May 8, 2013
Target Pops Up in NYC’s Grand Central Station
Target knows about presentation. It also knows how to create a buzz. I couldn’t help but think after seeing a time-lapse video showing how the retailer erected a two-story dollhouse inside New York’s Grand Central train station that it also had an opportunity to drive some immediate sales.
The dollhouse in question was a 1,600 square-foot building with an open floor plan that showed off Target’s Threshold décor line room by room. It was open to the public for two days only, closing yesterday.
"Putting our Threshold collection in a house would be the most natural setting to showcase the brand," Julie Guggemos, Target’s vice president of product design and development, told the Star Tribune. "Dollhouse invites people into it to experience the product, to touch and feel it."
Over 3,000 items were on display in the dollhouse. Two-dozen could be purchased using smartphones to scan a QR code. The terminal where the dollhouse is located gets roughly 500,000 visitors a day.
![[Image: Target Dollhouse]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAxIDEiIHdpZHRoPSIxIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjEiIGRhdGEtdT0iJTJGcHVibGljJTJGaW1hZ2VzJTJGZGlzY3Vzc2lvbnMlMkYxNjc1NiUyRnRhcmdldC1kb2xsaG91c2Utc3RpbGwuanBnIiBkYXRhLXc9IjEiIGRhdGEtaD0iMSIgZGF0YS1iaXA9IiI+PC9zdmc+)
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Discussion Questions
How effective will the Grand Central Station dollhouse event be in helping Target gain the exposure needed to build sales of its Threshold décor line? How does this compare to other pop-up events with which you are familiar?
Poll
Just another reason why retail is so ‘cool’! Off the charts effective to gain exposure, excitement, awareness and ultimately, sales. 500,000 people a day walking by, all bored and looking for a welcome distraction.
The only question I have is why only 24 out of 3000 products can actually be purchased. Seems odd and limiting. Maybe IT hasn’t caught up with marketing.
Getting your product in the customers’ hands has always been the stepping stone to great sales. A bit surprised only a dozen products could be purchased from a phone, but applaud Target’s creativity and “real” vs. “virtual” use of the space to engage passersby.
Target generated millions of dollars in publicity for its Threshold decor line from its Grand Central dollhouse through a unique event that showed off its products and creativity. That would seem to justify the price, which had to be substantial.
Successful events do not require significant marketing expenditures in order to be successful, they simply need to capture consumer and media attention by creatively placing a product in a location where consumers do not expect to find it.
Love it. Even those who didn’t stop and look were reminded they needed to pick something up at their local Target.
I was in an interesting pop-up store last weekend. Boy band One Direction, which has had pop-up stores at the Mall of America and in NYC, also opened one up in Faneuil Hall Marketplace. They were cranking out the merchandise while their fans were swooning all of the store. You could buy everything, and those kids were.
I like this idea and will be interested to see how they measure the impact.
My one question is this…
“3,000 items were on display in the dollhouse. Two-dozen could be purchased using smartphones to scan a QR code.”
Why not make them all purchasable as well as integrated with the Target app so that they can offer wishlist, shopping cart, and extended assortment capabilities?
Once again Target shows us what can be done! This is a great way to showcase a line and put products in perspective. “Gee, I never thought about putting something like that there!”
But then…”think I’ll buy it…what? I can’t buy it here?”
I also ask, why not? Surely they could have addressed that, but still a great step by Target!
Absolutely. The element of surprise and the unexpected is extremely powerful, causing shoppers to be more open and excited about the brand. Coupled with a high density location, this is a formula for success. Not to mention that the video itself has generated buzz for shoppers not located in NYC.
Pop-up stores are great tools for all retailers—both brick-and-mortar and online—to reach customers in a whole new way.
I do agree that 24/3,000 items is disappointing. It would be better if Target had the option for simple in-store pick-up, find in-store, or delivery with a scan of the QR code.
This Target Pop-up is an excellent way to build interest in its product line. Catching consumers in the moment is an effective way to create engagement. It’s fun, interesting, and a very appealing way to browse products that may not be in current shopper destinations. Hoping next time more QR connections for purchase — great next step.
Another “kewl” advertising stunt that we’ve come to expect from Target, but why leave it up only 2 days (less time than it took to build)? The “500,000 visitors a day” figure is misleading since only a small fraction of that number were likely to have seen it in this small space of time (the setup wasn’t in the actual concourse, but rather in the former waiting room next to it).
I’m sure Target is counting on publicity beyond the actual display – as evidenced by the fact that we’re seeing it here on RW, but it still looks like a squandered opportunity. Kodak had a famous billboard in Grand Central Terminal for years. (On second thought, maybe that’s not a good precedent to mention.)
It’s nice to see Target stepping out again…or should I say, stepping outside of the lather, rinse, repeat brand partnership rut that has defined its marketing for a while. This particular stunt is also a great way for Target to drive awareness for its Threshold owned brand with customers who are en route to cities where Target stores are more prevalent.
All of my pop-up retail colleagues and groups have been raving about The Target Grand Central Station Threshold dollhouse. As pop-up’s go, this hit all the marks. Target selected a high traffic area, built a very creative environment, and gave consumers an exclusive opportunity to experience, touch and feel the 3,000 products in the Threshold decor line. Excellent presentation. Wonderful buzz. Great job.
While this was a unique and creative opportunity, Target could have taken it even further and broadened the reach beyond the New York area by engaging their significant social media following in advance of the event. Perhaps they could have allowed followers to vote or somehow inform the design of the rooms, select products, or have a contest where someone gets to design the room, etc., prior to unveiling of the dollhouse.
Love it! Exciting, innovative, and makes you think about Target. I also see this as an offline vehicle to drive online sales. Target should do more of these. It’s a good way to “showroom” online products, especially categories which play on uniqueness that you have to physically see to buy on impulse.
Going to declare this the absolute worst pop-up exhibition ever. The amount of planning, human resource, cost, time and material to build an exhibit that lasted only two days and only a dozen products that can be scanned with a QR code is mind-boggling.
In addition, Grand Central Station is a transit hub, not the Jacob Javits Center. A lower footprint such as a QR code wall or poster would have been more effective and delivered a greater ROI. Worst pop-up ever!
I thought this was a really cool example of installation marketing. The QR code sales conversion option was a good feature and of course the foot traffic in Grand Central Station is huge, but even more than those was the online publicity Target got out of it. This article is one of several I’ve seen on major news sites since the installation ran. Everybody in retail is talking about it.
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Just another reason why retail is so ‘cool’! Off the charts effective to gain exposure, excitement, awareness and ultimately, sales. 500,000 people a day walking by, all bored and looking for a welcome distraction.
The only question I have is why only 24 out of 3000 products can actually be purchased. Seems odd and limiting. Maybe IT hasn’t caught up with marketing.
Getting your product in the customers’ hands has always been the stepping stone to great sales. A bit surprised only a dozen products could be purchased from a phone, but applaud Target’s creativity and “real” vs. “virtual” use of the space to engage passersby.
Target generated millions of dollars in publicity for its Threshold decor line from its Grand Central dollhouse through a unique event that showed off its products and creativity. That would seem to justify the price, which had to be substantial.
Successful events do not require significant marketing expenditures in order to be successful, they simply need to capture consumer and media attention by creatively placing a product in a location where consumers do not expect to find it.
Love it. Even those who didn’t stop and look were reminded they needed to pick something up at their local Target.
I was in an interesting pop-up store last weekend. Boy band One Direction, which has had pop-up stores at the Mall of America and in NYC, also opened one up in Faneuil Hall Marketplace. They were cranking out the merchandise while their fans were swooning all of the store. You could buy everything, and those kids were.
I like this idea and will be interested to see how they measure the impact.
My one question is this…
“3,000 items were on display in the dollhouse. Two-dozen could be purchased using smartphones to scan a QR code.”
Why not make them all purchasable as well as integrated with the Target app so that they can offer wishlist, shopping cart, and extended assortment capabilities?
Once again Target shows us what can be done! This is a great way to showcase a line and put products in perspective. “Gee, I never thought about putting something like that there!”
But then…”think I’ll buy it…what? I can’t buy it here?”
I also ask, why not? Surely they could have addressed that, but still a great step by Target!
Absolutely. The element of surprise and the unexpected is extremely powerful, causing shoppers to be more open and excited about the brand. Coupled with a high density location, this is a formula for success. Not to mention that the video itself has generated buzz for shoppers not located in NYC.
Pop-up stores are great tools for all retailers—both brick-and-mortar and online—to reach customers in a whole new way.
I do agree that 24/3,000 items is disappointing. It would be better if Target had the option for simple in-store pick-up, find in-store, or delivery with a scan of the QR code.
This Target Pop-up is an excellent way to build interest in its product line. Catching consumers in the moment is an effective way to create engagement. It’s fun, interesting, and a very appealing way to browse products that may not be in current shopper destinations. Hoping next time more QR connections for purchase — great next step.
Another “kewl” advertising stunt that we’ve come to expect from Target, but why leave it up only 2 days (less time than it took to build)? The “500,000 visitors a day” figure is misleading since only a small fraction of that number were likely to have seen it in this small space of time (the setup wasn’t in the actual concourse, but rather in the former waiting room next to it).
I’m sure Target is counting on publicity beyond the actual display – as evidenced by the fact that we’re seeing it here on RW, but it still looks like a squandered opportunity. Kodak had a famous billboard in Grand Central Terminal for years. (On second thought, maybe that’s not a good precedent to mention.)
It’s nice to see Target stepping out again…or should I say, stepping outside of the lather, rinse, repeat brand partnership rut that has defined its marketing for a while. This particular stunt is also a great way for Target to drive awareness for its Threshold owned brand with customers who are en route to cities where Target stores are more prevalent.
All of my pop-up retail colleagues and groups have been raving about The Target Grand Central Station Threshold dollhouse. As pop-up’s go, this hit all the marks. Target selected a high traffic area, built a very creative environment, and gave consumers an exclusive opportunity to experience, touch and feel the 3,000 products in the Threshold decor line. Excellent presentation. Wonderful buzz. Great job.
While this was a unique and creative opportunity, Target could have taken it even further and broadened the reach beyond the New York area by engaging their significant social media following in advance of the event. Perhaps they could have allowed followers to vote or somehow inform the design of the rooms, select products, or have a contest where someone gets to design the room, etc., prior to unveiling of the dollhouse.
Love it! Exciting, innovative, and makes you think about Target. I also see this as an offline vehicle to drive online sales. Target should do more of these. It’s a good way to “showroom” online products, especially categories which play on uniqueness that you have to physically see to buy on impulse.
Going to declare this the absolute worst pop-up exhibition ever. The amount of planning, human resource, cost, time and material to build an exhibit that lasted only two days and only a dozen products that can be scanned with a QR code is mind-boggling.
In addition, Grand Central Station is a transit hub, not the Jacob Javits Center. A lower footprint such as a QR code wall or poster would have been more effective and delivered a greater ROI. Worst pop-up ever!
I thought this was a really cool example of installation marketing. The QR code sales conversion option was a good feature and of course the foot traffic in Grand Central Station is huge, but even more than those was the online publicity Target got out of it. This article is one of several I’ve seen on major news sites since the installation ran. Everybody in retail is talking about it.