Marshall Field's Department Stores has rabid fans; fans who are livid that Macy's had the audacity to buy their favorite store and then change its name. It's been two years since the name change took place and Field's fans are still trying to get Macy's to bring back their beloved Marshall Field's.
Check out http://www.darrid.com a fascinating website that's fully dedicated to all things Field's. This site has photos, history, commercials -- you name it. If it's related to Marshall Fields, it's on this site. You can spend hours on this site!
And then there's http://www.fieldsfanschicago.org a "non-profit, non-commercial, non-sponsored site developed with the sole intention of focusing on what Marshall Field’s has meant to Chicagoans or anyone who loves this great Chicago institution." Here you'll find a Field's Fans Chicago e-newsletter; free "FOREVER MARSHALL FIELD'S" buttons, information about protest rally's and more.
Chicagoans haven't yet warmed up to Macy's. Maybe that's why the chain has launched a new ad campaign that plays up State Street, (home of Chicago's flagship store) not the Macy's name. The slogan, "Take Me to State Street" began appearing this week at Chicago bus shelters and train stations. The ad campaign focuses on the exclusive products and shops at Macy's State Street store. Macy's name and famous red star appear in the ads, but they do not play a big role. In a Chicago Tribune article a Macy's executive said that was by design, "We didn't say, 'Take me to Macy's on State Street,' because that isn't the point of the campaign. We're a critical part of this neighborhood. We don't want to sit around passively. We want to drive people to this neighborhood."
Yeah, right.
Still, Macy's is trying. Last month the company made good on a promise to bring Field's famous Frango mint production back to Chicago. Cupid Candies, a 71-year-old Chicago candy manufacturer, will begin making Frango mints in a one pound box early next year. (YAY!)
Check out http://www.darrid.com a fascinating website that's fully dedicated to all things Field's. This site has photos, history, commercials -- you name it. If it's related to Marshall Fields, it's on this site. You can spend hours on this site!
And then there's http://www.fieldsfanschicago.org a "non-profit, non-commercial, non-sponsored site developed with the sole intention of focusing on what Marshall Field’s has meant to Chicagoans or anyone who loves this great Chicago institution." Here you'll find a Field's Fans Chicago e-newsletter; free "FOREVER MARSHALL FIELD'S" buttons, information about protest rally's and more.
Chicagoans haven't yet warmed up to Macy's. Maybe that's why the chain has launched a new ad campaign that plays up State Street, (home of Chicago's flagship store) not the Macy's name. The slogan, "Take Me to State Street" began appearing this week at Chicago bus shelters and train stations. The ad campaign focuses on the exclusive products and shops at Macy's State Street store. Macy's name and famous red star appear in the ads, but they do not play a big role. In a Chicago Tribune article a Macy's executive said that was by design, "We didn't say, 'Take me to Macy's on State Street,' because that isn't the point of the campaign. We're a critical part of this neighborhood. We don't want to sit around passively. We want to drive people to this neighborhood."
Yeah, right.
Still, Macy's is trying. Last month the company made good on a promise to bring Field's famous Frango mint production back to Chicago. Cupid Candies, a 71-year-old Chicago candy manufacturer, will begin making Frango mints in a one pound box early next year. (YAY!)
Macy's has a great history and wonderful stores, but Field's did, too. Who knows? Maybe the Marshall Field's fans are making headway. Maybe one day signs on the Chicago stores will read, "Macy's at Marshall Fields". One thing's for sure: you can't buy loyalty like a Marshall Field's fan's loyalty. And what retailer wouldn't want customers who are that dedicated to their success?
