… which you really can't read anyway.  It's not like they didn't have other places to stick this text.  For example, all that unused border area around each window.

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State Street Window #7: Christmas Window #6

Still pondering,
Virginia encounters
a scraggly, shivering
"Santa" on the street corner
collecting coins for charity.
The poor soul had given away
his coat to someone in need!
Her mother's words about being
kind to others echo in her mind:
"That is what makes Santa real, dear"
Virginia returns with a big,
beribboned box. "I brook open
my piggy bank and got this for you!"
"I can't accept this," the man gasps,
admiring the beautiful new
red overcoat longingly.
"Yes you can," she insists.
"Merry Christmas!"
Deeply touched, he declares,
"Today, YOU'RE Santa Claus"

Wide angle shot showing how the border really doesn't tie into theme

Smaller windows make it harder for crowds to see what's happening

It's people... standing around

Here fake Santa, have a new coat!

Lady just moves left/right on a track. Why? We never really know

Animation for these scene?  The shopper moving left and right.  There's very little wonder or amazement.  When we were checking out the window, kids quickly moved on.  It's boring.  But hey, look at all those great paper buildings!

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State Street Doorway #5 (Closed)

Mirrored closed doorway with Macy's 'story' and whitespace

Just like the version seen on the north side of State Street, another closed doorway with a combination of white and Macy's 'story'

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State Street Doorway #6 (Closed)

Anyone have a dry erase marker for this closed doorway?

Seriously, you did NOTHING to this space?  Not even advertising?  Is your visual merchandising team really that dense?

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State Street Window #8: Christmas Window #7

Finally the proof
is printed in
black and white,
to be read all over!
"Yes, Virginia," proclaims THE SUN.
"There is a Santa Claus.
He exists as certainly as love,
generosity and devotion exist.
A thousand years from now, nay,
ten times ten thousand years from
now, he will continue to make
glad the heart of childhood."
All is well and joyous in the
world, and belief reaches higher
and deeper and wider than
ever before! But wait.
Who is that portly bearded
gent in red, with a twinkle
in his eye? Can it be?
Yes, Virginia…

Final story scene window

No one thought this was hard to read when then were creating it?

Christmas tree almost destroys the town!

Do you "Believe"? Um, no Macy's... I don't

Hey, it's Christmas, let's read a paper!

So not a Chicago-oriented story

I think the kids in this shot were extra props they just threw in for fun

This is the final window in the Christmas window story.  There's nothing quite like gold text superimposed over a gold background when it comes to readability!  It does come complete with the "Believe" Macy's catchphrase written in the stars and a small R.H.Macy store in the landscape.  And some guy reading a newspaper.  But if you didn't have the captions for this story, could you really tell what was happening here?

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State Street Doorway #7

Handicap-ready doorway on south side of State Street

Beyond the bad photography (sorry!), you can see another doorway off State Street.  This one features an automatic door on the left side to make it freely accessible for those with disabilities.

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State Street Doorway #8

Another doorway on southern side of State Street

The final doorway entrance off State Street

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State Street Window #9 – No theme/story

Final window on State Street, no theme/story

Historically, all the windows were used on State Street to tell a story.  Not so in this case.  The final window reverts back to merchandise.

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Washington Street #1 – No theme/story

Previous years featured story around the corner... not in 2010

Just in case you rounded the corner from State Street to Washington Street, curious if there was anything worth seeing… there isn't

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Washington Street #2 – No theme/story

Yes Virginia, we didn't really care

You can see the reflection of Old Navy's "arrows" across the street.  Perhaps you should shop there instead.

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And with that, we wrap up our look at the Christmas windows on State Street. Probably the worst effort produced by Macy's to date. At least they are living up to their reputation!

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