This Sunday during the Oscars, Target will release its first Canadian TV ad campaign.
Target has been planning to expand into Canada for quite a while, which will mark its first step out of its home turf and a bold move towards becoming a global retail brand.
Will Canadians accept Target? It seems likely. America has strong economic and cultural ties with its North American neighbor and many Canadians already have experience shopping at Target. Nevertheless, its marketing strategy will be a bulk determinant of its success.
Historically, Target has positioned itself based on personality and its famous “Bull’s-eye” symbol to differentiate itself from its low-price competitors Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Kmart Corp.
A sneak peak of Target’s Oscars Ad suggests the company will pursue its usual positioning. Nevertheless, this ad will be different. Rather than showcasing its products, the ad plays on the audience’s emotions by following the journey of Bullseye, its mascot dog, across Canada.
Target’s ad incorporates a “neighborhood” theme, emphasizing its implicit want for Canadians’ acceptance as their neighbors. In line with class discussions, the Ad effectively exploits social influences by using Mister Roger’s “Neighborhood Song” and incorporating Canadian landmarks like Stanley Park. Mister Rogers, before making it big on Mister Roger’s Neighborhood, had starred in CBC in Canada. Furthermore, the lyrics of his song describes Target’s wishes perfectly – “I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.”
From Target’s marketing efforts so far, I believe Target will succeed.