BRAND HALL OF FAME: TARGET.

06.03.09

I remember the first time I entered a Target store: shock and awe, baby. Shock and awe. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I was used to Wal-Mart. Dudes with mullets, screaming babies, dirty floors, long lines, messy shelves, and cheap products.

Entering a Target for the first time made it okay for me to boycott Wal-Mart forever. Target was so…CLEAN. And so…PRETTY. Yes, they’re a big box store that sells crap that’s going to break in six months, but I FEEL like it’s going to last longer. Because hey, there’s aisle after aisle of eye candy. And well-stocked shelves. And products available at reasonable prices for a limited time.

What can we learn from Target?

Little things can be big things. A clean, open working space doesn’t cost much to maintain, but can cause a big boost in client (er, ‘guest’) perception of your company.

Improve on what’s out there, if only by a slim margin. Target isn’t 1,000 times better than Wal-mart, and you don’t have to be 1,000 times better than your competitor to nab more business. Just improve on the status quo. This could be a handwritten note to your project manager after finishing a freelance job or a quick phone call instead of an e-mail when handling customer service. Nothing revolutionary, just an improvement; win the world over in baby steps.

And uh, get rid of that mullet. Or you’ll be branded a Wal-mart shopper for life.

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Becky (rksquared) - June 4, 2009 - 11:01 pm

Growing up in the Minneapolis/St Paul area of MN, Target and I became BFFs way before I ever knew that Walmart even existed. It probably sounds dorky, but it’s been fun to see the brand evolve and grow up into the icon it is today. As for Walmart, the two words that come to mind when I remember walking into one for the first time are cheap and claustrophobic. For me, Target = inexpensive; Walmart = cheap.

johnwaire | photo - June 4, 2009 - 7:10 am

great post. target has definitely hit the nail on the head with perceived value. works for me in a heartbeat.

side note, i think i secretly enjoyed this post because you mentioned mullets. just saying it makes me laugh. equating it with walmart makes it that much funnier.