Target's inner circle

They're brilliantly creative. They're enviably down-to-earth. They're universally imitated. And they're entering one of the most challenging periods the company has faced in 46 years.

FORTUNE, March 18, 2008 — You'd think Robert Ulrich would be warming up for his victory lap right about now. The soon-to-retire CEO of Target Corp. should be easing into a lavish farewell tour filled with teary thank-yous, champagne-soaked sendoffs, and a book of leadership secrets.

As Message Misses Mark, Target's Profit Drops†

Wall Street Journal, February 27, 2008 — Target Corp. is finding that its "expect more" message doesn't go over as well when shoppers are facing a possible recession.

After long benefiting from an image more upscale than that of archrival Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target finds itself on the losing end of the marketing game as Wal-Mart hammers home its "Every Day Low Prices" mantra to shoppers ready to cut back on cheap-chic.

From Cheap Stand-In to Shelf Star†

Food Retailers Put Spotlight On Store-Brand Products, To Dismay of Sara Lee, Kraft

Wall Street Journal, August 29, 2007 — When Zarlacht Atiqzoy, a Dallas mother of two, went grocery shopping at a Target supercenter recently, she was surprised to find a bottle of dipping oil flavored with pomegranates and apricots. The oil, from a brand called Archer Farms, "sounded so good and was so unusual that I didn't mind paying the $7, which isn't cheap," she says. She was even more surprised when she turned over the bottle and learned the oil was actually made by Target Corp. "I didn't expect Target to be so creative," she says.

Brands Americans Embrace

Forbes, April 30, 2007 — JetBlue Chief Executive David Neeleman has always been known as a guy who obsesses over customer service. Not only has that strategy differentiated his carrier in a largely commoditized airline industry, it's gone a long way toward gaining some slack when it does mess up. Despite February's much publicized fiasco that had customers in New York stranded on its planes for hours during an ice storm, JetBlue still ranks as Americans' favorite airline.

Are Designer Collaborations Dead?

With ever more retailers tapping fashion's biggest names, the once-hip strategy is becoming cliché and savvy designers are focusing on other markets

BusinessWeek, April 9, 2007 — When Matthew E. Rubel left his post as chairman and chief executive at upscale footwear label Cole Haan in 2005 for the chief executive position at low-end shoe store chain Payless ShoeSource (PSS), he faced the challenge of rejuvenating a company that had seen 10 years of flat sales. So within the first two months of his new role, he focused on tapping into a trend that's been gaining momentum since early this decade: high-profile, limited-edition collaborations between budget-friendly retailers and ultra-chic fashion designers who typically sell their clothes and accessories at tony department stores such as Neiman Marcus or Saks Fifth Avenue (SKS).

Revenge of the Generic

Copying Target's model, chains such as Office Max and Costco are developing more upscale, store-brand products and customers are buying them

BusinessWeek, December 27, 2006 — It used to be that few people would admit to buying generic. You remember, those almost comically minimalist packages of food, starkly decorated with text indicating the contents—"Spaghetti" or "Frozen Peas"—produced and sold by grocery-store chains

Times Sq. Ads Spread Via Tourists’ Cameras

New York Times, December 11, 2006 — Advertisers have long been drawn to Times Square as a valuable place to reach consumers, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for space on billboards and blazing video screens.

The invincibles†

Advertising Age, October 31, 2005 — Wal-Mart doesn't intimidate Target. Nor does anything else. Marketing chief Michael Francis and team do it their way