How Target Became a Key Player in Album Rollouts: ‘You Walk Away With More Than a Pink Album’
Categoria: Musica
By prioritizing fandom with in-store experiences and exclusive merchandise, the retail giant has become a major part of an album campaign.
Por Billboard | 11/06/2026
Nearly two years ago, Target was reimagining how to best serve superfans across all sectors, from books and toys to sports and music. “One of the things that we started obsessing over is this idea that everyone is a fan of something, from Bluey to The Beatles and everything in between,” recalls Cassandra Jones , senior vp of merchandising. That thread led to the late 2025 rebrand and launch of Fun 101, Target’s strategic merchandising initiative (formerly known as Hardlines). “It was this idea that we are the beginning of all this fun stuff and we’re here to serve everyone — not just the experts or those people who have access… Our guests are everywhere.” Related Inside the Rollout of Clipse’s First New Album in 16 Years: ‘It’s Rap at Its Highest Level’ After Wave of Criticism Against Julieta Venegas over Soccer Song, Mexican President Speaks Out Megan Thee Stallion, David Guetta, EJAE & Andrea Bocelli Team Up for FIFA World Cup 2026 Anthem 'DNA': Listen Jones explains that a key component of Fun 101 is an emphasis on community over product, noting that for most music fans, their experience with a new album release begins before they even step foot in the store. “I like to say that the community starts in the line, before you even get in the door,” she says. “When you actually get to stand in line with somebody who’s obsessed over the same thing you are and share that experience, you walk away with more than a pink album.” And once fans do step inside, the focus remains on fostering that in-person connection with in-store experiences, from midnight openings and release parties to artist meet-and-greets. As Jones says, her “music-obsessed” team is out and about observing exactly how to deliver on what fans are seeking. “They go to concerts. They’re watching people in lines for concerts. They’re looking at record shops. They go to places where fans are gathering, and that’s that intersection between, yeah, vinyl was selling, but fans want participation.’” As for what the artist gains, beyond boosted sales? “Where we have deep expertise that most artists want to connect into is who is the fan, and what experience would resonate for them?” Last year, Target partnered with KATSEYE on the release of its Beautiful Chaos EP, driven by the group’s desire to connect with local fans on tour. “We said, ‘Okay, you have stops in Chicago and Minneapolis. We can create a moment for you.’ And that happened really fast. That wasn’t months and months of planning, it was an ability to say, ‘You always have a line to Target. Call us when you’re thinking about something.’” Target not only created an exclusive collection of tour merchandise in select U.S. cities located near tour stops, but also hosted two in-store meet-and-greets with the group. More recently, Noah Kahan stopped by Target’s SoHo location in New York City following the release of his latest album, The Great Divide . The Billboard 200 ch