Target's dog mascot learns new tricks

As the US geared up for the latest "Star Wars" extravaganza, Bullseye lounged at a private spa outside Los Angeles, soaking in a bath, sprawling out for a massage and offering up her padded feet for a pedicure.

Bullseye, played by a 7-year-old bull terrier, is one of three dogs who take turns as the retailer Target's roly-poly mascot. Her beauty regimen, her trainer explained, was part of preparations for a "Star Wars"-themed shopping event.

At the dazzling venue, Bullseye posed with Darth Vader, occasionally yelping and wagging her whip of a tail. A trainer and a makeup artist stood by, ready to calm with a snack or quickly touch up her hallmark red eye makeup.

It has been several years since Target featured Bullseye as anything more than a bit part in its promotions. But the dog has re-emerged to revive target's marketing magic after years of fading cachet.

The retailer is transforming its so-called first impressions area at the front of its stores into Bullseye's Playground, featuring blown-up Bullseye dolls and a carefully chosen selection of merchandise.

Since last year, Target has also installed Bullseye benches at more than 1,400 stores, where shoppers can pose with a replica Bullseye for a selfie. (The hashtag #TargetDog on Instagram now returns a stream of Target shoppers happily petting the plastic Bullseye figurine.)

And for the first time in over a decade, Bullseye stars in several Target ads, including one featuring "Star Wars" storm troopers and another thatpromotes a Christmas digital storybook app for children. And she was a regular at Target's recent winter wonderland pop-up store in New York.

"We started thinking about how to bring Bullseye to more people," said Jeff Jones, Target's chief marketing officer. "It's a fun dog, so scrappy and fearless."

Though essentially in the same line of business as Walmart, Target has long managed to escape the scorn and scrutiny directed at its much larger, thanks to its slick marketing, cheerful store signs and buzzy collaborations.

But the recession prompted the retailer to tone down its marketing and emphasize value over chic, and its cachet has not quite rebounded. Bullseye largely fell by the wayside, mostly relegated to appearing on the retailer's gift cards.

The longest-serving Bullseye, now 13, is a rescue dog called Nikki who recently retired from the Target circuit after a 10-year career. Bullseye is the rare corporate mascot regularly played by a real animal, with the notable exception of the Aflac duck or the Budweiser Clydesdalehorses. And Bullseye stands out as a distinct, instantly recognized mascot among retailers, trumping Walmart's rarely seen Sparky mascot or the short-lived Mr. Bluelight at Kmart.

The Bullseye advertising blitz this year has paid off for Target. According to Socialbakers, the social media analytics company, Target ads made up four of the top 10 most-viewed YouTube ads between Nov. 1 through Dec. 14. "What breed is the Target dog?" was one of the most popular dog-related searches this year, according to Google.

©2015 The New York Times News Service