The Academy of Giftology
With 60% of consumers saying thoughtful gift-giving makes them feel emotionally fulfilled and that finding the perfect gift matters more than finding the cheapest one, Target is leaning into what makes gifting meaningful — helping guests find affordable gifts they can't wait to give. That idea comes to life through Target's Academy of Giftology, a new holiday marketing campaign designed to help guests master the art of great gifting and feel confident as they discover just the right gifts at a great value. The campaign takes a playful approach to relatable gifting challenges, helping guests find gifts they'll be excited to give and loved ones will be excited to receive — from the kid who loves puppies to the person who says they want nothing at all.
Gifting is the thread connecting the entire Target holiday experience — from social inspiration and our curated assortment to incredible value and easy ways to shop. Whether guests are browsing our aisles with a Starbucks in hand, shopping online or in our app, or picking up a Drive Up order, every touchpoint helps them discover the right gift and feel confident about giving it — making the season easier, more inspiring and more joyful.
of consumers say giving thoughtful gifts makes them feel emotionally fulfilled and that finding the perfect gift matters more than finding the least expensive one.*
Meet the faculty
Target enlisted Emmy Award-winning director Lucia Aniello, co-creator and executive producer of Hacks, to bring the Academy to life. Under her direction, helpful faculty members guide guests through the holiday season and help them tackle different holiday gifting challenges.
Faculty includes:
- D’Arcy Carden as the Academy’s Chief Giftologist. The Emmy-nominated actress and comedian leads “Gifting 101,” welcoming incoming giftologists and reminding guests that every gift is full of potential. Her gifting philosophy: Great gifting starts with listening — noticing what excites someone, what makes them laugh and what they reach for without thinking.
- Pat Regan as the Last-Minute Gift Guidance Counselor. The Los Angeles-based stand-up comedian and Emmy-winning writer for Hacks holds Eleventh-Hour Office Hours for the gifters who need him most.
- Jasmine Ashanti as the Head of Giftonomics. She shows guests how to spend less and gift more.
- Leith Burke leads the Academy’s Athletic Department as the Giftletics Coach. He helps guests find the right gift for every kind of sports fan.
- The Academy welcomes gift-givers in English and Spanish, with dedicated Spanish-language spots featuring Veronica Osorio as Chief Giftologist and Fernanda Romero as Head of Giftonomics.
Together, the faculty brings Target’s gifting expertise to life, helping guests find thoughtful gifts for everyone on their list — and feel the joy of giving them.
Explore the Academy
Throughout the campaign, guests will explore different corners of the Academy, discovering fresh gifting inspiration, thoughtful finds and ideas for everyone on their list — even those who are hardest to shop for. Campus settings include:
- The Kidology Lab – gifts for kids who change their minds daily
- The Gift Pairing Lab – gifting stations that match every recipient with the right gift
- The Department of People Who Want Nothing – gifts for the people who swear they don’t need a thing (and are lying)
- The Lecture Hall – featuring Applied Giftonomics lectures that teach guests to spend less and gift so much more
- The Guidance Counselor’s Office – with Eleventh-Hour Office Hours, the office lets last-minute shoppers know they’re still right on time
- Giftletics – the gifting playbook for every kind of football fan
How the campaign will show up on social, digital and beyond
We designed the Academy to be a seamless experience wherever guests shop, coming to life on Target.com, in the Target app and on social.
Social media: New this year, Target brings the Academy to life across social platforms through interactive content, creators and real-world activations that offer fresh gifting expertise tailored to each platform.
- Faculty: Social-first content brings the Academy’s characters and personalities to life through videos including What Makes You So Confident?, The Academy Podcast and Perfect Gift Rapid Fire.
- In-person impact: Social content will spotlight real-world activations like Acts of Giftness, capturing moments of surprise and delight as Target helps guests spread holiday joy.
Digital: The same gifting dilemmas guests see in the campaign show up as practical help across Target.com.
- Digital will serve as a primary landing destination for The Academy of Giftology where we will feature curated gift lists for teens, baby, hosts, teachers and more.
- A set of tools makes the shopping experience easy, like our Ask Target AI Assistant, the Holiday Wish List and the Holiday Kids Catalog.
Campaign details
- Campaign launch: early November
- Tagline:Gift It Your All
- Director: Lucia Aniello
- Languages: English and Spanish
- Channels: The campaign includes 9 spots that will appear across broadcast, streaming, audio, OOH and social platforms.
- Music: New this season, Target created an original score that captures the discovery, joy and humor of the campaign, taking the viewer from room to room of the Academy. Original song “Gift It Your All” by three-time Emmy-nominated composer Joshua Moshier; vocals by Kotomi and Joshua Moshier.
Holiday Academy of Giftology credit – 2026
- Target
- Mythology
- Hungry Man
The bottom line
The Academy of Giftology brings together joyful inspiration, a thoughtfully curated assortment, great value and easy ways to shop — all to help guests find a gift they can't wait to give. Whether planning ahead or shopping at the last minute, guests can discover thoughtful gifts for everyone on their list and feel the joy of getting it just right.
* Source: Mintel Holiday Trends; NRF Holiday Consumer Survey