Target is Dead to Me

Blogger contacts Target regarding a Target billboard ad. Target responds to her with:

Good Morning Amy,

Thank you for contacting Target; unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with non-traditional media outlets. This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest.

Once again thank you for your interest, and have a nice day.

Pure ridiculousness.  Target cannot be serious with this response. 

How has this changed my opinion of Target? If Target doesn't care about the everyday blogger and their experiences with their brand... In return, I don't care about them.  I will not shop at Target until they recognize our importance as individuals, as influencer's and consumers.

Update: Target, Listen Up Cause... (link to source)

• Over 12 million American adults currently maintain a blog.
• More than 147 million Americans use the Internet.
• Over 57 million Americns read blogs.

Comments

[Bud Caddell]

Maybe they're shying away from bloggers cuz of the trouncing they received over 'Rounders' Which all proves that they won't talk to you online, unless you'll lie for them and make them look good. Oh boy!

http://www.passion2publish.com/2007/12/rant-target-the.html

[David Fisher]

Is shopping at Target even an option? I didn't know they had one anywhere near NYC (I think there's one near Long Island in Brooklyn actually).

I group Target in with Walmart and other large crappy companies that are sapping the US and providing horrid goods and few services to us.

I realized the other day when shopping at Lucky that Americans complain about wages, few jobs, and outsourcing- but yet will not purchase Made in US goods because they are too expensive. It's quite a paradox. It ended in me buying an expensive pair of jeans, made in the US.

Target and Walmart cater to middle america, who sadly is not on average a well connected, well informed blogger. It's more the Faux news crowd that they care about sadly.

+1 for no longer shopping at Target

[Hans]

I agree with Bud Caddell for the most part. The only thing I'd like to ad is that even if it says "made in US" it might not be made under the best circumstances either. Check out the Video on the Witness.org chanel on Joost or ou can read up about it right here: http://tinyurl.com/22t387

[MaxWeb]

I don't blame you... It's unfortunate that Target isn't willing to see it's customers as the smart, tech savvy individuals that they seem to promote in their marketing efforts. When saying, "Target does not participate with non-traditional media outlets. This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest."

They say more than "we don't think our core guests are tech savvy" they are saying about themselves that they aren't tech savvy nor are they "early adopters" and that they don't believe that those people will shop at Target.

Diffusion of innovations theory was formalized by Everett Rogers in a 1962 book called Diffusion of Innovations. Rogers stated that adopters of any new innovation or idea could be categorized as innovators (2.5%), early adopters (13.5%), early majority (34%), late majority (34%) and laggards (16%), based on a bell curve. Each adopter's willingness and ability to adopt an innovation would depend on their awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. Some of the characteristics of each category of adopter include:

Innovators - venturesome, educated, multiple info sources, greater propensity to take risk

Early Adopters - social leaders, popular, educated

Early Majority - deliberate, many informal social contacts

Late Majority - skeptical, traditional, lower socio-economic status

Laggards - neighbors and friends are main info sources, fear of debt

Target seems to put their customers into the "Late Majority" category, or at the very least, that's who they are pandering to, so at best they are only trying to take customers from the bottom 50% of available sales. It's unfortunate that they don't see that almost 50% of the market don't fall into their marketing plan. They have chosen, with their narrow view of their "Target Customer" to eliminate a huge demographic that they could be extracting previously untapped revenue from.

[Hans]

oops, it was Davi Fishers comment I was referring to. The Video on the witness.org chanel is called: Behind the Labels. It's crazy that there is pretty much slave labor hidden under the name: made in US

[Belinda]

Up until now? Target had enormously good buzz in the "blogosphere." All over the internet, especially among women, you would see frequent discussions about shopping at Target, and how they found great stuff there, spent more than they intended, etc. They are obviously WAY "unplugged" if they're unaware of the viral nature of the internet and the possible repercussions of a statement like that.

[JohnC]

Hmmm. I read BLOGS and (occasionally) write my own BLOG. I (used to) SHOP at Target. Congrats, I am no longer one of your 'core guests.'

[Ontario Emperor]

VERY interesting story, Julia, especially in noting that the story has morphed from the original "offensive ad" issue (of which the offensiveness is still being debated) to the "who cares about the non-traditional media" issue (which, to my knowledge, is not really in question).

It was especially interesting to note that Robert Scoble met with some Target PR and marketing people a couple of years ago, and he specifically told them about the power of blogs. Said message was delivered, but it may not have been received.

[Shaping Youth]

Hey, Julia, just found your post from Ontario Emperor above, and find it eloquently shines the spotlight on the second prong of a two pronged issue that's being distorted, tweaked & tweeted big time.

I have NO desire to become the posterchild for Tarjay's poor choices, and am still reeling that we even have this many thousands of readers fergawdsakes, as objectification is only one of a gazillion issues we're covering from the inside out of our own industry...(not to mention we're still in 'stealth mode' and haven't even announced our org's existence yet for this very reason...)

To me, you've tapped into a huge Web 2.0 issue: Just think if I had TRIED to get viral pickup on this instead of trying to AVOID the media/viral bit by silencing our board of directors and avid fans to 'behave.'

My policy has been that I prefer Shaping Youth not get drawn into a 'one-off' corporate blunder w/undue focus on the 'is this offensive or not' minutiae and instead, uncork the BIGGER messages of media objectification universally, and the power of Web 2.0 media to be used for positive change.

Clearly, this little viral mishap has proven the power of the latter! Thanks again...

[Ontario Emperor]

Julia, it should be noted that a Target spokesperson says they are re-evaluating their policy, according to the Minnesota Monitor. Here's part of what Target spokesperson Amy VonWalter said:

- - -

Reached by phone on Tuesday, VonWalter told me that workload has something to do with the policy, but there's a bigger factor. "We want to focus on our communications with our customer base and our guests, not on the industry as a whole… That just expanded into blogs."

But she acknowledges that, with the decline in the newspaper industry and more people getting information from online sources, the policy needs an overhaul, and one has been in the works for some time. "In today's media world, we recognize it's worth revisiting."

Further, "we understand that the public is looking for more transparency, both from government and from corporations."

She couldn't determine what criteria -- site traffic, content, mission of a site -- might guide heightened transparency among online entities. "Is it certain blogs? Is it influencer blogs?" she pondered.

[Jenna]

I'm right there with you. I hate Target due to their unethical return policy. I will never shop there again.

[Annie Mammaditre]

That's it, I'm going back to WalMart! OK, you called my bluff; nevertheless, no more Target for me and the rest of my family (5 in all). It's the second time they tick me off this month. First, they rolled out a ridiculous return policy that limits returns without receipts to two/year (enforced by scanning your driver's license!), then this. These people need to do some serious research on their audience; might as well just get over with it and call me "white trash" to my face.

[Marvin]

From a business perspective I understand Targets point of view. In retail control over image is everything. In that regard Target wants to ensure that they have some control over the kind of image the company has in the media. The debate about blogging as being a legitimate form of journalism is still on going. You may in fact be entirely credible, and blog with the same professional standards as traditional print or broad journalists, but on the other hand you might not. Target has no way to know if you will be accountable for what you write or for that matter how others might respond to your blog post. With that point in view the company is being cautious and perhaps responsible to their stock holders by not allowing bloggers the same access as other journalists.

All that being said, Target and other corporate entities should certainly get better plugged into the new realities that blogging represents. I'm sure that with some thought and consideration they could find a better way to respond than as you noted.

[Marvin]

From a business perspective I understand Targets point of view. In retail control over image is everything. In that regard Target wants to ensure that they have some control over the kind of image the company has in the media. The debate about blogging as being a legitimate form of journalism is still on going. You may in fact be entirely credible, and blog with the same professional standards as traditional print or broad journalists, but on the other hand you might not. Target has no way to know if you will be accountable for what you write or for that matter how others might respond to your blog post. With that point in view the company is being cautious and perhaps responsible to their stock holders by not allowing bloggers the same access as other journalists.

All that being said, Target and other corporate entities should certainly get better plugged into the new realities that blogging represents. I'm sure that with some thought and consideration they could find a better way to respond than as you noted.

[Wasabi Bratwurst]

That is pathetic considering their Target demographic(pun). But if can quit shopping at Target, I can save $100 bucks here and there, ALL THE TIME! That's huge! Julia, any alternative recommendation as to where a middle class American can go consume and lube the economy? p.s. Following you on Twitter :)