talbotlucas.org: a word to the wise is sufficient

From today's online edition of the Chicago Tribune:

Marshall Field & Co., a name long venerated in the history of Chicago retailing, will disappear in the fall of 2006, to be replaced by Macy's.

All 62 Field's in Illinois and seven other states will be converted to Macy's, according to today's announcement by Federated Department Stores Inc., Field's new owner.

While Federated had "great respect for the legacy and traditions of Marshall Field's," the decision to drop the Field's name was made after Federated "carefully researched customer preferences and studied alternatives," Terry J. Lundgren, Federated's chairman, president and chief executive, said in a news release.

"While the store's name will change, much of what customers love will stay the same, including Marshall Field's traditions and its outstanding record of community and charitable giving," Lundgren said.

"From a shopping standpoint, customers will have the best of both worlds in major markets like Chicago, Minneapolis and Detroit," Lundgren said.

"They will continue to benefit from regional buying that remains attuned to local preferences and lifestyles plus enjoy the distinctive merchandise and shopping experience that's part of the Macy's brand," Lundgren said.

"As part of this name change process, we will do everything we can to honor the Marshall Field's heritage, particularly in its Chicago birthplace."

"The distinctive merchandise and shopping experience that's part of the Macy's brand"? Um, what's that? I haven't found anything distinctive about Macy's merchandising or the experience of shopping in their stores. In fact, I've found that it's pretty blah. NYC is different--it's the flagship--but in the rest of the country, Macy's is just another retailer. No reputation for particularly good service, or distinctive merchandise. When I think of distinctive merchandise I think of Barney's. Maybe Neiman Marcus. Henri Bendel--even when there were multiple locations--was distinctive, and the NYC store still is. But Macy's? Give me a break.

I don't doubt the power of a strong brand to influence consumers. But corporate types who get sucked into rebranding campaigns are, in my limited experience and humble opinion, often delusional and usually soft-brained, swallowing the focus-group-speak and PowerPoint pablum that their overpaid marketing consultants feed them. The result: They poop out plans like this one.

At a minimum I hope the organizations that are pressing for Field's State Street location to be designated an historical landmark are successful, and that such a designation carries with it a prohibition on changing the Marshall Field's signage. It won't change how Federated chooses to gut the store's spirit, but that's probably unstoppable.