Target , the low cost retailer, bills itself with the tag line “Expect More, Pay Less.” Target is taking this concept one step further in their bid to be the number one social media branded value retailer in the country. Target’s latest social media campaign utilizes Facebook to crowdsource, build their brand, create cause marketing exposure, engage with their audience, and mold their public perception one facebook fan at a time. Here is how they are doing it:
Target’s “Bullseye Gives” Campaign on Facebook
Target, currently allocates 5% of their revenue to charities, is going to give $3 million per week for next few weeks to charities chosen by their fans on Facebook. Here is how it works:
- Target’s Facebook fans vote for any of 10 charities to receive donations on the Target Facebook page
- Target tallies up the votes and allocates funds on a percentage basis. The example used by Mashable’s Adam Ostrow fits best “if 10 percent of users vote for Salvation Army, that organization will receive 10 percent of the total donations.”
Target’s 10 Charities
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation
- Operation Gratitude
- Feeding America
- Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
- Hands On Network
- Red Cross
- Kids in Need
- Salvation Army
- National Park Foundation
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Benefits of “Bullseye Gives”
- Cause Marketing: provides Target with great perception as humanitarian, caring, and giving
- Branding: further strengthens the Target brand as family oriented product provider
- Audience: engages their audience by crowdsourcing, providing their audience a voice
- Publish: each time you vote you are given the option to “publish” your vote back to your personal Facebook page or your corporate Facebook page.
- Viral Marketing: by publishing your choice of charity, the branded (logo) message on your wall places Target top of mind to your network of friends and it provides the potential for your friends to become fans of the Target Facebook page
- Tone: the tone is not a hard sell message. Instead it is a participatory campaign, informative campaign, and a gentle message focused on the charities and NOT on Target’s actions
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Susan,
I find the crowdsourcing plan for Target to be disquieting, but definitely effective. While I believe it’s a shame that social networking is being used to sell products (indirectly), it does help out the charities. I do have a problem with only those specific charities getting the money: those are the biggest charities with the most name recognition and funding. I would rather have Target give that option and the option to choose the charity [501(c)(3) only] that you wanted to give to. On the webpage could be a link to a “Find Your Charity” page where one could either browse or type in the name of their favored charity to see if they’re 501(c)(3). Some sort of system like that would allow people to give to their favorite charity with their purchases. Of course that means more paperwork to send the money to each of those charities, but it seems fairer.
That’s my 2 cents.
-John
Hi John,
I have two points I would like to address. I think you have a great idea! Why don’t you consider making these suggestions directly to Target on their Facebook page here: http://facebook.com/target. I am sure you will get a response.
The second point I want to address is your statement “. . . I believe it’s a shame that social networking is being used to sell products (indirectly). . . ”
I can’t support that statement as I believe it is a great idea to use social media to sell products-services, promote business, engage with customers, network with your industry, and create value for your audience.
In the old world Web 1.0 hard sell mode, we were interrupted with sales pitches, poor marketing messages, and spammed with email masked as resources.
Instead in today’s Web 2.0 world we all have the ability to participate on the networks that we enjoy, disregard the networks we do not resonate with, and filter the messages we receive as we see fit.
Without these wonderful opportunities, we would be living back in the era where the platform was completely owned by mass media, our brands were only moved forward through their channels, and our messages were only delivered as “they” saw fit.
It’s a great new day and we all now can become our own brands, create our own value messages, and control our “information” and value for the first time in history.
Thank you for your comments and input John we truly appreciate the feedback.
Dean