Sometimes you have to work with what you have, especially when you’re lacking elsewhere. In these tough times, thinking outside of the box is required, even if it means covering the windows of the very box.

Below is a photo of a window on the Randolph Street side of the Macy’s store in Chicago, the former flagship store of Marshall Field’s.

The window is covered with an ad for Clorox wipes, and outside of this photo is another similar window ad. I forget if these windows previously had a display case in them or not. Someone realized they could leverage this asset, which is along the path many people take to and from a nearby commuter train station. This someone could have been Macy’s themselves, or the ad agency representing Clorox. In any case, it can be considered a win-win situation, where the message is communicated and Macy’s is making money renting the space.

This is probably Macy’s only option as they have blatantly chosen not to leverage signage already on the building, and clearly shown in this photo – the Marshall Field’s brand. When Macy’s bought Field’s parent company they killed off brands like Field’s and Filene’s in the Boston area in favor of the moniker of the New York store in hopes of developing a nationwide brand. It cost them a lot of money which they never recouped, lost customer loyalty built up over decades, and then along came the economic condition we are in.

Perhaps Macy’s should look at the bigger picture and reconsider what they put on the outside of their stores?

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