Tag: Target

Whether unintended, malicious or criminal, data breaches are more common than you may think. In fact, The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has cataloged over 4,100 data breaches made public since 2005, which makes it feel like more a question of when – than if – a breach of financial and/or personal data will occur. There is a lot at stake (most significantly the very reputation of your brand) so immediate action is very important. Here’s how to begin developing a crisis plan to respond immediately to a data breach...

Media Logic's Retail Social Juice Index (RSJI) saw some familiar brands ranking at the top of the Index, along with a few newcomers. Talbots earned the highest spike of the week when it combined two sure-fire crowd pleasers: promotional codes and free giveaways. The brand offered free shipping for its Facebook likers and a fan appreciation giveaway that offered one lucky winner a new pair of shoes every month for a year. Delighted Talbots fans responded with enthusiasm, taking to the brand’s Timeline to express positive brand sentiment. Lowe’s, a brand that has topped the RSJI for less than positive reasons, tried something different to engage with fans — and certainly succeeded this time.

In preparing for the highly anticipated Missoni for Target launch, Target “hired” a rather curious brand advocate: “Marina,” a doll. Yes, you read that correctly. The blogger Marina describes herself as “a real doll [with] joints, hinges and all!” A blog -- ‘all the way up here’ -- written by Marina promotes the introduction of the Missoni brand at Target. The doll writes about her porcelain skin and hollowed body. However, it seems as though the savvy social media minds at Target are behind this fashionable “it” girl who promoted the September 13^th launch of Missoni at Target. The Tumblr account, which popped up in the blogosphere on April 5^th, is primarily devoted to sharing information about the Target- Missoni collaboration. However, Marina also blogs about her home country of Italy, her excitement in moving to the big city of New York and her favorite fashion trends (particularly stripes, the pattern which adorns a majority of the Missoni lines) --all seen from the eyes of a doll. These random “personal” blog posts, sprinkled throughout those promoting the new collection, are no accident. Rather, these fashionista- inspired, whimsical posts are a way for Target to promote and grow its desired image for the line.

As a modern marketer, I have been aware of and following QR codes for a couple of years – I was interested when Esquire did an entire issue earlier this year featuring QR codes – one feature with 30 “must have” items for every man included QR codes that would take you to styling tips for that item and where to buy them. Interesting, but not particularly compelling to me – a woman who has given up on styling her husband. QR codes popped up occasionally on movie posters, in hipster magazines and in handful of other pubs. I read articles about their functionality and their failures and occasionally pondered for which of my clients QR codes might work. But that was as far as it went. Until pennant fever overwhelmed me.