Target Australia (partially lost animated commercials; 2008-2011)

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Target Logo.svg

Logo of Target.

Status: Partially Lost

Between 2008 to 2011, Australian Discount Department Store Retailer Target Australia aired a series of traditional and computer-animated television commercials. These commercials are mostly comprised of Target's signature emblem, red colouring, the old Target logo and text (shown here)[1], the slogan '100% Happy' at the end of the commercial, and the signature 'The Dude - Be Happy' song[2]. While the majority of these advertisements can be accessed online, some short clips of lost target commercials can be found in an Australian compilation video.

History

An Example of an Animated Target Australia Commercial.

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].

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[7]) animated and aired a range of different advertisements for Target Australia. These advertisements can be loosely characterised by the year at which they were created. Advertisements created between 2008-2009 often portray 2-dimensional animated figures or symbols, or occasionally 3-dimensional 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. Advertisements airing in 2010-2011 focus predominantly on the 3-dimensional animated commercials, in addition to new animated commercials with flexible Target mascot characters and settings which stray-away from stage sets (It is assumed that these commercials were animated by a different animation company).

Example of a 2010-2011 advertisement: https://youtu.be/ULJAR6LVqAI

Example of a 2008-2009 advertisement: https://youtu.be/hhuWYuC43lU

Example of a 2010-2011 advertisement (New Advertisement with the new animation style/animation software presumably): https://youtu.be/AZGiariUerc

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 or 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 clips and screenshots 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 the original platform.

'Target Mascot' Advertisements (All Found)
Unofficial Name Links
Bumper Babython https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 0:15)
Bag a Bargain https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 2:38)

https://youtu.be/BgnDwKOIZ_U https://vimeo.com/35828604https://archive.org/details/2009-commercial-for-target-3

Bed Jump https://vimeo.com/35829004
Biodegradable Bag https://vimeo.com/35829436https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 0:00)
Blizzard https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 3:10 and 5:02)

https://vimeo.com/35845963

Bonds Underwear https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 7:24)

https://youtu.be/fsesY26Mxmw

Catch Me https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 2:07)

https://youtu.be/ULJAR6LVqAI https://youtu.be/e--T5Qrc4ig

Clothes Off https://vimeo.com/35846738
Corset https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 0:00)

https://youtu.be/gVI6mrVmRJ8 https://vimeo.com/35847809https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 0:30)

Crop Circles https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 1:20)

https://vimeo.com/35876233 https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 0:47)

Dad-a-Thon https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 6:04)

https://youtu.be/BqWvT_57_2c https://vimeo.com/35877116

Dance https://archive.org/details/2009-commercial-for-target
Doggy https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 0:32 and 4:30)

https://youtu.be/WVGpRwVQmTs https://vimeo.com/35878764

Dress to Impress https://vimeo.com/35879616https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 1:03)
DVD Musical https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 3:57)

https://youtu.be/0g5dGnzl4EE https://vimeo.com/35882668https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 1:19)

Flowers https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 2:23)
For Kids by Kids https://youtu.be/SdJbLSOHRJIhttps://vimeo.com/35828187
Full Monty https://vimeo.com/35941763
Good as Gone https://vimeo.com/35908173https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 1:35)
Hat https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 7:40)
Massive Home Sale https://vimeo.com/32759199
Kids Sale https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 0:47)
Home Sale https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 1:03)

https://archive.org/details/2009-commercial-for-target-4

Nervous Pig https://vimeo.com/35939850https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 1:51)
Queen https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 2:22 and 2:54)

https://youtu.be/jDiuzEfQiRQ

Rock https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 4:45)

https://youtu.be/LcR85czIicw

Safari https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 6:21)

https://youtu.be/pjWGzNYdwgw (Found at 26:03) https://vimeo.com/35938575https://vimeo.com/147324441 (Found at 2:07)

Shop with Confidence https://vimeo.com/32759464
Stocktake Sale https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 3:25)

https://youtu.be/3tJHYZrOdl0 https://vimeo.com/35824521

Surprise https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 4:13)

https://youtu.be/AZGiariUerc

Toy Sale https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 3:42)

https://youtu.be/IQNUgiSbMFE https://youtu.be/_xeEUZeQKz0https://youtu.be/slXGbRBnq7E (Found at 0:45)

https://vimeo.com/35179890

Undercover https://youtu.be/vbX0L8ZvH1A (Found at 7:56)
Wardrobe https://youtu.be/A4kPqJ2syn4
We Love Kids https://vimeo.com/32939888
Known Lost 'Target Mascot' and Lost Animated Target Advertisements
Unofficial Name Screenshots Description Status
Target's Reel DVD Deals
Target Reel DVD Deals (2).png
Target Reel DVD Deals (1).png
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
Fridge (2).png
Fridge.png
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
Epic DVD Sale (3).png
Epic DVD Sale (2).png
Epic DVD Sale (1).png
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
Television.png
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
Video Game.png
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
Clothes Branches.png
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
Switching People.png
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)
Motorbike Variation 2 (60%).png
Motorbike Variation 1 (Ramp).png
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 lost
UFO
UFO.png
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
Summer Hot Buys.png
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

Updates and Search Efforts

First acknowledgements of the lost commercials date back to 2016, with small 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).

Further updates will be provided here after the initial publication of this article.

References (Links)