Target, eh?!

Target is coming to town. And what a party we are planning!

http://sites.target.com/images/company/home/content/masthead_hello_canada.jpg
 

When I heard Target was coming to Canada, I was not all that excited. I figured we did not need another American company coming to Canada to encourage more ‘Über-shopping’ and perhaps take away customers from some of our Canadian stores. I believe that as a society we need to learn to shop less and get by with less ‘stuff’. However, that is my personal opinion, one that I need to develop with my own lifestyle...still a work in progress. At this point I would be considered a hypocrite with this philosophy. After all, this week I’m taking a whole tour bus full of Winnipeggers to Minneapolis for the Black Friday weekend. To shop! At Target...and other places...American shopping places. My walk doesn’t meet my talk...yet.

Target has created a buzz in Canada. They state that they are going to provide Canadians with new shopping opportunities, with new-to-Canada products, and all at affordable prices. Target is also committed to being a good neighbour, bringing much benefit to each of the communities where one will find a Target location. It is these benefits that my PR tactics will focus on.

Since I was assigned to develop tactics for Target’s coming to town, I started with research, as Samantha, our PR instructor, has ingrained in us. Research can sure open our eyes, eh? Prior to research, I viewed Target as being another Walmart type corporation: a giant that puts small businesses out of business and doesn’t bring much benefit to a community, in my opinion. Perhaps Walmart could use a dose of good PR!

Target may be new to Canada, but its roots can be traced back to1902, under the name Dayton’s Dry Goods Company. They were philanthropic from the early days of the corporation as The Dayton Foundation, now known as The Target Foundation. I was duly impressed with the company’s generosity and ethical behaviour. They have also won numerous awards and acclamations from reputable sources. Either they have tremendous luck with great PR, or they are truly a decent company. Their good reputation made it quite easy to come up with positive PR tactics.

Target is coming to town. This is a story the media will want to report. Part of my strategy is to make certain they are able to report positive facts about Target and that the message of Target as a 'Good Neighbour' comes across loud and clear. As the president of Target Canada says:

 

"Target is so much more than just a place to shop. We also have a long history as a great place to work and of being a strong partner in the cities and towns where we do business. I’m proud to report that we’re already hiring a great team and launching our philanthropic efforts."
 

Here are some of the tactics I have come up with that will share the philanthropic philosophy of Target and also the benefit Target brings to communities, as well as the opportunity for shopping deals:

 

·        Target will keep on top of social media, their website and blogs to keep their publics posted about all upcoming events, contests and philanthropic goals, as well as special shopping deals.

 

·         Target will have regular press releases about upcoming events, contests, goals and objectives for each Target community store. These press releases will start in December and increase in frequency as the opening dates move closer.

·         Target will place ads and also media awareness campaigns on television, radio and newspapers, starting January 25, 2013. They will promote store openings, sales, shopping merchandise and also Good Neighbour events. These include all of the campaigns and programs included in the tactics.
 

·         Not only is Target already taking job applications online, Target will also hold job fairs on a weekly basis beginning three weeks prior to store openings. This will also be announced via a press release.
 

·         Target will continue to promote their Canadian REDcard, advertising on television, radio and newspapers as well as social media about the REDcard and the opportunity to use it online and in any of the Target stores.
 

·   Target will start a "Take Charge of Education" program in Winnipeg on January 25, 2013, three months prior to their opening. Schools will be invited to enroll online, and parents and the community will be invited to sign up for the REDcard online, choosing a school to support.
 

·         Starting February 1, 2013, Target will be holding a contest for local public school students to come up with a YouTube video that will promote the Target Brand. The winning school will receive $25,000 in grant money and a chance to have their video used for a nation-wide television commercial. Each school may send in as many video submissions as they wish. The winner will be chosen on Opening Day, April 19, 2013. Contest announcement will coincide with the Take Charge of Education announcement.

·          Each store will have its own Facebook page. For every ‘like’ the page receives, it will donate a dollar to community sports and/or arts programs.
 

 

·         The “Paint the town RED” campaign will take place February 8-16, 2013 in each community where a new Target is opening up. A group of Target staffers will have a display set up in specific local malls. Everyone who visits the displays and is wearing a RED shirt will receive a coupon worth $10 off a $50 purchase at any Target location, including online shopping. Not only that, but for every RED shirt Target will donate $10 to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
 

·         The“Paint the town RED” campaign will ask people to sign up for email updates, and will have a small survey available asking questions about the perceptions and expectations of the new Target store. The staff will have opportunity to interact with their public and also try to get feedback and contact information so they can keep in touch and hopefully evaluate the success of the launch at a later date. There will also be awareness made of all Target Canada social media links, and apps.

 

·         Target will hold a fashion show in the mall during the “Paint the town RED” campaign. This will showcase a number of models wearing some of the quality fashion items Target will sell in their store.

 

·         Target will be looking to hire four teen-age Target ambassadors during the “Paint the town RED” campaign. Once hired, they will be featured in future mailers as models and will help out with local media events, campaigns, and opening ceremonies. They will also speak to the younger generations on social media sites and the Take Charge of Education program and will also help judge the YouTube Target video submissions from the schools.

 

·         During the week of April 11 and April 18, Target flyers and mailers will be sent out to the surrounding communities of each store, advertising special opening week deals. Coupons for Target product deals will be included in the mailers. These flyers and coupons will continue to be sent out weekly as is common in the Winnipeg market.

 

·         Store opening will be April 19, 2013 and opening week will take place April 19-28, 2013. There will be an opening ceremony and cookies as well as free coffee or hot chocolate from Starbucks will be served.

 

·         The president of Target Canada will be present at each store opening and will hold a press release prior to the opening and the day after the store opening.
 

·         The Target store opening will also include prominent people from the community. They will be educators and representatives from some of the causes that Target will support, such as United Way, Salvation Army, Heart and Stroke Foundation, and others.

·         Throughout opening week, there will be opportunities for draws and the possibility of winning free merchandise. There will be special sales and promotions planned throughout the opening week.

 

·         During opening week, April 19-28, 2013, Target will donate not only the regular 5% REDcard purchase profits, but 10% of its local store profits to various community causes, a list of which can be found on their website. This will also be announced at one of the many press conferences prior to opening.

    Now, how excited are you that Target is coming to town, eh?! I, for one, have started a whole new love affair with this red beast.

            http://www.milkandcoco.ca/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/target-loves-canada1.jpg

 

blog post comments #2 #3 #4

Comment #4

Post: How to Ride the Buzz Wave of Big Events

As a student  of PR, I find the concept of piggyback PR quite intriguing. I think it’s a great way to get the most bang for your buck. The example you mentioned about Oreo Cookie taking advantage of the successful Mars landing to put out a humorous picture, put a smile of my face. And a good feeling about the Oreo brand. I really enjoy the creative thinking behind this kind of concept.

On the other hand, there are some terrible examples out there of piggyback PR gone too far. You mention the example of Kenneth Cole’s tasteless twitter comment promoting his clothing line after a revolution in North Africa. Along the same line, there was the comment about Aurora trending because of a Kim Kardashian dress, just after the Aurora, Colorado Theater shooting. What is it with these fashion designers/sellers?  This week American Apparel promoted a Hurricane Sandy sale for those bored by the hurricane; another case of piggyback PR gone wrong and a great lesson for a PR student to learn. Your post has inspired me to take advantage of piggyback PR in a tasteful manner such as Oreo Cookie did, but at all costs, to use common sense!

 

 

Comment #3

Post: reply to thread on "In Sandy's wake, should brands shut up on social media?"

I agree with your point. I am sure that Sears is still making a profit on those generators. It just might be less of a profit than they had originally planned for - perhaps they are just breaking even. Of course they will probably sell more than they would otherwise, so that could be good for their bottom dollar, depending on their profit margin. I'm criticizing those businesses that take advantage of a tough situation and try to generate income by piggybacking off a tragedy. I know someone who made a nice chunk of money after 9/11, preying on people's fears by selling gas masks on eBay for a terrific profit...then laughing at the gullibility of these buyers. To me, that kind of behaviour is a money grab. I felt American Apparel’s advertising was in very bad taste.  Who needs more cheap fashion during this particular crisis?! But I agree with you that anyone legitimately working and helping out during a crisis, should absolutely be paid their fair wages. It sure is great though, that there are volunteers and businesses that go that extra mile and donate their time and goods to others during a crisis. When I hear of a business doing that, I want to be their customer.

 

 

Comment #2 

Post: In Sandy's wake, should brands shut up on social media?

People want to support businesses that put people before profit. Sometimes the two can go hand in hand, but sometimes it’s good for a business to take a bit of a profit loss, and share in the suffering along with the people. That’s good PR. I like that Sears took a look at what people need during this crisis and are agreeing to supply generators for a sale price. Hopefully it really is a decent deal and not just a money grab. There is also nothing wrong with a restaurant announcing to its clientele that they are open during this time of upheaval. I’m sure a lot of the restaurants affected by the loss of electricity aren’t able to stay open. However, if there was a lot of‘promotional hype’ with this announcement, as it seems to be with chef Bobby Flay, I would question his sincerity. But I really object to American Apparel’s Hurricane Sandy sale. I’m joining the masses in forever boycotting them. Huge PR gaffe!