Target Takes Sites Off Bloggers , Doesn't 'Participate With Non-Traditional Media'

Newsbusters.org ^ | 01/17/08 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

Target department stores apparently haven't gotten the memo that dissing the Internet and bloggers can be a dangerous game for a retailer these days. And, Target isn't just dissing blogges and "non-traditional media" they might be claiming they won't even interact with them. All this over a new advertisement that shows a woman in Winter clothing, spread-eagled atop the Target logo, the center of which appears right between the model's spread legs. Just what the "target" here is, can be a pertinent question to ask and several consumer advocates are asking just that question.

Amy Jussel of the organization Shaping Youth (shapingyouth.org), for instance, raised her concerns that this Target advert places an unwanted emphasis on a woman's genitals and points out that it is part of the overly sexualized nature of too much of our advertising industry. Jussel says, "This Target ad is senselessly subversive on so many levels," and wonders if Madison Avenue types care if "kids’ psyches are being trashed" in this country.

Jussel has also been following other ad campaigns that feature women in spread-eagled poses and pointing out the overly sexualized nature of our media.

Jussel wrote to the Target corporation about her concerns and received this curt reply:

Good Morning Amy,

Thank you for contacting Target; unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with non-traditional media outlets. This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest.

Once again thank you for your interest, and have a nice day.

Smooth move, Target. Does Target not "get" that blogs and the Internet ARE the people that they want to reach to bring into their stores? Is Target completely unaware of the power of the Internet? Did Target not notice that Dan Rather, for instance, was laid low by the power of the Internet?

You'd think that Target would have learned their lesson when they banned the Salvation Army bell ringers from collecting donations in front of their stores last year. That Internet storm caused Target some heartburn.

Someone needs to update the Customer Relations Department at Target that the Internet is not something that you can just blow off and that the future resides on the world wide web!

So, I've got a little advice for you Target. Why don't you set your aim on the FUTURE! Stop imagining the Internet is just a few nuts that no one cares about. Your unconcern with "non-traditional media outlets" may come back to bite you.

[Mobile Vulgus]

Target has a mental problem!

[Moose4]

Sometimes, Target forgets that it’s basically Wal-Mart with fewer illegals and better lighting.

}:-)4

[Greg F]

Dear Target. Fire your PR director. He’s an absolute bonehead.

[Domandred]

I still can’t understand how this advertisement is causing such an uproar. There is a TON worse advertisements out there and I don’t think it’s humanly possible for the girl to be wearing anymore clothing.

[o_zarkman44]

I have not made a purchase in Target since the early 1990’s when they pulled out all their firearms, hunting and fishing items. They reinforced my anti Target beliefs when they dissed the SAlvation Army Bell ringers and other charitible organizations from on property promotions.

Unfortunately, my wife does not see the same picture. I think she shops there just to piss me off.

[wilco200]

This is same argument used against talk radio listeners/callers — they’re just a bunch of wing-nut fringe kooks.

uhhhh...actually people who listen to the radio just like people online ARE the people.

Maroons!

[Lancey Howard]

Unfortunately, my wife does not see the same picture. I think she shops there just to piss me off.

Well, it's time you got your belt off.

[DManA]

Target needs to pay attention to what is happening to Ford:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1847267/posts

[blu]

Must be the protester lives in a snow-free zone. The ad is showing a woman making a snow angel, fer cripes sake!!

signed,
a woman who still makes snow angels!

[Cold Heat]

I think they are not the only one with a problem.

I see nothing sexually explicit about that pic. What else would you do with a target. It reminded me of a circus act, not love making.

Some people obviously have far too much time on their hands, and should not be giving advice. Not even for free.

[Savage Beast]

This year I made a special point of giving to Salvation Army representatives.

[SnakeDoctor]

I saw a radical feminist blog (feministing.com) bitching about this ad yesterday. Even some of the feminist wacko commenters couldn’t see the problem with this ad (and they see a problem with virtually ANY ad with even a mildly attractive woman in it).

The woman is clearly centerd on the target (corporate symbol), making a snow angel. I don’t think the placement of her particular parts on the target was the thrust of the ad (pun intended).

H

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

I see no problem with the ad, however Targets crap attitude needs to be reeled in. I hope the internet blogs bite them hard. I’d like to see them come down a few notches.

[sticker]

Two other differences that matter(at least to me):
1. Fewer times I have to hold my breath to get pass smokers standing right outside the door.
2. No local groups: churchs, ball teams, etc hitting you up for money.

These are in Targets favor

[Petronski]

...I don’t think it’s humanly possible for the girl to be wearing anymore clothing.

Perhaps a burqha?

[Petronski]

I think Amy Jussel is worried that someone--somewhere--just might be thinking about sex. Quel horreur!

[vanilla swirl]

I used to ring bells at Target but because of this and other reasons I won’t shop there anymore.

[Manic_Episode]

I read some recent news reports of shrimp being raised in polluted ponds in China and being contaminated with banned cancer causing antibiotics, so I wrote to Target asking a yes or no question: Does Targets Market Pantry Shrimp come from China?

Here is their "response":

Thanks for sharing your interest about where the Market Pantry shrimp is produced.

Food products manufactured for Target in a country other than the United States have a label stating the country of origin as, “Product of ….” If there is no statement listing a foreign country, the product was produced in the U.S. Whenever a product is manufactured outside the U.S. for sale in the U.S., Target requires its vendors to comply with all U.S. regulations to identify the country of origin on the label.

We understand your concerns about the safety of your food and the ingredients used in their production. Ingredients used in many formulated products, whether produced within or outside of the U.S., may come from a source other than the country where the product is produced. Target evaluates the ingredient supplier approval program of all of our manufacturers, both domestic and international, as part of our third party food safety audit. Currently, there is no regulatory requirement to list the origin of ingredients used in formulated products

We’ll see you again soon at Target!

Sincerely,

Aimee
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com

=======================================

Targets motto is "Expect More. Pay Less."

"Expect More" my a$$. They never answered my question and simply passed the buck to the FDA

=======================================

Here is what I'm talking about:

U.S., Canada Split Over Chinese Shrimp

By Jane Zhang

A Chinese seafood company exempted from U.S. safety inspections under a pilot project has been cited by Canada after a cancer-causing antibiotic was detected in a shipment of frozen shrimp.

Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products Corp. is the only Chinese seafood company exempted from automatic U.S. Food and Drug Administration safety inspections. But since October, it has been on Canada's "import alert" list, subjecting its shipments to greater scrutiny.

A U.S. Department of Health and Human Services official said the U.S. didn't know about the Canadian action until asked by The Wall Street Journal. The HHS official said FDA officials will talk to their Canadian and Chinese counterparts before deciding whether to rescind the company's exemption in the U.S.

Chinese companies have faced a slew of product-safety recalls involving toys, pet food, tires and other products this year. The FDA said seafood tainted with illegal antibiotics poses no immediate threat to consumers' health but could lead to long-term harm.

Chosen by Beijing

Guolian's special FDA arrangement means its shipments get the same treatment as most U.S. imports. Only about 1% of most imports are subject to FDA inspections. But the FDA blocks all imports of five types of farm-raised seafood from China -- shrimp, catfish, eel, basa and dace -- until they are proved to be free or contaminants. Importers pay for the tests, which run up to $3,000 a shipment.

HHS spokesman Kevin Schweers said that under a pilot project Guolian was chosen by Beijing to demonstrate how China's 700 seafood processors could obtain exemptions from the seafood inspections.

===================================

This news story came out a few months AFTER I made my inquiry to Target. I forwarded the article to Target but did not receive a response.

[Cold Heat]

I have not thought about it for at least 20 minutes......:-)

[Petronski]

“Trust me, ladies, if you knew even for a second how we men really look at you, you would never stop slapping us.” —Larry Miller