TARGET Products Descriptions and Illustrations
Introduction
The traditional way of viewing company operations as an interplay between the product, the market and the organization is completely insufficient in a world of ever-hardening competition. For an effective marketing, a competition strategy should be created. For the key to superior performance, the competition strategy must encompass an analyse of the target market (the group of people whom the organization wants to reach) and a marketing mix (the conjunction of product, price, place and promotion) that will satisfy those customers in the target market ( 1992). Once the competition strategy of a firm is determined the whole business should be designed around the target customers` needs.
Customer satisfaction is the primary aim of marketing. In focusing on the future, the enterprise ensures the best possible chance of attaining long-term stability and competitive standing. Marketing makes the basic assumption that customer satisfaction should be the primary aim of the business. Such satisfaction can only be achieved and sustained through the provision of competitive products or services, at competitive prices (1996). It should be focused on every aspect of marketing, not only on promotion and sales techniques, to persuade customers to buy but also on target market, marketing mix and the effective marketing strategy ( 2001). Successful marketing results in stronger products, happier customers, and bigger profits.
This paper provides descriptions and illustrations of seven of Target Corporation products which are relevant to 11 to 17 years old customer base. These products were presented with rationales that showcase them as items that encourage engagement, sharing, adoption, and loyalty as key values for the company’s marketing campaign.
Adolescents as Target Market
Adolescence has long been characterized as a time when individuals begin to explore and examine psychological characteristics of the self in order to discover who they really are, and how they fit in the social world in which they live. Especially since ‘s (1968) theory on identity development was introduced, scholars have viewed adolescence as a time of self-exploration. Emphasizing self-exploration in adolescent development studies allows researchers to broaden the concept of identity formation beyond the narrower stage-specific conceptualization. This makes advertising and marketing efforts extra challenging among business organizations that focus on adolescents as niche product consumers.
Self-exploration is at the heart of the adolescent transition. The remaking of personal identity, which is necessary to complete the transition, was said to be dependent on exploration (, 1968). This exploration has been referred to as the “work” of the identity process ( 1987). The self in transition is vulnerable; adolescents experience split of self images, a loss of center, and dispersion (, 1968). As such, teens normally try on and experiment different self-images in their goal to define their selves uniquely from other people especially among their peers. This likewise creates the conception that adolescents are rebellious, aggressive and egocentric in some regard.
Adolescents evaluate themselves both globally and along several distinct dimensions–academics, athletics, appearance, social relations, and moral conduct–and that the link between specific dimensions of the self-concept and global self-worth varies across domains. For example, appearance is most important for overall self-esteem, especially so among females ( 1997). Moreover, adolescents construct an imaginary audience, giving rise to heightened self-centeredness and self-consciousness (1967). They believe that others, especially peers, are watching them, thinking about them, and interested in all their thoughts and behaviors. Adolescents assume that since they spend a considerable amount of time thinking about themselves, others must be doing the same thing, namely, thinking about and monitoring them (, 1998).
Target Corporation’s Products for Adolescents
Base on the presented arguments regarding teenagers’ centered construction of self-image, Target Corporation strategically market their products among adolescents that will inculcate important values as a company that promotes social well-being. Below are seven of Target Corporations products that cater to the youth audiences that the company can market to promote the values of engagement, sharing, adoption and loyalty.
School supplies. These are educational necessities that adolescents frequently use. Since they study for the most part of their lives, school supplies and products will best appeal and cater to the immediate needs of adolescents. The values of engagement and sharing apply to these products because at school, teenagers not just work individually but also engage in group studies and group works. The products below which are available at Target Corporation stores cater not just to the educational needs of adolescents but also serve as media for them to mingle with peers and learn how to share their things thus, making them less self-centered as studies claim them to be. These products should be promoted using group endorsers illustrating students studying together or parents and children doing school work at home with the aim of presenting the sociable side of adolescents.
Books. Aside from academic books that constantly accompany teenagers in their school life, other entertaining reading materials which they could engage in can educate them of the life outside their school. Other lessons in life which are not directly taught at school can be realized individually by teenagers who spend their leisure hours reading. Application of what they learned in school can also be facilitated by non-academic reading materials. They can share these books with friends and peers who have the same interests and likes as theirs. As such, values of engagement, sharing, and in some respect, adoption to the morals of the characters and overall plot of the stories can be acquired by adolescents who like to read. These products should be marketed just like the school supplies products while highlighting other modes of educating the youth and learning outside school premises.
Clothes. As was discussed earlier, teenagers experience problems and concerns regarding self-image and how they will present their self to the public. They are very particular with how they appear to other people and highly consider the correct impression they want to address to others. Normally, teenagers present their selves through clothes and accessories that reflect their personality or the character they want others to think of them. The value of adoption can be best articulated using these products since the importance of self-image can be delivered to adolescents by emphasizing their individuality and style. As such clothing products and body accessories that interests the youth should be advertised through campaigns that emphasizes the importance of freedom and self-exploration for them to realize the value of knowing oneself in order to function fully as unique and confident individual persons.
Sports and entertainment. Aside from the academic life of teenagers, the other activities that take most of their time are centered to engagement with sport and entertainment leisure. These activities range from individual entertainment to team or group effort past times. Adolescents are normally interested with sports and activities that support their self-definition and self-differentiation. Most of the time, the principles, ideal, characters and situations that entertain them are those which they can relate to and those that support their own conceptualization and construction of the ways of life. These activities enrich their experiences which contribute greatly to their self-image formation and other social and psychological developments. As such, products that are sports and entertainment-oriented which caters to the interests of the youth can be utilized to promote engagement, sharing, adoption and loyalty though effective advertising strategies.
Electronic gadgets. Along with the changing market environments due to different customer characterization and market segmentation, modernization has been considered as the prime initiator of business trends. In effect, electronic gadgets and facilities that were traditionally advertised to the corporate world have now penetrated the younger members of the consumer population. The academic use of computer and the popular use of the Internet opened avenues for other technological innovations to be of interest to the adolescent population. These include communication gadgets in the form of mobile phones as well as high-tech items such as digital cameras, camcorders, mp3 players and other audio-video gadgets and accessories. The values of engagement, adoption, and sharing can be promoted using these products since the monetary that equates these items calls for responsible and mature use. Features and pleasures provided by these products addresses the importance of sharing in particular since these items are effectively utilized with other people.
Food. When it comes to highlighting the value of sharing, food products are the available items in Target Corporation that adolescents can be most interested in purchasing like any other member of the consumer population. Food, being a necessity, will always attract consumers which can be marketed to the youth using different approaches. Depending on the purpose of the company, the food that caters to teenagers is usually tastes good, normally sweet or salty and presented creatively. But the exploring nature among the young population crosses this common concept of good food among teenagers. There are a number who prefer sour and spicy food while some would even try exotic and foreign delicacies. Packaging and presentation normally play importantly when it comes to getting the attention of people to food products. Loyalty a particular food product can be advertised using promotional materials that depict how different generation came to love the taste of the product.
Pets. Caring and grooming kits as well as pens and dishes for pets are offered by Target Corporation which can be advertised effectively by incorporating the value of loyalty between the person who owns the pet and the animal itself. The products pictured below can be marketed among teenagers to support their inclination and interest with taking care of pets. Advertisements that illustrates loyalty of the animals to their masters, engagement of the to the pet and sharing leisure time with the animal are values which can be emphasized in promoting pet products. If the adolescent population is the target audience, campaign materials that are endorsed by teen image models and stars can work effectively in delivering the marketing message of these products.
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