DISQUS

jptrenn · 1 year ago

While I think it's great that Target will be reviewing their policy, what does that really mean?

Does it mean that they will simply choose to not send out the email that they sent, the "we don't deal with the likes of you?"

How does a company this large create a response system to every inquiry?

My point is that Target has shown that they don't have the culture to respond, and they likely won't have the capacity to respond effectively.

So they may just end up sending out politer form responses.

Andy Beal · 1 year ago

@Jonathan - Nice observation. "Reviewing our policy" is a very old world cop-out. Basically, it's an attempt to take the heat off, without actually committing to anything. If Target was smart, they'd go ahead and announce some kind of blogger initiative. They don't need to give bloggers the same access they give the NYT or WSJ, but perhaps give them the same respect.

jptrenn · 1 year ago

True.

They'll also have to change their communications structure and add people that understand what we're talking about here. They can't treat them as kids or geeks.

Jayson · 1 year ago

I wasn't following the Target situation - thanks for the details. It's amazing how bloggers are now (have been for a few years) as powerful as many media outlets.

Welcome to the Internet Target...we're glad you made it.

jptrenn · 1 year ago

Jayson

No offense, but no, no, no, no, no!

This is not the case of a blogger being as powerful as many media outlets. This is, at best, a sign that collectively, many bloggers (or "the blogosphere") is as powerful as many media outlets.

OK, this made the NYTimes. That's cool. But will Target review remove the ad in question? Will they review their ad strategy? Fire the marketing exec that gave the thumbs up for this ad campaign? Put their account under review?

Or have they just responded in a canned manner to the NYTimes article?

My guess is the latter.

I know Amy Jussel. She's sharp as hell and media savvy. But it's going to take more than one situation here for wholesale corporate change.

Remember, there are two controversies here.

One is the use of the particular ad in question, the woman spread eagle on the target logo with her crotch dead center.

The second is the response from Target toward Amy's initial email. One that showed shocking ignorance and, as a result, disrespect.

But unless there's enough outrage over the ad itself, this will be a 15 minute story offline, and a 72 hour one online.

Again, it's my guess that Target simply changes their automated response and then does SOME examination of the blog and the blogger. A slight improvement at best.

kathryn milette · 1 year ago

A friend just emailed the NYT article today...but I had already heard about the story last week via Twitter, then followed the link included to a blog discussing it. The blogging world, I have discovered, is close-knit and very verbal and word spreads FAST. I get the sense that many companies are still if flux over how to harness and/or communicate to the online social communication sphere.

Mark · 1 year ago

Gee,

not having a great couple of years are they?

First they get sued for not having an accessible site and now this.

Do you think they know they're in the new millennium?

Do you think they really know what the internet is?

Talk about continually antagonising your customers

steven wilson · 1 year ago

Glad to see target put in their place on this one.
It does not surprise me that target took such a negative approach to this they are the ones that banned the salvation army from in front of their stores at christmas here in Indiana a few years back.Nice to see the media coverage on this.

Nilesh Mishra · 1 year ago

Bloggers are certain to be Powerful and significant as any other media outlet..At the end of the day, all we count as media is what reaches the audiences or so called consumers...and now when Blogs are reaching the masses ..for no dobut they are and would gain significance..and should be respected as any other media outlet.