Target wins RAC's best of show, pushing ad bar even higher - Retail Advertising Council award - Brief Article

DSN Retailing Today, Feb 25, 2002

CHICAGO -- Target cleaned up yet again at the Retail Advertising Council's (RAC) awards ceremony in conjunction with the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association's (RAMA) annual conference and trade show. The retailer took Best of Show for the eighth year running, while RAC celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The judges described Target's winning "Color My World" ad campaign, a continuation of last year's award-winning "Pop Art" program, as a "post-modern, brand-building campaign." Given Target's use of national brands in these monochromatic commercials and advertisements, both the retailer and suppliers alike benefited.

In the department store category, Sears won for best television and best outdoor campaigns, the latter trumpeting the retailer's return to downtown Chicago prior to its opening on State Street last spring. The Television Bureau of Advertising awarded Wal-Mart its Innovative Retailer of the Year award for its continuing recognition of local broadcast media as a primary vehicle to reach consumers. Best Buy was given the Newspaper Partnership award by the Newspaper Association of America.

The CE retailer also received honorable mention for the Peter Glen award for public service with a TV spot, featuring pop star Moby explaining the benefits of recycling consumer electronics. Best Buy collects CE products for a recycling program in select markets and hopes to expand the program nationally. Target won the Peter Glen award for its "Start Something" campaign featuring Tiger Woods.

Among the mass merchandiser categories, Target won all six categories.

Commented the judges, "The excellence bar notches higher each year and Target seems to always rise to the necessary height ... and above."