Target: TARGET LOVES CANADA

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: TARGET
Agency: VERITAS COMMUNICATIONS
Category: Best Use of Live Events and/or Stunts
President: David Stark (David Stark Design)
PM: Jeffry Roick (Mcnabb Roick)
President: Nick Dean (KBS+P)
Sr Account Manager: Kyle Guttormson (Mosiac)

Campaign Description
In 2011, Target, one of the USA's leading retailers, chose Canada to be the first country outsidethe United States for expansion and chose our agency to be its Canadian publicrelations partner.We developed and executed a public relations plan that would leadTarget's Canadian brand-building efforts both consumer-facing and for human resourcesrecruitment to support the hiring of 27,000 employees across the country and overseas (for callcentre support).With no supplemental brand engagement opportunities through e-commerce (Target's onlineretail would not be operational until after store openings), We took a lead role incollaborating with other agencies and internal partners to created a series of experientialexecutions we dubbed 'A Taste of Target' to generate positive media coverage, onlineconversation and word-of-mouth.To mitigate strongly held negative perceptions by Canadians about previous U.S.-based retailexpansion into the country, the plan was rooted in a 'humble and authentic' approach todemonstrate that Target was genuinely interested in getting to know and love its northernneighbours.From a one-day pop-up store in downtown Toronto showcasing Canadian-born designer JasonWu's latest limited-edition designs, to 'Bullseye Beach' events across the country featuringbeach volleyball and sandcastle competitions, to the Target Hotel offering filmmakers andcelebrities an oasis away from the hubbub of the world's second largest film festival, to the 'GiveWith Target' CSR initiative that let Canadians determine how to allocate $1 million inphilanthropic funding, 'A Taste of Target' exceeded objectives and is now a global template forfuture expansion.

Client Brief Or Objective
The goal of 'A Taste of Target' was to establish and maintain momentum over the two-yearperiod from the announcement of Target's move into Canada through to the opening of thestores; to generate positive media coverage, online chatter and word-of-mouth in all parts ofCanada while also guarding against possible brand fatigue and mitigating potential negatives,including entrenched perceptions of American retail giants moving into the country, as well aslabour-related issues involving former employees of the previous retailers in the same storespace (Zellers - a division of The Hudson Bay Company)

Effectiveness
Awareness of Target's impending arrival among Canadians grew to 92 per cent followingexecution of the 'Taste of Target' campaign a 20 percentage-point increase from thepre-campaign level.750 million media impressions were generated, with highest favourability reaching 94 per cent a 16 percentage-point increase.8,000 Canadians participated in the 'Give with Target' CSR initiative and 12,346,308 mediaimpressions were generated. The $1 million in funding was fully allocated to worthy initiatives inthree days.Staff recruitment goals of 650 Canadian head office employees and 5,000 retail team membersin southern Ontario were achieved ahead of schedule; goal of 27,000 hires by fall of 2013 is ontrack.Labour movement opposition has not impacted on hiring, nor on Canadians' intention to shop atTarget stores or favourability toward Target.Our 'Taste of Target' strategy and execution led to Target being named 'Pre-Brand of theYear' in Strategy Magazine's 2012 Brands of the Year issue.

Strategy
The strategy was all about love: in order to demonstrate that Target Loves Canada, the brandwould need to give love in order to receive it in return. We had to demonstrate to Canadians thatTarget loves and respects them (and recognizes how they are different from Americans), andthat Target wants to earn their love (and understands that it could be neither expected nordemanded).Target's love for Canada would be shown through a series of PR encounters mounted acrossthe country designed to influence the influencers and amplified through traditional and digitalmedia.

Relevancy
Based in Minneapolis, Target Corporation serves guests at 1,747 retail stores in the U.S.offering a broad range of consumer, household, lifestyle and fashion products and services. Thecompany's expansion into Canada required a PR plan to positively build Target's Canadian retailand employment brands while avoiding the broadly negative reaction generated by otherAmerican retailer's entry into the market.The campaign led all communications and was executed over a two-year period, from theannouncement of the retailer's plans to expand to Canada up until the first store openings.

Execution
Target invented the pop-up store; we made it Canadian, visually branding a one-day storewith striking 'Target Loves Canada' iconography and featuring the newest design partnershipwith Canadian-raised Jason Wu (who had recently generated global buzz with his outfits forMichelle Obama). The Toronto pop-up was literally lined up around the block; buzz wasextended across the country through giveaway promotions with top style bloggers in eachprovince.'Beach' events held across the country reflected Target's understanding of Canadians' love offun in the summer sun.'Target Hotel' at the Toronto International Film Festival, fully outfitted with Target products, gavefilm industry players a place to relax with stars from Canada's public broadcaster, the CBC.'Holiday' events across Canada featured hometown national music stars and free Starbuckscoffee and hot chocolate.'Give with Target' let Canadians decide how to allocate $1 million in CSR funding in communitiesacross the country.