Before we ring in the New Year, let’s raise a glass and toast a momentous—and unforgettable—year. From amazing new brands and fresh ways to shop, ship and save, these are just a few of our favorite moments from 2017…
Brand new
We definitely gave guests even more to love about Target this year, introducing incredible (and affordable) new brands—like Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, which quickly became a favorite.
Designed in partnership with Magnolia co-founders Chip and Joanna Gaines, the only-at-Target home and lifestyle brand lets guests bring Chip and Jo’s signature modern farmhouse aesthetic into their own homes.
We added more exclusive brands across the assortment to give guests plenty of stylish options—like the super-versatile mix-and-match women’s brand A New Day, and JoyLab activewear with a fitness-meets-fashion-and-function vibe. For the guys? Goodfellow & Co, a modern-meets-classic line of clothing, accessories and shoes. And for the home, there’s Project 62, a collection of modern pieces designed for urban small-space living.
And that’s not all. We helped expectant moms look and feel fantastic with Isabel Maternity by Ingrid & Isabel, an exclusive line of affordable maternity fashion. We dreamt up a special delivery for those new little ones: Cloud Island, an exclusive collection of nursery décor, bedding, bath and layette. We upped our game for the kiddos too, adding sensory-friendly and adaptive apparel to our popular, only-at-Target Cat & Jack kids’ brand. We had guests cheering for our new $5 California Roots wines, going all out for summer celebrations with Poptimisim! partyware and getting spooky just in time for Halloween with Hyde & EEK! Boutique.
Spotlight on style
Target is known for stylish collaborations, and this spring, we served up a collection that fashionistas won’t soon forget: Victoria Beckham for Target. The limited-time line of apparel and accessories, created in partnership with internationally known fashion designer Victoria Beckham, was a huge hit with guests. Featuring more than 200 pieces for women and kids with designs inspired by an English garden, it quickly became one of our biggest collaborations ever.
Sweet dreams
Whether it’s chic designs or a good night’s rest our guests are after, we’ve got their back. This year, we teamed up with Casper to give guests a chance to experience the beloved shipped-right-to-your-door mattresses (not to mention sheets, pillows, and two back-to-college Target exclusives—the mattress topper and lounger) in person in select stores across the country.
More in store
Whether it’s a quick trip or a long, relaxing stroll down our aisles you’re after, we’ve invested in new ways to make shopping our stores even more convenient and fun. This year, we kicked off plans to reimagine more than 1,000 stores by 2020 with our next generation design elements. Already, we’ve expanded in markets like New York City and Dallas-Fort Worth, and unveiled redesigns like our Nicollet Mall store in downtown Minneapolis, and our first group of stores to get full next-generation makeovers. We’re also on our way to operating more than 130 new small-format stores by the end of 2019 in urban neighborhoods and on college campuses, including 28 that opened this year in iconic locations like Herald Square.
New ways to shop, ship and save
Shopping got a lot faster and easier this past year. We served up endless inspiration with an incredible—and shoppable—360-degree virtual reality living room experience, helping guests visualize an item’s size and scale before they buy. Struggling to imagine how that night stand would fit in your own room? Look no further than our augmented reality tool, See It In Your Space. Want to order from your couch, hands-free? Totally do-able (and super-easy), thanks to Target and Google Express. Or, need to stock up on pantry essentials but not in the mood to hit the store? We’ve been testing Target Restock, our next-day essentials delivery service in select cities.
We also did lots of work in 2017 to make sure those Target.com orders arrive fast. For example, we’ve been using our expanded delivery capabilities with Grand Junction to test same-day delivery in New York and we’ve got big plans to fast-track same-day delivery service to about half of Target stores in early 2018, thanks to our recent Shipt acquisition. Or, for those who prefer to order online and pick up at a Target store without even stepping foot out of the car, we’ve been testing Drive Up service in Minneapolis.
In-store shopping got an upgrade, too. Target App made shopping and checkout a breeze in Target stores, with functionality that lets guests see exactly where they are in the store, serves up nearby deals and even lets them pay with their REDcard and save with Cartwheel with a single scan of their phone.
A brighter future
We continued our commitment that's been growing since 1946—creating positive impact for our teams, communities and the planet—in lots of ways. We offered guests and their families more sustainable product and service options, from direct and fair trade coffee to our car seat recycling offers. We invested in our team, increasing our minimum hourly wage and hiring more military veterans and spouses. We continued to support communities through our wellness partnerships and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, aided disaster relief and recovery efforts for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and the California wildfires, and offered our first military discount in honor of Veterans Day.
We also unveiled a new climate policy and goals to help us reduce our greenhouse gas footprint, and committed to sourcing 100% renewable energy for our domestic operations. To hit those marks, we’re continuing the energy-saving work we’re already doing (like our solar and wind power programs and responsible sourcing efforts) and exploring new opportunities in areas like water, food waste, packaging and sourcing. And those are just a few examples—see more of our efforts here.
Game on
We laced up our cleats and stepped onto new turf in 2017, becoming an official sponsor of Major League Soccer and US Youth Soccer, and putting the Target bullseye front and center on Minnesota United FC’s jerseys. We’re also working to help even more kids get in the game with a $14 million commitment to two national initiatives—a Target youth soccer grant program and a partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation to build 100 new soccer play spaces by 2020.
Marketing magic
What’s a recap without rounding up a few of our top marketing moments? Throughout the year, TargetRun and Done reminded guests that we’ve got their baskets ready for everyday moments, from running out of milk to hosting a last-minute party. And to inspire guests to get moving, we partnered with a breakout fitness star to create the C9 Champion Limited Edition by Anna Kaiser and celebrated a New Kind of Strong with some super-inspiring athletes. Plus, we made waves with our body-positive, unretouched #TargetSwim campaign. And in true Target fashion, we tapped a few friends to bring the joy of the holidays to life.
Wa-hoo! Larger-than-life fun
And last but not least, we served up some epic fun. To celebrate Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch, we sent 650+ Target stores across the country into full-on game mode. We surprised music lovers with an outta sight GRAMMYs moment featuring Carly Rae Jepsen and Lil Yachty. We had tons of out-of-this-galaxy fun with Star Wars fans, created a Funko frenzy or two and turned worlds upside down with a new Netflix and Stranger Things partnership. And of course, there was that little moment with our friend Taylor Swift.
What a year it’s been! And best of all, we’ve got lots more Target fun in the works for 2018. We’re already gearing up for the big game in our hometown of Minneapolis this February, planning the debut of more new brands, testing new tech and services, remodeling more stores and opening new small-formats across the country … and the list goes on. So stay tuned to A Bullseye View for the latest news and updates.
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