7 Serta Sheep ready to storm NY on 3-story tall ‘Dream Generator’

Macy’s unveiled seven new floats for its upcoming Thanksgiving Day Parade, and there were several familiar industry faces peering out from one.

See slideshow: Serta Sheep set to star in Macy’s 99th Thanksgiving Day Parade | Photos

Seven of Serta‘s Counting Sheep will make their debut in the parade on a three-story float dubbed the Dream Generator. The parade, marking its 99th year, spans 2.5 miles through Manhattan and ends at Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square, and the counting sheep, including the new No. 34, will wind their way through the city streets.

Macy’s Studio, the arm responsible for designing, building and creating the floats that run the parade route, hosted a media open house at its more than 70,000-square-foot warehouse in Moonachie, N.J., Tuesday to unveil the seven new floats.

In addition to the sheep, the float features spinning wheels, a slide and a ball pit for children on the float to play in and 1980s pop singer Debbie Gibson crooning her top hit “Only in My Dreams.” The Dream Generator is also equipped with confetti canons and the children riding on the float and the adults walking alongside will be sporting custom pajamas featuring stars and crescent moons on a Serta blue ground.

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of Serta’s Counting Sheep, which play a consistent role in the mattress brand’s advertising. The parade puts the Serta’s messaging about sleep and wellness in the middle of a Thanksgiving tradition.

“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the most-watched events of the year, and bringing the Serta Counting Sheep to that stage gives us a national moment we can carry straight into retail stores,” said Loren Blanchard, Serta senior director of sales. “When consumers see the float in the morning and encounter that same story on the sales floor all weekend long, it creates instant recognition and real momentum for the category.”

In addition to the Serta entry, the Lego Group float features a ski slope; the PopMart float showcases the parade’s first furry inflatable sculptures of Labubu and Mokoko; cruise company Holland America Line highlights glaciers and wildlife with a moving leaping fish; Lindt chocolates offers a dancing ballroom designed around the company’s Lindor truffle; Stranger Things Season 5 features a giant, animated puppet with motion; and Goldfish snack brand has a tiny float measuring a mere eight inches.

“It all starts with a dream and then goes from there,” said Brendan Kennedy, director of creative production for Macy’s Studios, the arm that also manages the retailer’s Fourth of July fireworks, the annual Flower Show and more. “Every piece of the float is designed, hand sculpted and painted here in our studio.”

When Serta secured its part in the iconic parade, the team that works closely with the Macy’s mattress executives, presented the Studio executives with a deep dive of the brand. From there, the Studio team came back with a number of float ideas and from there, the Dream Generator was born.

Kennedy said the Studio team works 18 months out meaning plans are well underway for the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade next year. While he wouldn’t spill secrets for the 2026 edition, he did say the creative group works to make the parade representative of what is current in the culture. This year’s furry Labubu is an example of how Macy’s ties the parade back to cultural touchpoints.

“We loved the story of the Serta sheep, and No. 34 being present both on the float and tied back into the mattress collection in the store is perfect,” he said. “It’s fun and whimsical.”

The artisans and specialists at Macy’s Studios collaborate closely with partners to design, build, and produce immersive floats featuring a range of effects to leave the audience in awe.

This year’s parade will feature more than 5,000 volunteers, 32 balloons, 27 floats, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands and, of course, Santa Claus.

Serta created a Macy’s exclusive mattress collection as part of its partnership and the new mattresses hit five Macy’s stores in a range of markets ahead of the Black Friday selling season.

“The parade partnership is the top of the funnel in the purest sense,” Blanchard said. “We’re reaching families where they already are on Thanksgiving morning and turning that excitement into an in-store experience RSAs can build on. The connection between those two moments is what strengthens conversion.”