Archive for May 20th, 2008

Target.  It is almost enough said.  To be, as a designer, consistently amazed by their genius is astounding. Their commercials, not only culturally relevant, but also culturally defining.  Which is always one of my goals as a designer, to not just ride the wave, but to make the wave.  At the end of the day if one could strip away all of the great advertising, it is not too different than a glorified K-Mart.  Actually though, it breaks down in that comparison.  I think the only way I could compare Target to K-Mart is the general offering of goods and store layout.  This is because Target has been so conscientious to bring a higher level of quality to each of it’s products, but not just quality, but affordable, higher-quality, knock offs, of say Pottery Barn, or Williams-Sonoma.  So everyone can have the Restoration Hardware look for less.  Which is brilliant in the day and age where new college graduates want the type of house their parents have, fully decorated, without the income to support it.  Now they can have it.  Genius!  Go free market and consumerism.  But you can feel good about yourself while buying all of life’s necessities at Target, because they give back to the community and the local schools.  

I think the truest test of their effective marketing/branding is ask any woman if she likes Target.