Macy's White Bike Valentine Display Oddly Familiar

Hmm, where have we seen white bikes like this one before? Oh yeah, they're locked up in cities across America to mark locations where cyclists were fatally run over. Nothing like the memory of blood-stained asphalt to make you want to run out and buy a pretty white dress. In a boneheaded move reminiscent of DKNY's failed fashion week bike-vertising, Macy's is now utilizing what appear to be replicas of the sadly familiar Ghost Bikes in their flagship store, as part of an adorable little display called "My Funny Valentine."

But one mortified reader tells us the display should be renamed "My Bloody Valentine," and says there are at least four of them spaced throughout the main floor: "Totally creepy... how tone deaf can you get?" But let's not rush to judgment; perhaps the Macy's Herald Square location is a heretofore unknown death trap for cyclists, and this is their way of paying respect? A spokesperson for Ghost Bikes says:

Clearly, the message of the Ghost Bike Project resonates with residents in NYC, both cyclist and non-cyclist, as evidenced by the public reaction to the DKNY Orange Bike campaign and now this kinda creepy Macy's Valentines display. This display will be down within a week, but the real question for us is, will we still have to make ghost bikes in five years? The answer lies in the efforts of city officials and the actions of the people of NYC. And hopefully Macy's plans on donating that bike to the project.

Elina Kazan, director of marketing for Macy's, has the following explanation: "Bicycles are not a new element in visual presentations especially during the spring season. The spray painted bicycle your reader is referring to is one of many elements that make up our current visual display in store and in the windows that have been painted white. Our spring campaign showcases scenes of the season via color blocking, in this instance white. Unfortunately, your reader is drawing an unintended association from a visual display in our store."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on February 9, 2009 5:13 PM

Comments [rss]

Eugene

I agree with the sentiment that the display is in bad taste, but isn't it a positive step that Macy's sees cycling as a positive thing--something that will appeal to people and sell products.

grandeur

nick s,

I normally don't like carlson's posts, but I think this one is legitimate. Thanks for stirring the pot jen.

Nick S

ha! just realized JDS wrote it and not Carlson...

figures!

grandeur

Does someone know how I can contact Elina Kazan? Or is there anyone I can send a letter of disapproval for the display?

JMH

It's possible that Macy's (more precisely, the few people involved in designing and approving this particularly display) weren't aware of ghost bikes, but now that they are, I think it's time for them to say "hey, sorry, we didn't realize the similarity was there, but now that we do we'll change the displays."

Nick S

I'm just convinced that Jen Carlson is on the Gothamist staff solely to post articles that will get the crazies out to comment.. and it WORKS. Kudos to you, Carlson.

bikinginla

It's not just huge department stores, and not just in New York. Here's the same idea from an upscale boutique in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles:

http://bikinginla.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/how-many-cyclists-have-died-in-this-brentwood-boutique/

I can understand it a little more from a small boutique, where it only requires one or two clueless people. But for a company the size of Macy's to be so culturally tone deaf is simply inexcusable. Maybe a group of cyclists should call the media and stage a die-in in the store. Then Macy's might get a clue, and the Ghost Bike project could get some obviously much needed publicity.

chuzzlewit

well it's just crazy how powerful ghost bikes are - some say they don't care, some say they don't know of them etc., but when i see one the hair on my neck immediately goes up. so i understand the hoopla even though macy's isn't really on the radar for me.

mswas

I'd give the Macy's rep the point that they might not have been aware of the Ghost Bike memorials, and that the association was indeed unintended.

I take more offense at the comments from the director of marketing. This could have been handled in a much more sensitive manner. An apology, a small donation, an acknowledgment of the error could have gone a long way.

What happened to the customer always being right?

thelexiphane

Professional marketers are in the business of being aware of social trends and socially salient memes. Begging ignorance to something that's in plain sight all over the streets of Manhattan is fairly lame.

If they were legitimately ignorant of Ghost Bikes, that only affirms their incompetence. So they're terrible at their jobs, or offensively insensitive. Lose lose.

Papercutninja

Are you people serious?? I think that the Ghost Bike people are doing a good thing, but it's PART OF A DESIGN THEME. White and red looks like their colors for this display. It's an all-white bike. BIG DEAL. I can somewhat understand the DKNY situation because they were chained up outside, similar to the Ghost bikes, but this is a non-story. What a bunch of knee-jerk reactionary cry babies you are.

theninjaturtle

I've never seen or heard of a ghost bike until this article. Probably a bad idea on their part anyways.

gothamgal

Agreed, these white bikes are f'ed up as a marketing ploy--but DKNY's were bright orange! Nothing like ghost bikes. Some people gotta chill.

babyhitler

I never bought a thing at Macy's in my entire life! I've always felt is was for old ladies. Now I know it's true.

stripe

Ghostbikes near Macy's in NYC (and near DKNY national hq)

http://www.ghostbikes.org/new-york-city/alvaro-olsen

http://www.ghostbikes.org/new-york-city/david-smith

http://www.ghostbikes.org/new-york-city/franco-scorcia

BTW this is a national display campaign

from Portland http://ourpdx.net/2009/02/macys-ghost-bikes/

from the fashion world:

http://racked.com/archives/2009/02/09/rackedwire_ghost_bikes_at_macys.php

NannyState

Appropriate for a Ghost Department Store.

Neil Epstein

Ick.

widefive

This is in very poor taste. They should take it down ASAP.

Nick S

What makes you people think that some Macy's visual merchandiser was walking around, spotted a "ghost bike" and thought "hm, this memorial will be a good thing to co-opt to sell valentine's goodies"

Its a bicycle spray painted white. Give me a fucking break, internet bike freaks.

okto

Have any of your friends been hit, injured, or killed on a bike?

Please don't malign something that is sacred to many people just because it isn't important to you.

Ghost bikes are terrible things that embody a lot of powerful emotions for most urban cyclists, and it's fairly tasteless of Macy's not to take them down after being informed of the significance of a rattlecanned-white bike with flowers.

I can totally forgive them the initial mistake—a white bicycle is not exactly a unique idea—but to say that we are wrong in our emotional associations and act as if we should simply not be offended is insensitive and arrogant.

butterbutter

"Unfortunately, your reader is drawing an unintended association from a visual display in our store."

Perhaps their marketing department should just reconsider the 'unintended' association, or either admit they were inspired by the ghost bikes. (white bikes and flowers?... pretty clear)

It was my first 'association' without even reading the article.

handsomedevil

Exactly, whether it is intentional or not, you'd want to avoid it. It's like that stupid old story about how they had to change the name of the Chevy Nova to market to spanish-speaking countries. Just fucking change it.

mx0

"It's like that stupid old story about how they had to change the name of the Chevy Nova to market to spanish-speaking countries. Just fucking change it."

You mean that stupid old untrue story? Not a solid reference.

Rocknrope

Actually, thinking more about it, what percentage of the city is familiar with the 'ghost bike' initiative, and how many shop at Macy's? I would say not that many.

longacre

I had never heard of ghostbikes before reading about the DKNY thing here on Gothamist. Although I'm always hearing about them being all over the place, I've only seen ONE of them in my 29 years in NYC, and that was in the past year. Thus, it's not unreasonable that a store merchandiser from Akron doesn't understand the significance.

handsomedevil

Eh, here in New York I would guess that a healthy percentage of 20- and 30- somethings know what the ghost bikes are. (25% of 20-somethings, 10% of 30-somethings?) (And yes, I shopped at Macy's throughout my 20s, more than I do now, actually.) Considering that you really don't want to turn off *any* bike-obsessed customers over something that is not important, it is still a no-brainer to just change the displays.

tubulus

Isn't there a "real" ghost bike 2 blocks from the Macy's? flagship (36th and broadway).

joshing

Yep, on the NE corner. Maybe they can't see across Broadway...or worse, that could have been the inspiration for their design. Either way, Macy's people who put that up are clueless.

jaycjay

DKNY should sue Macy's.

Rocknrope

Oh, and I think I'm overdosing on traffic crash stories involving bikes and/or pedestrians. There's got to be more interesting things on which to report.

Rocknrope

but the real question for us is, will we still have to make ghost bikes in five years?

Sadly, I think the problem will be much worse in five years.