- Target today (Oct. 30) announced a holiday campaign, entitled “Step Into the Holidays,” that positions the retailer as a hub for effortless shopping experiences, per an organization blog post. A separate holiday campaign, unveiled earlier this week, sees the return of fictional store team member Kris K., who last yr was dubbed “Hot Santa” by consumers.
- “Step Into the Holidays” launches Nov. 2 and promotes Target’s top gifting picks and recognizes the role parents play within the season. The campaign will introduce new holiday characters, including the Get-Ready Yeti and The Gifting Mice.
- “Kris K. is Back” promotes the enjoyment of the vacations through the lens of the character. The first spot debuted Oct. 26 and playfully highlights the character’s holiday wish list, while a social media video includes a Target guest who spots Kris K. in store. The holiday strategy is informed by insights revealing that buyers are trying to find joy as they navigate a tense macroeconomic period.
Target is attempting to rise above what many expect will likely be a troublesome holiday period with two campaigns that attempt to bring just a little joy into consumers’ lives. “Step Into the Holidays” is informed by 80% of fogeys who say they’re the “Chief Joy Officer” of their families, answerable for keeping spirits high. The retailer’s seasonal strategy arrives because it struggles with a turnaround following consecutive quarters of sales declines and declining consumer sentiment. Last week, Target announced it might cut 1,800 jobs.
Creative for the campaign sees consumers step through a magical gondola to the tune of Benson Boone’s “Mystical Magical” to see a few of this season’s top gifts from brands including E.l.f. Cosmetics and Hearth & Hand with Magnolia. The campaign also introduces the Get-Ready Yeti, an 8-foot-tall holiday character. Once Black Friday arrives, the character will transform into the Tinsel Yeti to function a holiday hype man and help consumers rating one of the best deals.
Throughout the season, new ad spots under the campaign will introduce additional holiday characters, including The Gifting Mice and Buttons the Gingerbread. The Get-Ready Yeti may also come alive across multiple touchpoints, including in store, within the Target app and thru the brand’s Gigglescape plush product assortment. “Step Into the Holidays” was made with partners including Mythology, Superprime, Jamm, EcoSet, PS260 and Heard City. This is the primary time Target has created a stable of original holiday characters, per press details.
Separately, Target is betting on a well-known face for the season with the return of Kris K., its festive, “weirdly hot” team member. The fictitious character was successful in grabbing the eye of shoppers last season, having led to over 70 million views on TikTok under the hashtag #TargetSanta.
In “Kris K. is Back,” Target is emphasizing that the vacations ought to be a joyful period for connection, not a time that looks like a chore. Kris K. features in a 30-second spot that begins as one lustful consumer inquires about what the team member is into, to which he responds by rolling out a lengthy wish list. Kris K. then darts out of the scene to “put someone on the naughty list,” prompting his friend to flirtingly ask, “How do you get on that list?”
The return of Kris K. is inspired by the insight that over half of Americans say they’re prioritizing small moments of joy to help combat the stress of macroeconomic pressures. A sound holiday strategy is critical this season as consumers prepare to slash holiday spending by 10% yr over yr, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail survey. Additionally, over half of shoppers expect the economy to weaken over the subsequent six months, representing essentially the most negative outlook since Deloitte began tracking economic sentiment in 1997.
Alongside the Kris K. campaign’s first broadcast spot, Target debuted a cheeky video on social media earlier this week featuring a Target shopper who spots the character in store. In a playful nod, the guest is similar individual who called Kris K. “weirdly hot” in last yr’s spot. In total, the campaign will include 10 spots spanning broadcast, streaming, radio and social platforms.
The Kris K. campaign also features a heightened deal with the intricacies of the character, who the brand bills as a football fanatic, avid traveler and amateur DJ. The character won’t only promote popular gifts of the season, but Target perks like same-day delivery and its Target Circle 360 membership program. “Kris K. is back” was created alongside Mythology and Hungry Man.
Target’s holiday strategy was unveiled shortly after the retailer announced that it’s going to be shedding about 1,000 corporate staff and shut to 800 open roles as part of a bigger shift to its global headquarters structure. Longtime Target CEO Brian Cornell also plans to exit his role, effective Feb. 1, and will likely be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Michael Fiddelke. Target’s second quarter net sales dropped 0.9% yr over yr to $25.2 billion.
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