Macy's West, the San Francisco-based division of Federated Department Stores (Cincinnati), was honored at the Retail Advertising Conference (RAC) for its long-running campaign to raise money for AIDS research. The prize, the Peter Glen Public Service Award (in honor of the veteran retail critic and VM+SD columnist), was presented February 14 at RAC's 49th annual conference, in Chicago. Macy's West holds an annual fashion show and gala (called Initiative) that has raised millions of dollars in corporate sponsorships and individual donations. Among the celebrities who have supported the event are actress Elizabeth Taylor and former basketball player Earvin (Magic) Johnson.
Kravco Co. (King of Prussia, Pa.), the mall developer and operator, also won a Peter Glen award for its “Peace Talks, Violence Talks” program to reduce violence and promote tolerance in schools and neighborhoods. The campaign was the model for a program adopted by the President's Campaign Against Youth Violence.
Target Stores (Minneapolis) was honored at the meeting with the Heineman Trophy for Best of Show for its “Pop Art” print and TV advertising campaign. “Target has won more RAC awards than any other retailer,” noted Douglas Raymond, president and ceo of the Retail Advertising & Marketing Association (RAMA), sponsor of the event. “It continues to set the standard for engaging and effective work.”
Other winners at the awards ceremony that kicks off the conference were: Men's Wearhouse (Houston), the Television Bureau of Advertising award for its use of local television as a marketing weapon; and Dillard's (Little Rock, Ark.), the Newspaper Association of America award for “expert use of newspapers to drive its business.” “Dillard's continues to challenge the newspaper industry to create better fashion formats,” said John Kimball, senior vp and chief marketing officer of NAA, “from local fashion shows to fashion newspaper sections.” Craig Sinclair, current RAMA chairman and vp of advertising for Walgreen Co. (Deerfield, Ill.) since 1991, was inducted into the Retail Advertising Hall of Fame.