Expect more, pay less for BTS

It’s not by accident that Target is a preferred destination for back-to-school shopping, and this year the retailer has raised the bar in terms of product assortment complemented by an effort at edginess in social media.

Aseries of short videos developed with help from MTV.com and ComedyCentral.com portray college kids in a range of situations familiar to anyone who has been to college. Titles such as, “The Awesome Party,” “Winging It” and “Where’s My Towel,” capture the essence of the spots which are mildly humorous and short enough to maintain the interest of the intended audience long enough to hit them with the ending tag line of, “College Life. Starts Here.” Such brands as Sharpie and Philips are featured in several spots, but not in a blatant manner.

Target is also using its Facebook page to provide access to coupons, create college checklists and take advantage of an application that allows students to set up a roommate group to plan their shopping list, manage bills and divide chores.

From a product standpoint, Target employs a familiar strategy of feature key items at attractive price points to demonstrate value. For example, there’s an Epson all-in-one printer, scanner and copier for $29.99 and a 4GB USB Action Sports Tony Hawk Skate-drive or Burton Snow-drive for only $13.99 each. A mini-fridge is a must-have for every college student, and the folks at Emerson came up with one that features a dry erase board on the front which Target is offering in pink and black for $89.99.