For those of you who aren’t fortunate enough to have experienced Target, the huge retailer is a favorite of many for being a vast upgrade to Walmart in quality and products. However, you bloggers should know that your favorite retailer isn’t too keen on you, as Target straight up refuses to speak with bloggers in a professional manner.

Why on earth would the retailer of such great brand names like Mossimo want to fling poo all over a blogging community, who is just as much about chic clothing and saving money as the other fellahs? Well, according to the New York Times, ShapingYouth.com, a website aimed towards exploring the effects of marketing on children, contacted Target about an ad that Amy Jussel, founder of ShapingYouth, thought was degrading towards women.

The advertisement, pictured at the beginning, depicts a woman with the Target symbol placed none too delicately over the lady’s…erm…unmentionables. Legitimately, ShapingYouth.com at least wanted some sort of response from Target as to what the advertisement is aimed at.

Target, in all of its “we’re better than Walmart” glory, replied thusly:

“Unfortunately we are unable to respond to your inquiry because Target does not participate with nontraditional media outlets.”

Either Target forgot to speak to its internet division before posting a reply, or the blogosphere really isn’t overtaking print media, because everyone who reads this most likely has at least 1 eyebrow raised, ever so slightly.

And rubbing salt in what assuredly is Target’s own wound, “This practice is in place to allow us to focus on publications that reach our core guest.” Well, Target must not be selling many computers, or advertising internet-related products, because apparently those that use the internet just won’t classify as a “core guest.”

Oh, it gets better. When those “untraditional” media outlets let out a big, “WTF, Target?!” a one representative Amy von Walter said, “We do not work with bloggers currently.”

So, for those of you who aren’t getting the gist, Target, who claims to offer hip, chic, youthful clothing for a cheap price, don’t consider blogs, which even “traditional” media outlets will admit is claiming much of the spotlight nowadays, is about as hip as washboards and the model T Ford.

What Target will undoubtedly learn is that, contrary to its own short-sighted opinion, the blogosphere has a lot more sway than Target is willing to give it. In fact, you’d be surprised how vehemently vengeful a group of angry bloggers can be; what’s worse for target is that bloggers are notorious for having short tempers when their avenue for communication of choice is belittled or insulted. Can anyone say boycott?

What is evident about this little hiccup in modernization is that companies like Target and others are behind the curve. This type of statement, coupled with the blogosphere’s response, is what will shove the public’s opinion of the blogosphere to the level it deserves. Online media and blogs are the future; Target’s ignorance is the past.

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Entry was posted on Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 at 12:08 am under Advertising, Blogosphere, Ecommerce, Internet, Opinion.

Read more entries by Triston McIntyre.
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