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    May 23, 2012

  1. Target to Rebrand and Rename Home Line →

    Target stores is about to embark on a rebranding of its Target Home line and will rename the store brand Threshold, the discounter announced during its first quarter conference call with analysts.

    “Target Home is already our largest owned brand, but we saw an opportunity to better clarify its positioning and point of view,” said Kathryn Tesija, executive vice president of merchandising. “We believe this is an opportune time to rebrand Target Home as the economy continues to improve and more guests are beginning to feel comfortable trading up from good to better brands.”

    The revamped brand is the biggest rebranding effort in Target’s history, according to Tesija. “Everything was on the table in this effort: product, quality, packaging and positioning within our brand portfolio. We engaged in a similar effort to redefine our Room Essentials brand a couple of years ago, and we’ve been very pleased with the results,” she said. Room Essentials extends across multiple categories from soft home to kitchen, organization and back to college.

    Threshold will debut in the fall with an assortment of entertaining essentials, accents and decorative accessories. Target plans to extend the brand across its entire home assortment in 2013, Tesija said.

    The retailer recently announced a new design partnership with Nate Berkus. The Nate Berkus Collections debuts in Target stores and at Target.com on Oct. 21, and includes bedding, bath, accessories, lighting, rugs and window treatments. Target recently ended a 13-ear partnership with Michael Graves, whose home designs helped establish Target as a purveyor of cheap chic with exclusive offerings.

    Target’s recent exclusives also include the new Shops at Target; the first shops debuted May 6 and are currently in stores, with five exclusive collections across five different product categories. This fall, Target will roll out four new shops with more than 230 exclusive products in stores and online Sept. 9.

    “For more than a decade, Target’s design partnerships have played a key role in differentiating our stores and merchandise assortments, offering our guests something they can’t find anywhere else and making the previously inaccessible accessible for all,” said Tesija. “We continue to work with designers and brands to create Target exclusive collections.”