Retail Giant Not Recognizing Blogs – Target Says They Don’t Care
Target doesn’t care what bloggers think about them. When a blogger emailed criticizing a billboard, she got a blow off email saying that Target doesn’t deal with non-traditional media. Target went on to say that this allows them time to focus their efforts on publications that reaches their core “guest.”
“Target doesn’t participate in new media channels?” asked the Web site for the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. Target “dismisses bloggers” commented the blog for Parents for Ethical Marketing. “Ahem! So bloggers don’t count!” Ms. Jussel chimed in on ShapingYouth. Could Target, the ever-hip, contemporary retailer, really have such a low opinion of blogs, the ever-hip, contemporary media channel? Yes, at least for now. “We do not work with bloggers currently,” said a company spokeswoman, Amy von Walter, who agreed to speak with this traditional media outlet. “But we have made exceptions,” Ms. von Walter said. “And we are reviewing the policy and may adjust it.” Target’s policy is to focus limited resources on the big media outlets, like television stations and newspapers, which reach large numbers of shoppers. With a small public relations team, she said “we want to make sure we are making an educated decision and we live up to any promises we make, in terms of service.”
[Story Found at Trend Hunter]
Now this is just silly. Target totally markets itself as hip, “in-the-know” retailer, yet they don’t work with blogs? Do they realize its 2008 and blogs are the new media? Wow. That’s really odd. Thank you for sharing this story. I hope Target zips into this century soon…
Cheers,
Heather
Target is very tight lipped in general. They also don’t talk to business-to-business publications–even ones that cover retail. They generally only talk to the mainstream media.