Dead On Target: Success Story Behind Target Logo | ZenBusiness (2024)

Want to create an easily identifiable logo? Make it clean. This is exactly what Target, a major mass-merchandise retailer, did with its emblem. The Target logo was ranked among the world’s most recognizable emblems. Learn why the company’s corporate identity has been a huge success for more than 50 years now.

  1. Logo evolution
  2. Secrets of successful design
  3. How would Target logo look like if it were made in ZenBusiness?

Logo evolution

In 1962, the company’s PR team had to sift through more than 200 business names before it opted for “Target”. The name dictated the logo choice. This is how a red bull’s eye became the symbol of the US retailer.

In 1968, Target streamlined its emblem, leaving just one ring around the red dot. One year later, Target decided to celebrate the opening of a new outlet by presenting a new take on its visual identity. It designed a series of posters that portrayed a woman wearing an earring stylized as the company logo.

In 1975, the red dot was joined by the company name written in a massive black font. In 1989, the brand did some drastic changes to its corporate design. They removed the bull’s eye, only leaving the name “Target” written in a red italic font with a white shadow. Unfortunately, the new design turned out to be a marketing flop, and the retailer got back to its previous emblem.

The modern version of the Target logo came into existence in 2006. The focus shifted to the bull’s eye that was made even more vibrant and solid. The brand name was removed as an excessive element.

Dead On Target: Success Story Behind Target Logo | ZenBusiness (1)

Secrets of successful design

On the modern Target logo, you can see a red dot surrounded by two circles, a white one and a red one. Also, there is version for a dark background that uses the black color instead of white.

The classic red and black palette looks great across a variety of backgrounds and builds emotional connections. Red stands for love, passion, and energy. Plus, it’s really good at grabbing a viewer’s attention. White creates a nice contrast to red, associating with style and elegance.

What makes the Target logo snappy:

  • Clean design. A minimalist logo is easy to spot from afar (e.g., when you’re driving on a highway) or when you’re scanning the content.
  • Circle shape. Symmetry creates a harmonious composition.
  • Positive associations. Both the company name and its visual symbol transcend the idea of success and prosperity.

How would Target logo look like if it were made in ZenBusiness?

Dead On Target: Success Story Behind Target Logo | ZenBusiness (2)
Dead On Target: Success Story Behind Target Logo | ZenBusiness (3)

Conclusion

The Target logo has kept its key message through multiple redesigns. Thanks to its effective color scheme and clean composition, the iconic bull’s eye has entered the history of graphic design, setting the bar as high as never before.

Dead On Target: Success Story Behind Target Logo | ZenBusiness (2024)

FAQs

Dead On Target: Success Story Behind Target Logo | ZenBusiness? ›

In 1962, the company's PR team had to sift through more than 200 business names before it opted for “Target”. The name dictated the logo choice. This is how a red bull's eye became the symbol of the US retailer. In 1968, Target streamlined its emblem, leaving just one ring around the red dot.

What is the story behind the Target logo? ›

It wasn't until 1962 that the first Target store opened with a bullseye logo similar to the one we see today. The powerful design story of Target's logo takes off from here. The original logo consisted of three concentric red circles, resembling the look of an actual target used by marksmen on that day.

What does the Target symbol mean? ›

The symbolism of the Target logo is based on the ideas of continuity and forward motion. The name of the company and the bullseye are perfectly complementary to the Target logo. In essence, the logo represents the business name. It hits the target dead on.

Why did Target change their logo from red to white? ›

Why did Target change its logo to white? The management of Target decided to make the iconic logo less red, and the interior design of the chain's stores was changed accordingly, and the company wants to show its progressiveness and follow the latest trends in the world of consumption and design — minimalism.

What does the brand Target represent? ›

Like these brands, Target remains loyal to its design: the iconic shooting target-inspired logo symbol in red and white. In other assets, this symbol is accompanied by the brand name written in black. As a supermarket chain, Target aims to be a brand that offers excellent quality items at an affordable price.

What is the meaning of the bullseye symbol? ›

The bullseye or bull's eye has, since 1833, been the name for the center of a target and, by extension, since 1857, has been given to any throw, toss, or shot that hits the center.

What is Target's brand story? ›

The company was originally named Goodfellow Dry Goods in June 1902 before being renamed the Dayton's Dry Goods Company in 1903 and later the Dayton Company in 1910. The first Target store opened in Roseville, Minnesota in 1962 while the parent company was renamed the Dayton Corporation in 1967.

What is the Target logo phrase? ›

The iconic Target logo, a red bullseye, symbolizes the brand's commitment to delivering quality and affordability, perfectly encapsulating the slogan, “Expect More, Pay Less.” It was introduced as a visual representation of their name and customer promise.

Why is Target called Target? ›

Several more name changes would follow, with the eventual decision to name the company Target in 1962, based on the idea that much "as a marksman's goal is to hit the center bulls-eye, the new store would do much the same in terms of retail goods, services, commitment to the community, price, value and overall ...

What is the word on the Target logo? ›

The logo and name represented hitting a “Target price.” Widdess considered filling the bullseye with bullet holes, but decided they were inappropriate for a family store. They came up with a classic bullseye design with 3 rings and the word “Target” bold and centred.

Why does Target have a red ball? ›

It turns out, they are concrete bollards and are placed on the sidewalks in front of the stores to stop a car or truck from driving into the building. Cathy went on to explain in the comments that while the more standard shape of bollard is cylindrical, "Target made them round for branding."

Why did Target get rid of the neon lights? ›

Back in 2015, Target kicked off a test at about 100 of our stores. We replaced the old fluorescent light fixtures in the ceiling with light-emitting diodes, or as we all know them today—LED lights. It was a strategic and eco-friendly move.

What is the Target motto? ›

It's our Expect More. Pay Less. brand promise. We offer our guests the quality brands and products they want at affordable prices they love, along with lots of ways to save big and earn rewards on every Target run.

Who is Target's biggest competitor? ›

Competitor comparison
  • Walmart Inc Headquarters. 2,100,000. $648.1B.
  • Amazon.com Inc Headquarters. 1,521,000. $574.8B.
  • CVS Health Corp Headquarters. 300,000. $357.8B.
  • Costco Wholesale Corp Headquarters. 316,000. $242.3B.

How did Target become so successful? ›

Target's commitment to quality and convenience became a cornerstone of its success. The company focused on improving the shopping experience by investing in employee training, modernizing stores, and enhancing product offerings.

Why does Target have a dog logo? ›

Bullseye made his debut in Target's iconic 1999 advertising campaign “Sign of the Times,” which featured a white English bull terrier with the Target logo over his left eye, set to a reworked version of the 1960s Petula Clark pop tune “A Sign of the Times.” The campaign proved to be a hit—and guests and team members ...

What is the Target mark symbol? ›

The Search Target Mark logo is a powerful symbol of precision and focus. Featuring a magnifying glass and a target, it represents the hunt for information and the ability to zero in on the most important details.

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