Target Australia (partially lost animated commercials; 2008-2011)
Logo of Target.
Status: Partially Lost
Between 2008 to 2011, Australian Department Store Target Australia (unaffiliated with Target Corporation US) aired a series of traditional and computer-animated television commercials. These commercials are mostly comprised of Target's signature emblem (shown here)[1], the slogan '100% Happy' at the end of the commercial, and 'The Dude - Be Happy' song[2] played as background music. While the majority of these advertisements can be accessed online, some advertisements are lost but are confirmed to have aired due to an Australian advertisement compilation video on YouTube (which displays clips of the lost commercials).
History
Target Australia, professionally known as Target Australia Pty Ltd[3], was founded in 1926 by George Lindsay and Alex McKenzie in Geelong, originally doing business as Lindsay's[4]. Selling dress fabrics, bedding and furnishings, the chain quickly established stores around Victoria, Australia, and by the time the chain reached 16 stores in 1968, Myer Emporium (modern-day Myer Australia) bought the chain and rebranded them as 'Lindsay's Target' before renaming them to simply 'Target' in March 1973[5]. The chain soon expanded to South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, and it's parent company merged with GJ Coles & Coy LTD to form Coles Myer Limited in August 1985[4].
Target Australia continued to expand as a discount department store throughout the 1990s and 2000s, now with a new parent company 'Wesfarmers' in November 2007[6]. As of July 2023, Target Australia operates 124 stores across all Australian states, with at least 2 in each state[3].
Despite the brand's similarities to the American retailer Target, Target Australia has no affiliation with it's American counterparts (Target Corporation US)[7].
2008-2011 Advertisement History
Between 2008 to 2011, the now-defunct Australian advertisement agency 'The Campaign Palace', in addition to multiple other Australian agencies (e.g. Animagrafx[8]) animated and aired a range of different advertisements for Target Australia. These advertisements range from traditionally animated figures or symbols, to computer animated commercials revolving around a stage with Target mascot characters performing activities based on what is being advertised, or a metaphor emphasising the grandness of the deals being advertised (with some exemptions).
Advertisements that portray the Target characters notably use the song 'The Dude - Be Happy'[2], a red stage setting whose curtains close at the conclusion of the commercial, the old Target logo with the tagline '100% Happy' (often, a Target mascot character will appear and hold a sign reading this tagline), a female narrator with a distinct Australian accent and a sign/banner stating what is on sale (e.g. 50% linen sheet sets) or what sale is happening (e.g. 20% off underwear, socks and hosiery).
Any other advertisement other than those who portray Target characters vary. These animated commercials can range from animated bras or clothing, red-coloured animals, symbols or people, target-themed settings or events, etc.
Details on Lost and Found Commercials
The majority of the Target Australia Commercials detailed can be found online on the online streaming platforms YouTube, Vimeo and the Internet Archive. Despite this, many advertisements are still lost, but brief clips of them can be found in 2 advertising compilation videos posted to YouTube by creative director 'Shane Dawson' on October 15th, 2009 and January 23rd, 2013 respectively.
Links to the Advertising Compilation Videos:
Retail TV: https://youtu.be/qX6kS3bzkR4
Birchall/Dawson - TV (Retail): https://youtu.be/gaCS0fqOX94
The tables below list all found 'Target Mascot' Advertisements (and where they can be found), all known lost 'Target Mascot' and lost animated Target Advertisements. Please note that some of the links may not work if they're taken down from their respective platforms.
| Unofficial Name | Screenshots | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target's Reel DVD Deals | A looney-tunes circle pops onto the screen and a Target mascot character appears with the words 'Reel DVD Deals'. The mascot then holds up a banner showing the deals. Advertisement ends with the looney-tunes circle transitioning into the target logo. Curtains close. | Lost | |
| Fridge | A calendar is shown on a fridge with red and black pens marking dates at which the sale is on. The calendar's page turns showing '20% off kids clothing', then the camera zooms out. Curtain close, and a target mascot jumps out with the '100% happy' banner. | Lost | |
| Epic DVD Sale | The title 'Epic DVD Sale' appears in a pile of popcorn. A scoop scoops some up and pours it into an overflowing popcorn bucket which displays 'DVDs from $6.99'. The ad ends with a target mascot running across the screen below the popcorn bucket, sitting down and using a tv remote. | Lost | |
| Television | A film strip moves with the words 'Loading' on the top right. A red man on a couch, surrounded by target records, lifts a television remote and changes the channel. | Lost | |
| Video Game | A mario-like figure rises from a pipe and runs into another pipe and jumps in. Underground, the figure walks with the words '20% off kids and babies' clothing' atop him. The ad ends with the figure climbing a ladder into a target logo. | Lost | |
| Clothes Branches | A bikini and pants looks at a pair of pants, then a continuous branch of clothing expand from the two sets of clothing. A message reads '20% off womens, mens, and kids' underwear, socks and hosiery', and the ad closes with the target logo. | Lost | |
| Switching People | A range of male and female characters dance as sections of their body interchange and move out and into the frame. | Lost | |
| Motorbike (Specific Variations) | 2-3 Motorbike advertisements have already been found as television recordings. The lost advertisement involves a motorcyclist jumping from a ramp with a billboard in the background reading 'Up to 30% selected summer clothing, footwear sleepwear and accessories', and another involves a group of motorcyclists driving in front of a billboard reading '60% off 1000 thread count sheet sets'. | Partially Found, but some Variations are lost. | |
| UFO | A red UFO with a Target logo at the bottom flies around a city of tall buildings. The ad ends with the words 'Out of this World Sale. Massive price reductions' displayed as light from the UFO's base, and the UFO flies up and forms the Target logo. | Lost | |
| Summer Hot Buys | A target logo (interpreted as a frisbee) flies across a beach with people laying down with the words 'Summer Hot Buys' displayed. The frisbee is thrown around by people before landing and appearing as the closing Target logo. | Lost |
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Updates and Search Efforts
First acknowledgements of the lost commercials date back to 2016, with personal search efforts beginning in January 2023. These search efforts include a wide search through Australian advertisement compilations and recordings on YouTube, advanced searches on the Internet Archive and contact to creative directors or people involved in the creation of the advertisements (e.g. Shane Dawson and Gerhard Myburgh).
Uploads of former lost commercials have been made by Internet Archive user HappySwordsman, notably the commercial 'Dance' on November 24th 2021. In addition, YouTuber rescap uploaded a 9-minute compilation of animated Target commercials from 2010 on March 21st 2021, which included commercials which were unknown to have existed until their upload. This could potentially indicate that there are more animated Target commercials from this era that have yet to resurface onto the internet.
Further updates will be provided here after the initial publication of this article.
References (Links)
- ↑ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Target_Logo.svg
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://youtu.be/p_VWjLoHBIE
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Australia
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.target.com.au/company/about-us/our-history
- ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XghkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=j_EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4691%2C11363700
- ↑ https://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSSYD11087920070816?sp=true
- ↑ https://www.target.com.au/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20100206201821/http://www.animagrafx.com.au/
