NEW YORK and COLUMBUS, Ga., Oct. 25,
2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season Macy's will be
quacking the halls as the retailer expands its partnership with
Aflac. Beginning in early November, Macy's and Aflac will expand
the availability of the collectible plush Aflac Holiday Duck to
more than 670 stores nationwide. The Aflac Duck will also debut as
a new balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving
Day Parade and Aflac will help Macy's bring holiday
happiness to children across the nation with the one and only Santa
Claus.
"We are extremely pleased to expand our long-standing
relationship with Aflac, which will undoubtedly bring excitement to
the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
lineup with a whimsical 35-foot-tall balloonicle, as well as to our
stores nationwide with the Holiday Duck, Santa Claus visits, and
event integrations," said Amy Kule,
Macy's Group Vice President of National Events and Partnership
Marketing and Executive Producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "The Aflac Duck has
always been a favorite collectible plush in our stores and
expanding his visibility will bring him to new fans this holiday
season."
"This year we are pleased to partner with Macy's for several
special events in cities across the country as well as have the
Aflac Duck make its first appearance in the 85-year history of the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," said
Michael Zuna, Chief Marketing
Officer of Aflac. "We are equally proud that our annual plush
Holiday Duck will be sold in more than 670 Macy's stores
nationwide, with the proceeds going to support the treatment and
research of childhood cancer at hospitals across the nation. That's
up from just over 200 stores last year."
Aflac Duck Balloonicle Joins Macy's Parade
Making his first appearance in the 85th Anniversary Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Aflac
Duck will have spectators quacking with delight as he rides down
the route. The famed spokesduck will take on a new form for the
festivities as a 35-foot-tall balloonicle (a Macy's hybrid vehicle
and balloon). Riding on a sleigh and wearing a festive scarf, the
Aflac Duck balloonicle will be a surefire hit and a welcomed
addition to the legendary Parade lineup.
2011 Aflac Holiday Duck at Macy's
Debuting in stores in early November, Macy's will offer the
unique 2011 Aflac Holiday Duck as a collectible plush gift. The
Quack That Gives Back is dressed in a hat and scarf that conjures
up frosty images of the holiday season. With proceeds set to
benefit children's cancer organizations, the Aflac Duck will be
available at 674 Macy's stores, an additional 463 versus 2010. The
Aflac Holiday Duck will be available in a six-inch version
retailing for $10 and a 10-inch
version for $15, with all the
proceeds distributed to the nearest of more than 50 participating
pediatric cancer hospitals in the region where the duck is
purchased. To date, Aflac has raised more than $67 million for childhood cancer and for the
Aflac Cancer Center in Atlanta.
Holiday Happiness Provided by Aflac
In addition to the parade debut and expanded plush duck program,
Aflac will partner with Macy's to bring holiday happiness to cities
across the country at a variety of local events, including the
25-city Macy's Santa Bus Tour, the Macy's Holiday Window Unveiling
in Philadelphia, and the massive
tree lightings in Atlanta,
Boston, Chicago, and San
Francisco.
The 85th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving
Day Parade airs nationwide on NBC-TV, Thursday, November 24, 2011, from 9 a.m. to noon in all time zones. For more
information on the Macy's parade, please visit macys.com/parade or
call the parade hotline at 212-494-4495.
About Macy's:
Macy's, the largest retail brand of Macy's, Inc., delivers fashion
and affordable luxury to customers at more than 800 locations in 45
states, the District of Columbia,
Puerto Rico and Guam. Macy's stores and macys.com offer
distinctive assortments, including the most desired family of
exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy's is known
for such epic events as the Macy's 4th of July
Fireworks® and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as
spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and
celebrity appearances. Building on a 150-year tradition, Macy's
helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national
charities that make a difference in the lives of our customers. For
Macy's media materials, images and contacts, please visit our
online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.
About Aflac Incorporated:
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits
fast. For more than 55 years, Aflac insurance policies have helped
provide a safety net and given policyholders the opportunity to
focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the number one
provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance. In Japan, Aflac is the number one life insurance
company in terms of individual policies in force. Aflac insurance
products provide protection to more than 50 million people
worldwide. For five consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by
Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical
Companies and by Forbes magazine as one of America's
Best-Managed Companies in the Insurance category. In 2011,
Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For in America for the 13th consecutive year.
Also, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of Most
Admired Companies for the 10th time in 2011. Aflac Incorporated is
a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com or
aflacenespanol.com.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100423/CL92305LOGO
)
Media Contacts:
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Analyst and Investor
Contact:
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Laura Kane
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Robin Y. Wilkey
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Aflac Incorporated
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Aflac Incorporated
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706.596.3493
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1.800.235.2667
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706.593.0786 (cell)
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Fax: 706.324.6330
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lkane@aflac.com
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rwilkey@aflac.com
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Macy's:
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Orlando Veras
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646.429.7450
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Orlando.Veras@macys.com
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SOURCE Aflac