Target debuts ‘weirdly hot’ Santa for second holiday advertising push

Kris, a muscle-bound version of the Christmas icon, will highlight specific products, deals and services around key shopping windows like Black Friday.

Dive Brief:

Target has unveiled a second holiday marketing campaign, introducing a fictional store team member named Kris, who acts as a modernized take on a Christmas icon, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
Kris appears in new spots to help customers with tasks like picking out a Thanksgiving turkey. The character, a beefy take on Santa Claus who wears a tight-fitting red zip-up and closely cropped silver hair, is described by one shopper as “weirdly hot.”
“Kris from Target” formally launches Nov. 17 with a media plan spanning social, TV, streaming and short-form video. Target will lean on the messaging platform around upcoming shopping occasions like Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Dive Insight:
Target is taking an unusual approach for the holidays, running two distinct marketing campaigns for the first time. The strategy was informed by consumer insights that revealed many people believe the season becomes a stressful and “transactional chore” as the calendar advances, according to the announcement. Target Creative and agency partner Mythology are behind the concept, with EssenceMediacom providing media support.
Kris aims to catch viewers’ attention with his distinctive, muscle-bound look and friendly demeanor. The modern-day take on Santa Claus is introduced in a 30-second commercial, “Born to Be Kris,” where he rides out to a Target in a red Ford Bronco truck (with license plate “Sleigh”) while the original version of “Born to be Wild” blares.

Video One

“Kris from Target” has four 30-second spots, 10 15-second spots, and nine 6-second videos, as well as a handful of Spanish-language ads. Both Target holiday campaigns will air through the end of the holidays.
The introduction of Kris follows the rollout of “Happier Holidays from Target” on Nov. 3. That campaign depicts shoppers as they explore Target stores enlivened by fantastical elements, including a slumbering polar bear and fleet of reindeer, while highlighting the big-box retailer’s product assortment. Kris is being deployed around specific shopping windows, such as Thanksgiving and Black Friday, to inform consumers about specific deals and services.

Video Two

Target is offering its widest holiday assortment to date this year and running several offers that aim to boost traffic at a time when many shoppers continue to feel the pinch of inflation. The brand has brought back its Deal of the Day promotions for Q4 2024 and will for the first time hold a three-day Early Black Friday Sale.