How Target is courting pet owners with a collection designed by ‘fur-fluencers’
Reality TV-style social content and national ads starring Bull Terrier mascot Bullseye promote product collections designed with popular pet creators.

Target has partnered with a range of famous designers over the past quarter century, helping to bring high-end ideas to affordable retail. The big-box store’s latest limited-time collaboration, launching Sept. 21, takes a different approach: Rather than work with the Mizrahis and Schoulers of fashion, the company has shifted focus to the world of Malteses and Shih Tzus.
The retailer has partnered with six social media pet influencers — or “fur-fluencers” — on its first exclusive collection for pets, Marketing Dive can exclusively share. The strategy is a sign of the rising significance of creator culture to brands, a trend that has led companies like Target to shake up their internal marketing.

The Cuddle Collab, which spans a half-dozen product capsules themed to each influencer partner, along with more general pet items, attempts to better recognize the 70% of Target shoppers who own a furry friend, per internal company data. Marketing behind the effort, including Target’s first reality TV-styled social content, national ads starring Bull Terrier mascot Bullseye and strategic out-of-home (OOH) placements, is intended to provide a bit of levity as the U.S. remains gripped in division. Target’s internal creative team is behind the campaign that puts viewers in the point-of-view of their pets.
“We think people are going to need a lot of outlets this fall. They’re going to need some happiness, they’re going to need some lightness,” said Michelle Mesenburg, a Target veteran who stepped into the newly created role of senior vice president of creative and content in July. “If there’s one thing that almost all of us can agree upon, that’s the unconditional love of pets.”
Social reshapes creative
A five-part social series, dubbed “The Pets of Tarjay,” takes a cue from reality TV tropes and is part of Target’s renewed efforts to provide entertaining content to smartphone-glued consumers. Target is also producing videos where creators will comment live on the episodes, mirroring the tertiary media ecosystem that’s surfaced around actual reality TV.
Target began experimenting with episodic series, such as “Teammates of Target,” earlier this year, to positive response. The Minneapolis-based business has recently realigned its marketing divisions to better collaborate in this area, including through Mesenburg’s new appointment. Target has made other changes to its marketing structure recently. In June, it announced it would shift CMO Lisa Roath to chief merchandising officer of food, essentials and beauty beginning next year. Target is in the process of searching for Roath’s successor.