How Target broke the rules at the 2015 GRAMMYs

This event report shows how Target, the retailer, made an impact at the 2015 GRAMMYs by providing four minutes of extra live music for fans instead of running traditional ads.

How Target broke the rules at the 2015 GRAMMYs

Geoffrey PrecourtWarc

Fifteen years ago, when Target became the exclusive retail sponsor of the GRAMMY Awards, no one really thought much about second (or third) screens. Music enthusiasts simply tuned into CBS and settled into an evening in front of the television set.

By the time 2015 rolled around, however, audiences were not so settled. "We've studied the GRAMMYs," William White, Target Corp. vp/marketing, told the Brand Activation Association's (BAA) 2015 Brand Activation Annual Showcase (BAASH) assembly in Chicago.

"As a brand, being on the GRAMMYs is not like...

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