Who is the actor in the Macy’s commercial with Alison Brie?
(By Carmichael Phillip)
The advertisement in question is part of Macy’s’ 2024 holiday campaign, titled “The Gift Guide.” The retailer cast Alison Brie as the human embodiment of its gift-guide concept (essentially playing “Macy’s Gift Guide”).
In the campaign’s visual narrative, Alison Brie’s character is accompanied by a younger male actor who acts as her “mentee” or assistant. That actor is Matt Bush.
Who is Matt Bush?
Matt Bush (born March 22, 1986 in Philadelphia) is an American actor and voice actor.
His early work includes roles in films like Adventureland and television series such as Glory Daze (where he played Eli Feldman) and The Goldbergs (as Andy Cogan) across many episodes.
In the Macy’s campaign, Matt Bush portrays the “mentee” to Alison Brie’s Gift Guide, a way to visually structure the ad so that Alison has a foil or point of entry for the audience’s perspective.
What exactly does the commercial show?
The spot opens with Alison Brie in the lead role, clad in Macy’s signature red/holiday wardrobe, introducing the concept of a real-life “Gift Guide” embodied by her. Between scenes of selecting gifts, showcasing product categories, and inviting consumers into a holiday shopping world, Matt Bush’s character functions as a guide or sidekick—helping Alison’s character illustrate how Macy’s can be your one-stop gifting destination.
The campaign was built to run across multiple holiday moments (gift guide, last-minute gifting, Black Friday, Valentine’s Day, etc.). For example, a Valentine’s-Day variant features both Alison Brie and Matt Bush in a similarly branded “Gift Guide” setting.
Why you might have asked “who is that actor?”
Frequently, viewers recognize Alison Brie (thanks to her roles in Community, GLOW, etc.), but may not immediately recognize the supporting actor in a commercial context. Because Matt Bush has a less prominent public profile in major movies (though he has a steady career), many viewers simply note “who is that guy?”
Additionally, the campaign’s narrative puts Alison Brie front-and-center, making the supporting actor slightly less memorable at first glance. The “mentee” role is deliberately supportive rather than starring.
What’s next for Matt Bush and why this matters
For Matt Bush, landing the Macy’s campaign role effectively puts him in front of a broad, national audience via a major retailer’s advertising push—an exposure boost. For Macy’s, pairing a familiar face (Alison Brie) with a lesser-known actor enables them to convey a dynamic story (guide + sidekick) without overshadowing the star.
From a marketing viewpoint, the campaign is designed to humanize the “gift guide” concept: making it not just a brochure but a personification (Alison Brie) plus an assistant (Matt Bush) guiding you.
Quick recap
The commercial in question is part of Macy’s 2024 (and subsequent holiday/Valentine’s) “Gift Guide” campaign starring Alison Brie.
The actor you’re asking about is Matt Bush, who plays Alison’s mentee in the commercial.
Matt Bush has a background in film and TV, and this campaign gives him a high-visibility role in advertising.
Alison Brie plays the core concept (the “Gift Guide”), while Matt Bush supports the narrative.
The campaign spans multiple seasonal tie-ins, which may be why you’ve seen the spot (or variations of it) more than once.
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