Advertise more, expect sales

With more than $1.2 billion spent on various forms of advertising in 2008, Target ranked 28th on a listing of the nation’s 100 largest advertisers compiled by Advertising Age. The largest percentage of Target’s ad spending, which increased 3.2% from the prior year, was devoted to television, where a total of $388 million was spent, according to Advertising Age data. The company also spent $161 million on newspaper ads and was the most aggressive of the retailers measured when it came to online activities, spending $69 million online. Retail companies whose total spending exceeded Target’s and their respective positions included Sears Holdings (10th, $1.86 billion), Walmart (15th, $1.66 billion), J.C. Penney (22nd, $1.31 billion) and Macy’s (27th, $1.24 billion).