The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a holiday staple for nearly 100 years, and its advertising — both for department stores and the brands that enter or fly above it — is heavily reliant on companies across the country.

With nearly 30 million viewers annually, the parade continually attracts in-person spectators and television audiences, making it an ideal opportunity to build relationships with consumers.

In 1924, Macy’s launched its inaugural parade in honor of the grand opening of its department store in downtown New York. Since then, it has transcended into the most famous Thanksgiving event, with performers paving the way for Santa’s anticipated entrance.

In every parade since 1927, the performances have been accompanied by fan-favorite balloons such as McDonald’s mascot Ronald McDonald, Pokemon’s Pikachu, and Sinclair’s Dino, all of which have appeared in over 20 parades each.

Other recognizable characters that have floated along the city’s skyline include Smokey the Bear, who first debuted in 1966, Spider-Man in 1987, SpongeBob SquarePants in 2004, The Pillsbury Doughboy in 2009, Kung Fu Panda’s Po and Diary of a Wimpy Kid in 2010, Elf on the Shelf in 2012, Dragon Ball’s Goku in 2018 and Stuart the Minion and Bluey in 2022.

In 2024, the parade will continue its new series of premiere balloons Minnie Mouse from Disney and Paw Patrol’s Marshall.

Even through changing trends, the parade continues to maintain its beloved traditions. The Rockettes, Tom Turkey and Snoopy are always in the spotlight as some of the oldest attractions.

With such consistency, how can companies optimize the parade’s massive PR opportunity for their brands?

The annual parade provides the perfect moment to establish or strengthen awareness for brands looking to frame their own identity, expand their celebrity partnerships or use opportune events such as a product launch or company milestone.

Successfully positioning a national or global brand can be difficult, but the parade has been a valuable resource for many companies hoping to reimagine themselves. A recent example can be seen with Peacock, the streaming service that debuted in 2021.

Launched in 2020, NBCUniversal’s Peacock has become a competitor to many well-established streaming services. A year later, the up-and-coming supplier joined the parade to gain awareness of its offering on a float titled “Birds of a Feather Stream Together.”

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has hosted celebrities since the 1930s, but in recent years brands have begun to seek celebrity partnerships through non-traditional avenues such as content creators and micro-influencers.

In 2022, Green Giant partnered with Tariq “Child of Corn”, who initially went viral on TikTok after sharing his enthusiastic love for corn. As a leading vegetable producer, collaborating with a child who happens to love his vegetables made for the perfect pairing.

@kornboyofficial Big thanks to Green Giant for this Thanksgiving experience. Thanks to @m_steezy for capturing this float video for me #macythanksgivingparade #greengiant ♬ It’s Corn – Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy

At the next parade, he will be joined by Tom Turkey Charlie D’Amelioa TikTok influencer with over 155 million followers. Celebrities like Jennifer Hudson, Dasha and T-Pain will also make their Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut, along with regulars Idina Menzel and Jimmy Fallon.

For PR professionals, timing can make or break a prospecting strategy. The parade is positioned at a dynamic time of year that can usher in campaigns designed for the holiday season.

In 2023, Cher performed the lead single from her new holiday album, Christmasas part of the grand finale of the parade. Viewers across the country heard the catchy tune, “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” successfully rocketing it up multiple charts, including the Billboard Hot 100.

@cherhq POV: Best View Ever! #djplaya Christmas song #expensive #Christmas #Christmas #macyparade #macythanksgivingday parade #holidays ♬ DJ Play A Christmas Song – Cher

As media trends change, Macy’s annual parade will do the same to adapt to new goals such as social responsibility and strategic storytelling. Whether it’s environmentalism or philanthropy, the parade provides an excellent opportunity for companies to spread awareness of the corporate work done both internally and externally.

Storytelling will continue to be an important aspect for parade participants as each float shares its own unique narrative with spectators. With the parade marking its 100th anniversary in 2026, nostalgia is sure to surround the show.

Harnessing this sentiment will be critical for brands, especially long-standing sponsors, to strategically tell their own legacy story.

Overall, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a flagship event for communicators across the country. It has consistently set the pace for high-quality PR and will continue to provide opportunities for cutting-edge solutions for the next hundred years and beyond.

Ryan Hess is an undergraduate student and president of PRSSA at Texas Tech University.