Marketers have longed for the day when consumers could watch a TV show, see a product they liked, and then easily purchase it. The Internet and e-commerce have made their wishes come true. Viewers can now watch a video online and click on the item of their dreams.
Target recently debuted its first series of films designed for immediate Internet shopping. The films star famous actors Kristen Bell, Nia Long, and Zachary Abel in a series of vignettes designed to relate to the lives of working consumers. The branded entertainment videos are a series of romantic comedy films set at the actual Target Corp. headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn. The films highlight beauty, home, and fashion and help to extend Target’s fall marketing campaigns.
The short films are filled entirely by Target items, including housewares, home furnishings, and fashion. When viewed online, shoppers can immediately click on items, see the price and product specifications, and add items immediately to their shopping carts, all without interrupting the story. The story does not focus on the products, but does show viewers how Target’s products can be incorporated into the average home – and then shows how the average home is worthy of being in a TV comedy.
The future of Internet shopping has arrived. All a customer has to do is view, click, and buy.
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss e-commerce for marketing and sales.
2. Show the Target videos: http://fallingforyou.target.com/
3. Additional videos:
http://youtu.be/liggIsuQDJA
4. Discuss how the videos can be used to increase awareness and sales.
5. Ask students which products they might consider purchasing?
6. Divide students into groups. Have each group storyboard a video for a retailer to encourage consumer buying of that retailer’s products. (Ex: Home Depot, Williams Sonoma, etc.)
Source: New York Times, Minneapolis Business Journal, other news sources, 9/26/12
