Fast fashion retailer, Target, launched its new style app called “Merona My Look Maker” via Facebook. The Facebook style app was soft launched last week. Target is promoting the app through Facebook ads, Facebook alerts, Twitter alerts  and in the Merona section of the Target web site.

The New York Times reported on the Facebook app’s functionality:

“The app is called the Merona My Look Maker and is aimed at women ages 35 and up. The goal is to give them a chance to virtually try on, and try out, Merona fashions. A twist is that the merchandise that can be played with on the app is changed constantly to reflect the Merona merchandise that is in Target stores. The looks can be shared with Facebook friends and computer users can also be connected to the Target Web site  with a ‘shop it now’ feature if they like the looks enough to consider buying the merchandise”.

What We Think: Merona My Look Maker was developed and produced by AKQA. A huge fan of AKQA’s work, we give the Target app an A+ simply based on the face that they did it. No, just kidding.

The Facebook app is functional, but it lacks jewelry accessories! Every woman I know shops at Target for cheap accessories if she can’t bring herself to shop at Forever 21 or H&M for them! Where is the jewelry, in even a limited selection?

Marketing/Merchandising Insights: We hope that Target is using this social exercise to gain marketing/product insight from the app. Target did a good job of incorporating a certain selection of items to create outfits. Of the 200+ sets created, they should be paying attention to the silhouettes of the items that are most commonly used in set creation;  the women in their target demographic clearly prefer figure flattering shapes and cuts and are are more likely to purchase them.

Also, there are two merchandising trends that stand out to us that we’d expect to find in the targeted demographic. When it comes to consumers who shop mass market contemporary, I’ve always found that they want the whole matching set: earrings, necklace, bracelet, handbag and shoes. The sets created through the Facebook app show that:

1.  The majority of the shoppers using the Merona app sets don’t deviate from matching the handbag to their shoes. Consumers who purchase Merona apparel/accessories coordinate accessories with their outfits, so accessories are crucial to the Merona app in order to create outfits shoppers would really wear.

2. While some of the Merona sets are interesting and a bit more trendy, the theme of matching shoes to bags extends into matching the shoes to the color of the cardigan, pants, shirt or all of the above. These women love “one color stories”. Again, it’s  a shame not to have jewelry incorporated into this. We think the one color trend would have continued into the jewelry selection and believe that consumers who  made purchases through the Facebook app would buy more items on Target’s website.

Overall, will this app and social exercise make us consider sweater choices from Target? Maybe. Will we give up Barney’s cashmere for Merona cotton blends?  Probably not.

Print or Email Article