How Target Is Marketing On Instagram With Social Influencers

For the latest authoritative marketing news, trends, and stats on social media stars and influencer marketing, subscribe to our industry digest newsletter!

Case Study: 4 Instagram Influencer Marketing Campaigns From Target

Influencer marketing on Instagram is now a $1 billion dollar industry. In the past month alone, Target executed four major influencer marketing campaigns on Instagram to promote a variety of newly launched products. Target partnered with a diverse group of influencers, including small family-focused bloggers, children’s fashion gurus, plus sized models, celebrities with millions of followers, and even an Instagram-famous dog.

The diversity of Target’s influencer marketing strategies illustrates the importance of matching the campaign to the product and prove that there’s no single “recipe for success” for building an influencer marketing campaign. In this case study, we’ll examine Target’s four most recent Instagram influencer campaigns.

Target Swim Body Positivity Campaign

Brand: Target
Product: 2017 Swimwear Line
Channels: Instagram

Approach: Target partnered with four female Instagrammers to launch its 2017 swimwear line. Each influencer posted about once per week from early March through early April. In each post @targetstyle and #targetswim are tagged.

Rather than choosing typical swimsuit models, Target chose influencers with a wide range of body types in order to add authenticity to the campaign and appeal to a diverse audience. Additionally, none of the photos used in the campaign are retouched. Each of the influencers Target selected exudes confidence and body positivity in their posts, delivering an uplifting message to consumers and combatting the highly body-conscious culture that often surrounds swimwear. The campaign helped Target generate positive brand sentiment through promotion of body positivity & confidence.

Key Influencers:

Megan Batoon—dancer & content creator with 492k followers
Lizzie Armanto—professional skateboarder with 219k followers
Denise Bidot—founder of the “No Wrong Way” body activist movement & plus-size model with 492k followers
Kamie Crawford—TV host & model with 40k followers

Results: To date, the campaign has generated 240,000 likes & 1,700 comments through 20 photos.
Engagement Rate: 9.8%
Additional: Over 20 major publications have written about campaign, including The Daily Dot, Refinery29, Chicago Tribune, & Cosmopolitan, generating positive press coverage for Target.

Examples:

Never be afraid to look into the mirror and give yourself a pep talk before heading out to the beach. It might just be the confidence boost that changes the day. I love the simpleness yet elegant look of this @targetstyle suit. This bikini says “I’ve got this!” Click the link in my bio to see all the styles #targetswim has to offer you. ?? ? @MichaelaDalzell #NoWrongWay #beyou #sponsored #targetstyle

A post shared by Denise Bidot (@denisebidot) on Mar 21, 2017 at 11:42am PDT

Sometimes confidence is hard even without throwing a swimsuit in the mix. Too bad, insecurities! Today isn’t your day when I’m poolside in this high-waisted black #targetswim number. SEE YA ?? #targetstyle #sponsored | 10:59am A post shared by Megan Batoon (@meganbatoon) on Mar 8, 2017 at 10:59am PST

“Persil At Target” Campaign

Brand: Target
Product: Persil ProClean Laundry Detergent
Channels: Instagram

Approach: Target used 18 social media influencers with followings in the 10k-110k range to spread the news that Persil laundry detergent is now available at Target. Each influencer posted on Instagram once or twice in March and used the hashtags #PersilAtTarget and #PersilProClean. In addition to posting on Instagram, several also published blog posts sponsored by Persil on the same day to increase the campaign’s reach.

The influencers for the campaign were carefully selected in order to target heavy laundry detergent users. All of the influencers involved with the campaign were either mommy bloggers or fitness bloggers. By focussing on these two categories, Target was able to promote Persil to audiences that have higher than average laundry needs and change consumer habits through the advice of trusted bloggers.

Key Influencers:

Julia Marcum—interior designer & mommy bloggger with 109k followers
Mellie Cay—fitness blogger with 59k followers
Coury Comb—mommy blogger with 82k followers

Results: To date, the campaign has generated approximately 14,000 likes and 1,000 comments through 20 posts.
Engagement Rate: 3.2%

First time finger painting and Winter’s face says it all. I don’t think my little one likes her hands to get dirty as she kept rubbing the paint on her shirt. I swear more paint got on her clothes than it did the canvas. . . Thank goodness for the cleaning power of @PersilProClean, which is now at Target stores nationwide. #PersilProClean #PersilAtTarget #partner A post shared by ? Terra | Motherhood Blog (@loveandlarock) on Mar 23, 2017 at 5:52pm PDT

Did anyone else learn how to wash your athletic wear the hard way? I’ve ruined pairs of leggings, shrunk shirts I didn’t even think were shrinkable, and made clothes smell even worse than they did after a workout. My whole laundry basket is full of sweaty workout clothes – lululemon is like my uniform you guys. ?? So I need to keep all of my clothes smelling fresh and clean clean. I got laundry detergent that does that and MORE. @persilproclean is located in all @target stores around the country. Grab a bottle or two. Trust me, you’ll thank me. And so will the people that smell you. ?? An added tip for ya – if you do ruin a pair of leggings from @lululemon or @athleta (hem runs or something), they will always exchange them out for you! #persilproclean #persilattarget #spon A post shared by tara laferrara (@lafitara) on Mar 4, 2017 at 9:02am PST

Victoria Beckham for Target Campaign

Brand: Target
Product: Victoria Beckham’s Target Collection
Channels: Instagram

Approach: Victoria Beckham’s exclusive Target line just launched for women and children on April 9th. In preparation, Target enlisted ten influencers to spread the word, ranging from models to mommy bloggers to fashion gurus. Wally the Dog, a canine micro-influencer, even helped out with the campaign.

To generate excitement for the line, each influencer posted 1-4 Instagram pictures showcasing items from the collection in the weeks leading up to its launch and used the hashtag #VBxTarget. On the day of the line’s public launch, several of the influencers posted a picture to announce the launch and encouraged their followers to click the link in their bio to shop the full collection online. Additionally, Target hosted a launch party in Beverly Hills last weekend with a long list of celebrity guests. The event generated a large amount of additional Instagram content posted by celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Shiva Safai.

Key Influencers:

Laura Izumikawa—mommy blogger with 553k followers
Paoloa Alberdi—travel & fashion influencer with 646k followers
Ariella Noa Charnas—Fashion influencer with 1m followers

Results: 547,000 likes & 4,000 comments generated to date through 29 sponsored posts, as well as over 250,000 likes generated through non-sponsored posts from the launch event.
Engagement Rate: 6%
Additional: Many of the items sold out online within hours of the line’s launch.

Examples:

It’s my birthday y’all and I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want. I just want a fabulous day out with my baby girl! Jo and I will be celebrating in style today with some high tea and biscuits for the first time. I can’t wait! We got our posh matching birthday outfits from the new @VictoriaBeckham for @Target collection that’ll be launching on April 9. So excited to see the rest of the collection! #ad #VBxTarget A post shared by Laura Izumikawa (@lauraiz) on Apr 3, 2017 at 7:58am PDT

❤ this retro top from @victoriabeckham for @target! Buy it NOW in stores or via the link in my bio #vbxtarget #ad A post shared by @rachelbilson on Apr 9, 2017 at 5:05am PDT

Love Taza & Zach King for Target

Brand: Target
Product: Seasonal easter candy & decorations
Channels: Instagram

Approach: Last week, two influencers teamed up to create an Easter-themed sponsored video for Target:

Zach King—a digital magician who rose to fame on Vine & now has 17.6 million Instagram followers.
Naomi Davis—a popular lifestyle blogger also known as Taza who has 412,000 Instagram followers.

The full video, which was posted to Target’s YouTube channel, shows Zach & Taza picking out items for easter baskets at Target. During their shopping trip, Zach performs a variety of magic tricks while Taza watches in awe. Later, the pair presents the themed Easter baskets to a group of kids at an Easter party, complete with Target decorations. Zach posted a clip from the video to his instagram account and Taza posted two pictures of the completed easter baskets. All posts were tagged @TargetStyle. The use of digital magician Zach King made for a fun and engaging sponsored video with broad appeal, while leveraging Taza helped Target reach a more niche audience of mothers.

Results: 953,000 likes & 5,000 comments on Zach’s video and 11,000 likes & 88 comments on Taza’s two posts.
Engagement Rate: 11% for Zach and 3% for Taza.

Examples:

Who else does this to speed up their shopping? My friend @taza and I just figured out the fastest way to unload your cart! We’re getting ready to celebrate an awesome Easter, all thanks to @TargetStyle. #ad A post shared by Zach King (@zachking) on Mar 31, 2017 at 2:00pm PDT

Please don’t ask how many chocolate eggs I ate while making these Easter baskets in LA! (Let’s just say I was on a major sugar high.) 😉 I’m so excited to share the Easter episode I made with @TargetStyle and @ZachKing! It just came out and you can watch it through the link in my bio. ? Now a question for you: How do you put together your Easter basket?! #TargetStyle #sponsored #easterbasket A post shared by Naomi Davis // Love Taza (@taza) on Apr 3, 2017 at 4:17am PDT