There has been a lot of
anticipation building around the opening of Target stores in Canada, as well as
some skepticism following less-than-stellar showings by other newly introduced
American stores (such as Marshall’s).
One of Target’s spokespeople – Amy O’Reilly – delivered a concise
message to reassure potential shoppers, stating that “Our Canadian customers
can expect the same exclusive products, the same designer partnerships and the
same environmental and community outreach that their American neighbors
enjoy" (from walletpop.ca). This
statement clearly and concisely captures 3 essential elements of their PR
campaign:
1) Exclusive
products at discount prices (encapsulated in their tagline, “Expect more. Pay
less”)
2) Accessible
and fashionable items with designer credibility
3) Corporate
social responsibility, and investing in their new communities.
Building on the stance they’ve established so far, there are
a few tactical ideas that Target could consider. All off these proposed promotional ideas should be accompanied by a detailed media relations strategy, such as press releases and press kits, PSAs (for the educational tactics), and promoted posts on social media.
Target has
had great success in the past with pop-up stores coinciding with special events
(such as a recent pop-up in Toronto, and another in New York to celebrate Zac
Posen’s new line) but this tactic could cease to be buzz-worthy if it’s
overused, so it would need to be considered carefully. A pop-up store – or stores – that coincide
with a popular time for Canadians to cross the border for American deals, such
as Black Friday, would be a great way to leverage the support of Canadians who
already frequent Target (10% of Canadians, apparently). This would also reinforce the promise that
Canadian Target stores will have the same quality, selection, and low prices as
American stores, while staying closer to home.
Designer
partnerships (such as the most recent Neiman Marcus line) have been extremely
important in Target’s advertising and promotion, which has a direct appeal to
“every fashionista-on-a-budget north of the border” (walletpop.ca). An online contest on a visually driven and
fashion-friendly social network, such as Pinterest, would offer exclusive sneak
peeks of upcoming collections, and build anticipation for the actual arrival of
these collections. Target could invite
fans to build their own personalized pinboard of favorite looks from an
upcoming collection, which would enter them to win a shopping spree for when
the store opens. Not only would this help to promote the designers and brands, but it would also build anticipation among fashion and social media influencers and their followers.
Target has
also already begun building their reputation for corporate social responsibility through a Facebook campaign to donate $1 Million to Canadiancharities. They could develop this
reputation and reinforce their community commitment further with smaller
initiatives, based specifically in the communities that they are moving
into. They place a lot of emphasis on
education, so it would be logical to partner with local museums to plan a free
or subsidized admission day in advance of the store opening. In collaboration with the school and museums,
they could plan a scavenger hunt (or a similar, age-appropriate educational
activity) in the museum, with Target providing age-appropriate prizes linked to
the Target brand – for example, gift cards for older students, or plush animals
for younger students). While Targetstates that 70% of Canadians are already familiar with their brand, this would –
quite literally – bring their brand awareness home.
Of course, regardless of the tactics that they use to build awareness and buzz around the opening, the proof will be in the pudding, and their success will depend on how the Target stores and shopping experience measure up to their promises.
