2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

Target Crams a Whole Lotta Christmas Into Its Icy Aisles

A land of pure imagination?

Polar bears, reindeer and penguins at Target? Clean-up in aisle five!

The retailer waxes fantastical in the :60 below, crowding one of its stores with all manner of seasonal CG enchantments:

That’s one hyped-up holiday vibe. A tad overwhelming perhaps, right down to a version of “Pure Imagination” jingling from above.

And yet, it feels … on Target. Soon, the place will be a madhouse of shoppers seeking deals. Some might even sing along with carols (and a tune from Willy Wonka?) careening off the walls.

Here, we get truth in advertising. The brand tacitly acknowledges this reality and ups the ante to drive the EOY purchase cycle.

We’re celebrating with fake snowflakes and twinkly lights, decorating the flow of commerce in yuletide hues of red, green and white.

That approach feels so quintessentially red, white and blue this time of year.

Mythology helped develop the campaign. Framestore’s Anh Vu directed.

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