Target does back-to-school very differently

Target is always trying to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd, and its 2015 back-to-school marketing strategy is no exception.

The retailer has launched a new digital tool, Target Made For U College Styler, that allows the digitally inclined college crowd to design and shop for their dorm rooms and apartments.

The Styler leverages a student’s social profiles and a lifestyle questionnaire to create a personalized dorm room design with curated products that offer on-trend décor and small-space living solutions. Users can even swap results with their future roommate to help coordinate styles on a shared list of room must-haves.

Many of the products recommended by the College Styler come from Target's two exclusive partnerships with betterific – an open crowd-sourcing community focused on innovation – and Umbra – a leading international homeware design company. Through the exclusive partnerships, Target brought to life stylish and innovative, consumer-inspired pieces that meet the unique needs of students and ease small space living pain points that students face each year.

Here’s how the Made For U College Styler works: By tapping into your social media accounts—like Instagram and Facebook—and answering a few basic questions (e.g. “Where’s your happy place?” or “How do you do breakfast?”), the College Styler analyzes your personality to create a unique room design pulled from more than 400+ back-to-college items, including the latest collaborations.

The College Styler also helps students explore Target’s entirely new line of back-to-college goods developed through Umbra’s design student collaboration and betterific crowdsourcing, like the Loft by Umbra laptop tray for in-bed working sessions and betterific-inspired extra-long twin sheets with side storage pockets (so the phone is never far!). By working directly with fashion design students and crowdsourced up-voting, this latest line of back-to-college goods is practical and personal in a way you’ve never seen before.

Take the Made for U CollegeStyler for a spin at MadeForU.Target.com and watch a video for the new tool by clicking here.