In a unique twist on localization, Target has partnered with American menswear designer Todd Snyder to come up with a number of small collections tailored to select U.S. cities and "designed to celebrate hometown pride."
With a goal of making Target feel more like a neighborhood store, "Local Pride by Todd Snyder" will launch at 15 stores this week in Boston with t-shirts and baseball caps, pint glasses, phone cases, canvas bags and other locally relevant products. Some poke fun at the city's accent with t-shirts reading, "Wicked smaht" or bearing sayings such as, "How bout them apples," "Where's the packie?" and "Bean Town." Store associates at the opening will wear red t-shirts saying "Tahget."
Other merchandise focuses on local tastes such as Cape Cod potato chips, Flufflenutter sandwiches and Fenway Franks. The designer talked to cabbies and people at the city's top tourist spots, including the Old Town Trolley tour, the Cheers bar, Boston Harbor and Fenway Park, for inspiration.
"This collection is about the sense of discovery," said Mr. Snyder in a statement. "We want to be your tour guide, showcasing the unique aspects of the local cities. I have visited some of the coolest spots and spoken to a lot of locals in each city that helped me design original, exclusive and fun designs."
Source: Target
The Wall Street Journal said Target is "chasing trend-loving consumers as they move from suburbs back into city centers," with the localization focus primarily on its smaller, urban "Target Express" stores. Target CEO Brian Cornell told the Journal, "It's going to make them feel Target understands Boston."
The program will reach San Francisco and Chicago at the end of 2015, with more planned in 2016.
- Target and Designer Todd Snyder Celebrate Local Pride With a Series of Exclusive Collections - Target
- Target Goes for Local Cool - The Wall Street Journal (tiered sub.)
- Target's new designer hits the road with city-specific lines - Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
- Target - err, -Tahget' - thinks it has a 'wicked smaht' plan to get Boston shoppers - The Boston Globe (tiered sub.)