A virtual storefront led to an actual spot on the list of finalists for the 15th Annual Shorty Awards, as the Macy’s Virtual Reality HQs campaign earned nods in the “Shopping” and “Creative Use of Technology” categories.
Open Influence teamed up with global media agency Spark Foundry and mixed-reality agency Aircards on the campaign, in which six fashion-forward creators were enlisted to raise awareness of the retailer’s first-ever virtual reality storefront, helping to position Macy’s as a trendsetting brand with an eye toward the future.
Those creators entered and explored the virtual storefronts via custom avatars, demonstrating how easy it was for shoppers to immerse themselves in the experience, browse, and complete their purchases, all without having to set foot in a physical store.
Clickable stickers for Stories were provided to the creators, along with links to the storefront that they could add to their bios.
A total of 759,000 followers was targeted, and the campaign generated 19.24 million total impressions (organic and paid), as well as 56,000 total engagements (organic and paid), for a 19.7% engagement rate.
In-feed Instagram Reels saw a whopping 391.6% engagement rate, while the average engagement rate for Stories was 7.5%. Over 11,500 link clicks were registered (organic and paid), and products saw a click-through rate of 6.5%.
The average time spent viewing assets from the campaign was one minute and 10 seconds. 
The Shorty Awards debuted in 2008 to honor the best work in digital and social media by agencies, brands, individuals, and organizations, and previous winners include Airbnb, BMW, HBO, Lady Gaga, Lizzo, Marvel Studios, Nestlé, Trevor Noah, Michelle Obama, Conan O’Brien, Red Bull, and Malala Yousafzai.
This year’s edition saw 32% more total entries than the previous record-holder, and those entries will be judged by the Real Time Academy, a panel of prominent experts and leaders in digital and social media chosen for their deep industry knowledge, professional reputation, and outstanding achievements, including previous Shorty wins.
An Audience Honor will also be handed out, separate from the RTA voting, and people can register to vote for Macy’s Virtual Reality HQs in the Shopping and Creative Use of Technology categories.
The winners of the 15th Annual Shorty Awards will be revealed at an in-person celebration May 24 at Tribeca 360º in New York.
