Doc Moonlight

from:

http://www.boston.com/business/artic..._wake_up_call/

'This is your Target wake-up call'
Celebrity phone messages planned to spur shoppers
By Knight Ridder | November 19, 2004

ST. PAUL -- On the Friday after Thanksgiving, the biggest shopping day of the holiday season, celebrity Ice-T will have a personal message for some Target customers: "Get your lazy butt up."

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In a move that is drawing national attention for Target as it gears up for its two-day after-Thanksgiving sale, the Minneapolis-based discounter is offering customers prerecorded telephone wake-up calls.

Shoppers who want to hit the sale early can register at www.target.com/wakeup to receive a wake-up call on Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. Options include hearing a crowing rooster, crying baby, male heartbreaker, or several celebrities including Ice-T, Cheech Marin, supermodel Heidi Klum, and Darth Vader.

Target developed the promotion with the Mother ad agency in New York to "build buzz" around its post-Thanksgiving sale, said company spokeswoman Paula Thornton-Greear. Target customers who sign up for the wake-up calls will get details about the two-day sale, she said.

Customers register online the phone number they want to receive the wake-up call, she said. Customers will receive an e-mail with a toll-free number to call to confirm their wake-up call selection. "You must call the 800 number from the phone you want to receive the call," she said.

Then the wake-up call will be delivered on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. "If you don't hear your phone or sleep through your wake-up call, it will leave you a message," Thornton-Greear said. "It will not keep calling until you answer."

Thornton-Greear said it was premature to share numbers on how many customers have signed up for wake-up calls because the retailer just began taking registrations Wednesday. Target Stores will open at 6 a.m. on Nov. 26, and customers can get a wake-up call as early as 4 a.m.

Whether Target's promotion will woo more shoppers or fuel greater buying remains to be seen.

"I think it is clever, but I don't know if it adds to sales," said Dave Brennan, a marketing professor at the University of St. Thomas.

eau

Screw Target, since they decided to screw Salvation Army.

www.bantarget.org

TheNightFlier

What a good reason...

Can't solicit in front of one chain of stores compared to the thousands of street corners and other stores they can, and will collect in front of.

As for the wake-up call, hardcore shoppers are already up early on Friday.

BassDude

Cute gimmick. Sounds like an old Macy's/Gimble's idea from back in the day.

Of course, I bet it'll say "and don't forget (insert sale item here) is on sale for the first 2 hours only!"

NitroJMS

There's gonna be so many pranks with this thing...

kevin75

i am wondering what the darth vader call will sound like. "obi-wan has taught you well. shopping at target saves you money!"

zekeburger1979

I would like to get a call from Heidi Klum. Mmm, Mmmm, Good!

joeblow69

All the more reason to shop at Target, if you ask me!

kayak99

Only if they have access to the phone they want to receive the wake-up call.



Mixed opinions about banning SA from their stores. They are their stores and if they allow one group, and another wants the same right and does not receive it, there's a discrimination lawsuit in the works.

You certain 9 million was actually from Target stores?

Won't stop me from shopping there.

Brian Shannon

I agree

Gizmo

Awesome! I won't be bugged everytime I leave. Its bad enough at Grocery stores and Wal-Mart.

Troy Stiffler

Can you spare a quarter, a quarter please?

PLEEEEAAASE?