Target tries to make the grade with new BTC season promos

Target Corp. has partnered with four YouTube channel personalities as well as with Design Hunter L.A. founder Veronica Valencia to develop and launch a new YouTube video series around the back-to-school/college promotional season.

Dubbed “Best Year Ever,” the new programming aims at marrying reality TV with a design challenge to provide viewers and shoppers with “tips and tricks that college students can use while designing their own dorm or off-campus spaces,” Target explained.

YouTube celebrities Todrick Hall , Mikey Bolts , Tiffany Garcia and Ann Le will each host a four-episode series that follows a real college student as they prepare for campus living. Then, Veronica Valencia will redecorate each room and provide design solutions.

The series will debut throughout July and August on each YouTube star’s page and on Target’s YouTube channel.

“Target caters to college students who are creating and designing their own space for the first time,” said Rick Gomez, Target’s svp, marketing. “We have the right products at great prices, and our video series is full of entertaining inspiration and ideas for stylish, small-space living.”

For back-to-college, Target is looking to provide this student set with products they both want and need, including bedding, desks and bookshelves, electronics and kitchen utensils under Target’s owned brands, such as Room Essentials and Xhilaration. Some on-trend home textiles items in this year’s collection include bedding and bath products in gray palettes and faux fur pillows.

To help promote these items, Target this year is offering several new tools, including: a back-to-college catalog via the chain’s new In a Snap app – an iPhone app designed to enable students and families to scan, select and purchase items featured in the catalog with just a few clicks; Target Subscriptions, which allows shoppers to order from Target.com and have them delivered on a recurring schedule to the student’s dorm or apartment; and a college registry service at Target.com/collegeregistry.

Since the registry launched in June, the most popular items on it have been the Room Essentials Twin XL Mattress Pad, Quirky Cargo Shower Caddy, and Joy Mangano 34-piece Huggable Hanger Combo Pack, Target noted.

Source: Home Textiles Today