Macy’s CEO previews new Thanksgiving Day Parade acts

>> LOOKING GREAT. >> YOU TOO. >> WE’RE GOING TO GET BACK TO STUDIO 1A IN A FEW MINUTES. WE WANT TO TURN NOW TO OUR SPECIAL GUEST, THE 97th MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE WILL START WITH JEFFREY GENNETTE, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF MACY’S INC. RIGHT HERE AT THE HELM. GREAT TO SEE YOU, GOOD MORNING. >> HAPPY THANKSGIVING, SAVANNAH AND HOE DWA. SO GREAT TO BE BACK WITH YOU AGAIN. >> WE’RE HAPPY TO BE WITH YOU. READY TO HAVE A PARADE, PERFECT WEATHER FOR IT. TELL US WHAT THIS MEANS TO THE EMPLOYEES OF MACY’S, TO YOU, AND

REALLY TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY NOW. THIS IS 97th YEAR. >> ON BEHALF OF THE 100,000 COLLEAGUES AT MACY’S. WE LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KICK IN THE HOLIDAY SEASON. THIS IS AN ICONIC EVENT AND THIS IS THE BEGINNING. WE’VE GOT A GREAT LINEUP THIS YEAR. >> EVERY YEAR SAVANNAH AND I SAY IT’S BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER. THIS YEAR, IT’S ACTUALLY — THIS IS THE BIGGEST WE’VE SEEN. WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR? >> WE’RE OPENING ONE-HALF HOUR EARLY. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE DRONES. WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEW PRODUCTION THAT’S GOING INTO THIS. NEW BALLOONS, SO WE

BASICALLY — EAGLE SCOUT SNOOPY, WE’VE GOT THE NEW PANDA BALLOON, GREAT FLOATS. TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES. >> YEAH. >> AS WELL AS THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WONKA, THAT IS VERY EXCITING. WE HAVE THE INCOMPARABLE CHER. JOHN BAA JON BATISTE

TA IS CUTTING THE RIBBON. >> IT’S SO MEANINGFUL. WE LOVE THE MARCHING BANDS AND THE CHEERLEADERS. THESE ARE KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN PRACTICING LITERALLY FOR YEARS FOR THIS MOMENT. >> AND THEY HAVE BEEN — AND WE SELECT THEM LIKE TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE, AND HERE THEY ARE. THIS IS A PILGRIMAGE THEY COME. THEY’VE BEEN ALL AROUND

NEW YORK FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, REHEARSING, READY, SPIRIT OF AMERICA IS GOING TO HAVE 1,200 DANCERS, GET READY FOR THAT. THAT’S AT THE END. THE ROCKETTES SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE PARADE. >> WHEN WE WERE DOING THE READ-THROUGH, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FEELING THAT A LOT OF THE ORGANIZERS GET WHEN THEY GET TO CALL A BAND, CALL A HIGH SCHOOL BAND AND SAY YOU’VE BEEN CHOSEN OR TELL A BROADWAY SHOW, YOU’RE PERFORMING ON BROADWAY BUT YOU’RE ALSO PERFORMING IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. THAT MUST BE SUCH A THRILL,

ALL THE PREPARATION THAT GOES INTO THIS PARADE. >> SO MANY OF THE PERFORMERS HAVE NEVER BEEN IN NEW YORK CITY BEFORE. THIS IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEIR WEARS HERE IN FRONT OF AMERICA. >> IT’S MACY’S AFTER ALL, WE KNOW WE HAVE THANKSGIVING AND THEN WE HAVE BLACK FRIDAY. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THIS YEAR? YOU’RE A BUSINESSMAN. HOW’S IT LOOKING? >> IT’S LOOKING GREAT. WE’RE OPEN ONLINE. ANY SHOPPER THAT WANTS TO COME IN. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO A STORE, BLOOMINGDALE’S, 6:00 A.M. WE OPEN TOMORROW. WE HAVE GOT GIFTS FOR ANYBODY ON YOUR GIFT

LIST. IT’S IN BEAUTY, APPAREL, HOME STORE. WE’VE GOT ANYTHING THAT ANY OF YOU NEED FOR ANYBODY ON YOUR GIFT LIFT. >> ONE STOP SHOPPING. >> WE’RE SO HAPPY TODAY, EXCEPT FOR THERE IS ONE THING THAT’S MAKING US A LITTLE BUMMED OUT. IT IS THE FACT THAT THIS WILL BE YOUR FINAL YEAR AT THE HELM. YOU’RE DECIDING THAT THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE GRAND FINALE FOR YOU. >> THIS IS MY TIME. I’VE BEEN WITH MACY’S FOR 40 YEARS. IT HAS BEEN SUCH AN HONOR TO BE A STEWARD AS CEO. I COULDN’T BE HAPPY FOR MY

SUCCESSOR, BUT IT IS