For years Target has been lauded for understanding just exactly what it stands for and what that means to consumers. Now, it appears, the company is a little less certain of its place in the retailing cosmos and so has hired a public opinion research firm to find out what a "variety of constituents," including members of the media, think about it.
Susan Kahn, a spokesperson for the retailer, told Bloomberg
News, "For a company like Target, a national company,
it makes sense obviously to understand how we're perceived externally.
Nu Wexler, an account director at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide,
said, "Even if it's just a preventative measure for Target, it's a smart
move and something that more large companies are considering in this climate."
Target has hired Public Strategies Inc. to conduct the research. The firm is the same company Target hired to do research during its proxy fight with activist investor William Ackman earlier this year.
In a letter to shareholders, Target CEO Greg Steinhafel wrote, that Public Strategies would "offer recommendations that will inform our long-term strategies."
Discussion Questions: Are you surprised that Target is using a public-opinion research firm to get a handle on its reputation among a "variety of constituents?" Is this an exercise that has real value for all retailers and not just large chains such as Target?