Red Hot
The inside story of how smart marketing and innovative design transformed Target into an icon of cheap chic
By Joel Hoekstra
Photo by Darrell Eager (Photo Illustration)
(page 2 of 5)
the BUZZ
Target’s first forays outside of Minnesota were into Colorado and Missouri, aiming to attract shoppers with low prices. But as the company grew, reaching 399 stores in 31 states in 1989, and began opening stores in cities where other discounters were entrenched and price competition was fierce, it needed a point of differentiation. How could it distinguish itself from Kmart and Wal-Mart? Could it replicate its Tarzhay reputation outside of Minnesota? What if, say, prices were low but the experience didn’t feel cheap? Could shopping at Target be made to feel cool?Again, Pellegrene turned to celebrities, perhaps intuiting that the quickest path to coolness is often by association. As the company moved into suburban Chicago in 1993 and the outer boroughs of New York City in 1998, it sought out famous athletes (Michael Jordan) and actors (Joey Lawrence), sure that the shine of stardom would rub off on Target. But it would take more than celebrity endorsements to get the attention of overstimulated urbanites: Target’s marketing and advertising had to be equally captivating.
Pellegrene: In Chicago, we did what I believe was the first radio roadblock in history: Every radio station ran the same commercial at the same exact time every day for a week, so everywhere you turned on the dial, you got it.
Radio spot played at 7:10 a.m.: “For the next 60 seconds we’re taking control of every radio station in the Chicago area, so there’s no need to turn the dial…[static]…. See we’re on this station, too… and this one…. I thought we told you not to do that…. Yep, we’re still here…. Hi…. We’ve taken this drastic step so no one misses this moment…. All here? Ready…three, two, one. It’s Target Time!”
Pellegrene: It was a hit. And we had a teaser campaign telling people not to buy things before the date of our opening—“Don’t buy an iron ’til March 14!” or “Don’t buy deodorant ’til March 14!” There were celebrities we brought in, and people lined up to meet them.
Karen Gershman, senior vice president, marketing, Target: A month or so before opening in New York, we ran an ad in the New York Times. All it was was a bull’s-eye with some small type that said, If you’re familiar with this logo, call this number for an invite to our grand-opening party. The ad ran on a Sunday, and by noon that day, the message machine was full. So we knew that there were plenty of people who were familiar with Target.
Pellegrene: The idea was to go into Manhattan and knock everything over. Why? All the publishing industry is located there. We needed New York to become a household word. But we didn’t have any stores in New York City. The closest thing we had was a store way out in New Jersey somewhere.
Well, one of the celebrities we tapped when we decided to donate [$25,000] to Broadway Cares [an AIDS fundraising organization] was Sarah Jessica Parker. [She was in a stage show called Once Upon a Mattress.] So one day we took Sarah Jessica and some other stars out to the Target store in New Jersey, and they went shopping. In fact, they went absolutely bonkers over Target, and later Sarah Jessica went on Conan O’Brien and all she could do was talk about Target—the household goods, the lingerie….
Sarah Jessica Parker, appearing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in 1997: So we went out to Target, and it was fantastic. Target, what a store! They have everything…. We don’t have those large stores in Manhattan…. Wow! I bought a box of 90 tall kitchen garbage bags! You can’t find that in Manhattan, right?
Conan O’Brien: Did somebody put a chip in your head?
Parker: I was just grabbing boxes…. It was just fantastic…. The whole experience was really a revelation…. I had no intention of coming on your show and shamelessly plugging Target. But truly, when you discover something good, why not share? I’m not selfish. I also found some nightgowns for $12—all cotton. Let me tell you about this nightgown….
Pellegrene: I couldn’t buy that kind of publicity if I tried.
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Reader Comments:
I just received my weekly Target ad in my Sunday paper and in the toys section, there was a picture of a little boy in front of a play workbench, and a little girl in front of a play kitchen.
Oh yeah, the marketing team are REAL revolutionaries over at Target.
Lisa T... What would you expect to see in the toy section playing with toys? Talk about missing the whole point of an article.