The term “main character energy” has become a mainstay of internet slang—particularly on social media platforms such as TikTok, where it’s used to describe the concept of romanticizing life and embracing self-love and confidence. Now, Macy’s is leaning into the viral “main character” trend for its latest campaign, encouraging Millennial and Gen Z shoppers to find outfits that make them feel like the protagonists of their own lives.
The department store chain teamed up with Sarah Bahbah—a photographer and director known on Instagram for her dreamy creative direction—and agency BBDO New York to bring the social media concept to the TV screen. Bahbah directed the 30-second commercial at the center of the campaign, which focuses on several women whose “main character energy” transforms mundane, day-to-day situations into whimsical and brightly-colored scenes.