Target Life Cycle - Not just a consumer campaign

I was watching LIVE TV the other day for the first time in a long time and saw the new Target campaign, "Life is a Moving Target". Brilliant! 

First, there is the obvious double entendre with their brand name. Second and more importantly, this new campaign delivers a very actionable consumer proposition that leverages emotion over function. This is pretty reminiscent of Walmarts campaign, "Save Money, Live Better".  So often the most important benefit of a product is functional. It's refreshing when a brand can connect with their consumers on an emotional level. As we all know, emotional trumps functional every time. 

We also know that if you appeal to the wife/mother/woman of the house then you've just communicated directly with the key decision maker when it comes to purchases. And while I wanted to scream at the TV, "Target....your strategy is showing!", I refrained because most consumers won't see it. All they will get is the connection that Target made to the thought process women go through when making a purchase decision. We don't simply look at how this will impact us in the immediate term, but how this purchase will affect future purchases, fit into our lives and both positively and negatively affect our tomorrow. 

There is a third and insightful layer to this campaign. During the recession, Walmart has capitalized on their low prices every day...but where has that left Target? According to a Time Magazine article, at the onset of the recession, Target found itself with eight months of 2.6% same store sales decline while Walmart had twenty-two months of same store sales growth of 3.3%. Target also devotes less than 20% of shelf space for consumables. Walmart dedicates 45% of shelf space to grocery, health and beauty products, catapulting them to be the nations largest food retailer. I don't know about you, but when pinching pennies and faced with a buying decision, I'll buy food before I buy a new lamp any day.

As they struggle to remain relevant to the average American in the throws of a recession, Target has begun adding mini grocery stores to some of their units. This is their solution for a sales rebound. For the consumer, we can all rejoice. Finally!!! Target will not only be a place where we can blow our paychecks on designer (kind of) clothes, throw pillows and Archer Farms cookies, but where we can get orange juice, bread and frozen peas!

Target's life cycle appears to be more than just a catchy slogan for their new campaign. Perhaps I was right to say that their strategy is showing. Target may be nearing the end of the proposition that made them a popular choice over Walmart. Their propositions life cycle is nearing it's end and they are in need of a re-positioning.  Hence the new national campaign.

It remains to be seen how this pans out, but lets be honest.....Target and Walmart aren't going anywhere any time soon. It will be interesting to watch the direction of this new campaign and the subsequent response from Walmart.

What do you think?