But not all consumers wanted to love Target coming to Canada. So the agency created a powerful, compelling program under the continuous story, "Target Loves Canada." Targeting all Canadians with a bull's eye on moms aged 24 to 40, this road trip travelled coast to coast and activated unique events in 24 cities in three short weeks. Events strategically catered to the different audiences in each market and included everything from an intimate holiday reading with Gordon Pinsent in Halifax, to offering Toronto commuters complimentary shuttle rides, and finally bringing Carly Rae Jepsen home for a surprise concert in Mission, B.C.
The Target Road Trip was Target Canada's first-ever, fully integrated multi-event mobile tour where Target appeared from coast-to-coast (starting in Halifax, NS, finishing in Victoria, BC) in moments and places moms and families least expected.
Each event was unique, highly localized, designed from insights specific to the region. This resulted in a sense of shared understanding, and began to help identify Target as a member of each community versus a mass retailer applying a "one-size fits all" solution. While some of the destinations and moments were planned, others were executed spontaneously, with collaboration from Target's social community. As the Target social team engaged the online community, the caravan team interacted with fans/followers throughout their journey. From visiting Montreal's most beloved bagel joints to visiting a die-hard Target fan at her workplace in Kamloops, the goal of the Road Trip was to meet as many of Target's new neighbours as possible.
The exterior of the holiday caravan was designed to represent Canadian heritage, integrating cultural symbols such as totem poles, winter sports and wildlife, with iconic Canadian landmarks such as Toronto's CN Tower, Calgary's Saddledome and Nova Scotia's Peggy's Cove.
After travelling more than 9,350 kilometers, Target Road Trip engaged more than 22,200 consumers in a 1:1 brand interaction all while generating more than 47 million media impressions nation-wide with 26M+ social impressions.