Facebook Inc To Host Thanksgiving Video Ads From Macy's

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Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB)’s video feeds will be used by Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) to publish its advertisements on the social networking site, says a report from the Chicago Tribune. Usually the retailer kicks off the U.S. holiday shopping season with a nationally televised parade in Manhattan.

Facebook Inc To Host Thanksgiving Video Ads From Macy's

Facebook to feature Macy’s ads

Macy’s joins the growing list of companies opting for Facebook video ads. The social networking site is gradually rolling out its video service to advertisers.

Jennifer Kasper, Macy’s group vice president for digital media and multicultural marketing, said, “As we were anticipating Black Friday, we wanted to take a look at how the product evolved and try to figure out how to distribute our video in a balanced way.”

Kasper said Thanksgiving is Macy’s Super Bowl Sunday, and according to tradition, the parade will feature giant balloons, floats and marching bands, attracting millions of television viewers and thousands of spectators to midtown Manhattan.

Macy’s video ads on Facebook will feature the cartoon character and parade balloon SpongeBob Square Pants and target women aged 21 and over. Apart from Facebook, Macy’s will also stream its ads on television this Sunday. Kasper did not provide any detail on the amount Macy’s will spend on Facebook advertising but did suggest that it will be more than the Black Friday budget. She said the company is confident it will reach an incremental audience which is no more interested in traditional TV, and for those who have seen it on TV, it stays on the top of their minds.

Video ads gaining in popularity

Apart from Macy’s, Facebook has also been used by Kate Spade New York, which on Nov. 13 launched its video ad, helping it reach over 6.7 million people so far. David Fischer, Facebook’s vice president for business and marketing partnerships, said the social network has seen a rise in video consumption. Fischer said that as of June, there were more than 100 million videos per month uploaded and added that users know about things faster on Facebook compared to any other medium.

Facebook is emerging as big competition to Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s YouTube, which is why the social networking giant has adopted a careful approach to roll over its video ads. Nate Elliott, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research, believes that to be an effective marketer, Facebook has to take many steps. Elliott believes they are inching forward in the right direction.

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