Target Tells Bloggers: You Don't Count

The New York Times:

Target to the blogosphere: you're irrelevant.

That was the message the cheap-chic retailer seemed to convey in an abrupt e-mail message to ShapingYouth.org, a blog about the impact of marketing on children. Early this month, the blog's founder, Amy Jussel, called Target, complaining about a new advertising campaign that depicted a woman splayed across a big target pattern -- the retailer's emblem -- with the bull's-eye at her crotch.

"Targeting crotches with a bull's-eye is not the message we should be putting out there," she said in an e-mail interview.

Target offered an e-mail response:

"Unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets," a public relations person wrote to ShapingYouth.

Read the full report here.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[wm1066]

Why are there two sites for this story?
They both have different comments, but its the same story in the Business and Media section.

[JackNasty]

A woman sitting on target . . . oh, the humanity!

[mooph]

Target just announced that they will change the ad. To satisfy some of their key clientele, they will be reformatting the ad with a nude picture of the same model on the target. A spokesperson said, "We feel that we may have left out a 'hard-core' demographic with the previous ad. This new ad will go right to the 'hearts and minds' of men and adolescent boys," she said with a smirk.

[KindAndThoughtful]

Blogs are like television shows. Some are great, others not so much. I personally think the Huffington Post and TechCrunch are the best blogs on the planet.


http://verybestwebsites.blogspot.com/

[GenXer]

Huffpo should contact Target immediately and complain. Oh that's right Huffpo is not traditional media.

[OhgReaTone]

There are some wacko bloggers out there - but their money is just as good as any other Target customer. We bloggers must be aware of our reputation and practice excellence in our craft.
Ohg
http://thefiresidepost.com/2007/10/19/excellent-blogging/

[Alexandra Simone]

People are always looking for things to bitch about. They can't read books, or watch movies without finding SOMETHING supposedly offensive.­.Now they're picking fault with adverts. :/
Get over it.

[LORISNJ]

Oh please, only a sicko would look at that picture and think it was sexual in nature.

STOP LOOKING AT THE CROTCHES OF ADVERTISING MODELS TO SEE IF IT IS PORN - AND WHILE YOU ARE AT IT, STOP LOOKING AT THE BRA AND PANTY PAGES IN THE JC PENNEY CATALOGS TOO!

Who are these people, do they understand that not everyone is a perv like they are? These are the same nutballs who are against abortions and contraceptions until their 16 yr old gets pregnant - then she is quietly sent away to "take care of the problem".

[JScott]

Non issue-Target is really WalMart Lite.

[IluvBrian]

Beyond any one bad visit to the return counter, we should all question Target's pathetic record on stocking "green" or sustainable products. Try to find one mention of environmental responsibility in their flyers. They still advertise incandescent light bulbs.
Yes they have some new building going on that's green and have changed some packaging but as a HUGE retailer they have the power to fully stock green products and not only that but proudly promote them. They pride themselves on giving to social causes at the local level, many educational.
The biggest educational service they could do for society would be to fully stock sustainable products so they get purchased by the mainstream and they should have done it months ago.

Yes, there is greenwashing that we have to watch out for but I'll take a little possible greenwashing that may have been some companies honest attempt to sell reusable bags or something over Target's total disregard to getting out front on environmental issues where the mainstream customer shops. Its not enough to have one roll of 7th Generation paper towels in some stores (not all stores) next to rows and rows of paper towels made from bleached, virgin forest fiber!

We have an excellent plastic bag recycling program in the Twin Cities, "its in the bag". At other stores there is a bin you can drop off all types of bags NOT at Target. They have paid enough money to the MN Chamber to have their logo posted and take credit on the website but they won't put the bins in their stores.

I challenge anyone to try to shop the aisles and find numerous green products such as office paper from recycled fiber etc, with lots of choices and clearly marked. Toms of Maine, excellent company...­.I can barely find a tube of toothpaste.

[IluvBrian]

Mark Dayton was a Democratic Senator but I've been told by people who work at the corporate headquarters that the upper management is very conservative.

Whether or not any individual sees anything "perverted" about that picture is not really the point. The blog should be commended for addressing media images and how they influence our YOUTH. Maybe this picture isn't the worst thing out there but they're looking at a larger issue that isn't liberal or conservative.

[mishumao]

Blogs don't count? This story has been in the blogshere for a couple weeks now. Now it's in the NYTimes? Ha ha.

[NotaBeliever]

Touchy, touchy bloggers, eh? I can't think of anything more ridiculous than some blog-person trying to get the target-crotch shot off Target's advertising. If ya don't like advertising, you boycott and let them know you're boycotting ... you don't get all pathetic and whiny about them dissing your blog.
I'm going to Target this morning. If I see an offensive ad, I'll avert my eyes. Good grief.

[BillLumbergh]

What a bunch of crybabies some of you are.
Target doesn't have to respond to a handful of sex-obsessed nutbags.
And as far as their return policy goes, it holds down prices for the rest of us, who aren't idiots and can hold on to a receipt until we verify that something works.
Effin' crybabies.­..

[Deek]

Kind of Talibany to read something sexual into this ad. It's a person making a snow angel. Should she be in a burka? If I were Target, I wouldn't respond to this blogger either.