Opinion

Target targetted

The latest Target television advertisement using wool and Merino sheep as the main feature for a knitwear range that contained very little wool at all spells trouble for the industry.

Only two of the eight advertised garments contained any wool at all.

Wool was essentially used as the advertising hook to sell synthetics.

There is a perception within Australia’s second biggest retailer that wool and acrylic are not significantly different and that what knitwear is made of is not necessarily significant in the eyes of the customer.

At a time when wool is supposed to be all the rage at retail, the Coles Myer Group appears to need some serious education about what wool is and why it is the best fibre in the minds of those that produce it.

With a unified wool industry push towards effective and meaningful marketing now lying ahead, clearly the movers and shakers within retail need to be made aware of Merino wool’s characteristics as a natural, sustainable and versatile fibre, rather than being just a fashionable one.

What should the industry do to correct this and should action be taken against Target?

Posted By: Marius Cuming on 10/05/2007 7:02:50 AM | Comments (23)

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Target's advertising is misleading and points out the need to educate the public and retailers about the benefits and advantages wool has over synthetics.

Give the public positive reasons to look for products made out of Merino wool.

One positive thing to work on is the fact that Target marketers must think sheep and their natural clean and green Aussie image is a better advertising hook than a chemical factory producing flamable synthetic clothing.

Posted by Kym Welford, 11/05/2007 7:02:45 AM

It is disappointing to see that a retailer takes the wool industry so lightly.

Rather than trying to explain away misleading advertising, why not find Australian wool products and make it a big promotion so that everyone wins?

Posted by AW, 11/05/2007 3:31:22 PM

Sheep maybe "synonomis with knitwear", but which other creature grows wool for goodness sake?

Posted by Paul Jameson, 11/05/2007 3:59:25 PM

I believe Target should apologise on TV for a misleading ad., including time to point out the real difference between synthetics and wool.

Any synthetic fabric is NOT the same as wool and the Australian wool industry is undermined by this type of false advertising.

I believe the Parliament should draw attention to this type of false advertising if our AWC won't take steps.

Posted by Lorna, 11/05/2007 4:25:55 PM

Target, you are talking rubbish! Your excuse does not wash.

Posted by Wool Supporter, 11/05/2007 5:00:10 PM

Clearly Target's tv commercial was indicating the knitwear garments shown were made from wool; why else would they show a Merino sheep? Plus the award of a first prize at a country show?

Given that only two of the eight garments in the promotion contained 'an amount' of wool, I feel viewers, me included, were definitely misled.

Target is guilty of false advertising.

They should get their act together to help our Australian wool industry by always having some Australian made pure wool offerings in their collection.

Posted by baa humbug, 11/05/2007 5:08:11 PM

Target you should be ashamed.

Posted by Billy, 11/05/2007 5:38:33 PM

Target, in my eyes, that is false and misleading advertising, pure and simple. It is reasonable for a consumer to assume that if knitware is displayed with sheep, that it is made of wool.

Posted by Bambi, 11/05/2007 5:45:27 PM

It is rather interesting to me all the fuss about the advert.

I said to the wife, not one of them sweaters is made of wool; it's possible to tell by the knit structure and also the colours used in the garments.

But nowhere in the advert did the Woolmark or Woolblend mark appear, so Target were not trying to decieve the average punter they were just showing garments - no mention of what they were made of.

The staff at Target probably did not know what wool garments look or feel like - you never see them in the store.

This would not have happened when the industry was controlled by the AWC and the Woolmark meant something to the textile industry.

It's gone from one of the most known advertising logos in the world to the dust bin.

Ask any young ones what it means, they would not have a clue.

So don't blame Target, blame the current leaders of the wool industry who have allowed this to happen.

Posted by 50years a woolman, 11/05/2007 6:21:01 PM

This is a good advert. It has got the attention of many of us - particularly from the rural areas for good and bad reasons - great marketing!

Education is the key for the majority of consumers, and the population mass who reside in suburbia, but it hasn't worked yet!

Can the Wool Industry do what MLA have done for meat with their targetted campaigns?

Full marks to their marketing team!

When and if this does happen, then we have a right to complain.

By the way, has anyone ever bought a wool or wool blend jumper/knitwear from Target?

I have and won't be doing so again.

I would suggest that the wool is of foreign origin and of somewhat low quality - not the sort of product we should be marketing in a pure or blended product.

Posted by sheepo, 11/05/2007 6:29:10 PM

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