Target and Neiman Marcus: Happy Holidays!

Although Target was subject to my criticism last week with their pre-Halloween holiday advertising strategy, I commend them for leading the forefront in blending mass merchants with luxury for Holiday 2012: Target + Neiman Marcus available in both retailers December 1, 2012.  Designer partnerships are not a new venture for Target and certainly not new for Neiman's but this collaboration is more than anything they've ever done and one that I predict will bring in mass dollars this holiday season.  

This season Target did the unthinkable - partner with another retailer!  In a time where every retailer across the board is battling for market share Target and Neiman's realized an opportunity to expand each retailer's target demos by collaborating in a way that brings value to all shoppers.  

With names like Alice + Olivia, Brian Atwood, Carolina Herrera, Diane von Furstenberg, and Marc Jacobs, Target and Neiman's are giving each of their shoppers something mutually beneficial.  For Target, it's providing Luxury to the aspirational shopper.  It's the mom who has always been in the forefront of fashion but now has a family and may not be able to shop the way she once did.  For Neiman's, it's the luxury consumer who may have the money but looking at value options to ease the pain of the current economy.

We shall see how this partnership plays out and if successful, which retailers are the next to follow in their footsteps.