Target has become ingrained in the American consciousness, with a whopping 75% of Americans living within 50 miles of a Target store, but that wasn’t always the case. Target began in the early 1960s when Dayton Company opened a discount store in Roseville, Minnesota. The founder of the Dayton Company (established in 1902), Douglas Dayton, had a company vision that included offering high-quality items at a cut-price while still providing excellent service to customers. Today Target is the 8th largest retailer in the USA and represents one of the S&P 500.
After 50 years of successful discount department stores, the business name would be changed, and Target would be born. The company name change and move towards mass-market retail was considered risky by industry experts, but it has enjoyed a considerable payoff, with Target being worth an estimated 75 billion.
Popular Target Trademarks
Target is known for offering low price products with excellent quality; let’s look at some of the most famous trademarks Target has registered with the USPTO.
Bullseye logo
The Bullseye design is probably the first thing you think of when you hear the word ”Target”. The first version of the Bullseye logo was released in 1962 and included a simple Bullseye design next to the word ”Target”. The trademark registration applies to the following categories:
- Retail store services, including grocery services
- Snack bar and restaurant services
- Retail liquor services
- Men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing
- Accessories and jewelry
- Health and beauty
- Pharmacy and prescription sales services
- Optical supplies sales services
- Cigarettes and tobacco sales
- Shoe sales services
- Tire, batteries, and oil (and other automotive accessory sales)
- Bedding and linens
- Bicycles and accessories for bicycles
- Plants and flower sales
- Hobby craft
- Furniture and rugs
- Toys and athletic equipment
- Outdoor equipment including tents, camping supplies, and hunting equipment
- Sound equipment
- Gift shop
- Electrical and plumbing equipment
- Fishing equipment
- Telephone sales
Related: How to trademark your business logo
Xhilaration
This wordmark represents one of Target’s largest brands, offering women’s clothing and more for sale. The first use was in the late 90s, and it was officially registered as a trademark in 2002. The trademark covers these categories:
- Sunglasses
- Clothing and hosiery
- Beach towels and umbrellas
- Beach chairs and tables
- Jewelry
- Purses and handbags
- Hair accessories from bobby pins to barrettes
Expect More Pay Less
Target trademarked their slogan ”expect more pay less” in 2011 in the following categories:
- Financial services including credit and debit services, electronic transactions, and processing electronic payments with prepaid cards
- Promotion of the sale of goods and services via customer loyalty programs for retail customers, promoting the use of credit cards and debit cards by using customer loyalty and incentive programs
- Retail store services
Sun Squad
Target’s dedicated summer brand, Sun Squad, is known for providing an array of furniture, homewares, and clothing suited for the summer season. It was officially registered in 2021 though it’s been used in e-commerce since 2019. The trademark covers the following categories:
- Water toys, including inflatables and beach balls
- Tents for party games and recreational use
- Novelty sunglasses
- Gardening and beach toys that include buckets, shovels, rakes, watering cans, and sifters
- Bags of all kinds
- Summer clothing
- Accessories and jewelry
An application has been made to extend this trademark to other areas, such as cosmetics and food, but it’s unknown whether the trademark application will be approved.
Favorite Day
Target recently launched ‘Favorite Day’, a new grocery brand that includes an array of dairy-free products. The trademark was registered in 2022 following its first use in 2021, covering the following categories:
- Cake decorating sets
- Candles
- Food coloring
- Paper baking cups
- Beverages
- All bakery and bread products
- Processed fruit and nut-based snacks, including trail mixes
- Popcorn
- Cakes and confectionaries such as cinnamon rolls
- Toppings and pancake syrup
- Candy bars and mints
- Processed nuts
- Ready-to-eat cereal and cereal bars
- Department store services featuring a wide variety of consumer goods.
- Fruit juices, fruit drinks, smoothies; sparkling and flavored water; flavored bottled waters; seltzer water; soft drinks
Hearth and Hand
‘Hearth and Hand’ is an exclusive new home brand offering a refreshing look at homewares. The wordmark was registered in 2020 and applies to the following categories:
- Flatware
- Hand-operated cutting tools including household knives and lawn/garden tools
- Baskets of common metals
- Decorative boxes made of non-precious metals
- Lighting fixtures, lampshades, lamp bases, and electric night lights
- Jewelry accessory boxes
- Clocks
- Stationery
- Trunks
- Furniture
- Containers for plants
- Homewares
- Kitchenware
- Stemware
- Dinnerware
- Beverageware
- Skin soap
- Weather thermometers
- Christmas tree ornaments and decorations
- Household linens and textiles
- Aprons
- Artificial flowers
Cloud Island
Cloud Island is a new target line that primarily provides bedding and other nursery accessories for babies and toddlers. The trademark was registered in 2020 and covers the following categories:
- Toy and crib mobiles; baby rattles; stuffed and plush toys; infant toys
- Dry erase writing boards; prints; stationery; bookends; wallpaper stencils and decals
- Clothing and accessories, namely, diaper pants for holding diapers for infants, gloves, tees, tops, sweaters
- Wallpaper
- Unfitted fabric covers
- Baby diapers; medicated ointments to prevent and treat diaper rash and other skin irritations; medicated diaper rash ointment
- Baby care products, namely, skin soap, bubble bath, body lotions, shampoo; baby bath skin cleansers; baby wipes; non-medicated diaper rash ointment
- Bedspreads and home linens
Goodfellow & Co
‘Goodfellow’ is Target’s new brand of men’s clothing, accessories, and grooming care, launched in 2017. The trademark office approved the application for this trademark in 2019, registering it in the following categories:
- Personal care kits including shaving apparatus and skincare related to shaving
- Eyeglasses and sunglasses
- Watches and accessories
- Cufflinks and tie accessories
- Money clips
- Antiperspirants and deodorants
- Disposable razors; razor cases
- Umbrellas
- Men’s clothing
Casaluna
‘Casaluna’ is the name of Target’s new home and bedding range; the trademark application was submitted in 2019 and approved in 2021, in the following categories:
- Air fragrance reed diffusers
- Candles
- Paints
- Bedroom furniture including mattresses, pillows, towel racks, and stands
- Bathroom furniture
- Containers for general household use
- Soap dishes and shower caddies
- Toilet tissue holders
- Wastebaskets
- Candleholders and pillar candle plates
- Laundry hampers for domestic use
- Coffee and teacups
- Home textiles and linens such as rugs and bedding
- All-purpose carrying bags, backpacks; toiletry, and cosmetic cases sold empty
- Teas and drinks for relaxation
- Cosmetics and personal care items
- Fragrances and deodorant
- Shower gel and bath foams
- Massage oil and body creams
- Nail polish and other nail care items
Good & Gather
Target recently launched the ‘Good and Gather’ range, which they market as a way to help time-strapped families eat healthily. The application was filed in 2018 and will apply to the following categories:
- Retail store and online store services
- Food products
- Alcoholic beverages
- Kitchen utensils and tools
- Snacks and dessert foods
- Health and beauty products
- Air fragrancing preparations
- Dietary and nutritional supplements; dietary supplemental drinks like vitamin and mineral beverages
- Prepackaged, frozen, and convenience foods
More on Target: Trademarked colors – Target Red
Wrapping up
When you register your trademark, you protect your intellectual property and give yourself a chance to correct trademark infringement. It can be very costly if you neglect this area of your branding. Target is a multibillion-dollar company with many assets, including the trademark rights to some pretty big brands. Target is fast approaching 1,000 registered trademarks, including their trademark color, demonstrating how seriously they take protecting their intellectual property.
