In the Swim(suit)

If you think only men read Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue, you may be surprised to learn that 18 million women read this annual publication as well.  This year, one of the models is sporting a bikini from Target.  Which is why Target is the exclusive advertiser in a 12-page swimsuit supplement, “Secrets of Swimsuit,” in the latest edition.  There’s a great lesson here.  It pays to set your assumptions aside and see how people are actually behaving.  Then you can find less conventional — but more effective – ways to target your audience.  By the way, the suits featured in the Target section are also available in their stores, being promoted with the phrase, “As seen in Sports Illustrated.”