If you have ever been to a Target, you have likely seen the big red balls sitting outside. Well, those are called bollards and some Target locations have painted them like Pokeballs.
There have been various companies that attempted to capitalize on Pokemon GO. Free data was offered by T-Mobile, some stores purchased lure modules to help attract more customers, etc. Although the Pokemon GO craze is starting to calm down, the upcoming release of Pokemon Sun & Moon is likely to reignite the flame, and Target knows this. So, they are now trying to reach out to Pokemon fans by painting them balls sitting outside.
Target made the strange announcement in a news release on their website that stated some of their stores would feature painted Pokeballs on the bollards out front. Instead of the commonly seen straight posts in front of store fronts, Target uses large round, red balls. Thus, the perfect foundation for Pokeballs, right? The news release also refers to these things as ‘bollards’, which we are unsure of why, but it’s rather interesting to say.
It appears that Target’s concept is that the Pokeballs will lure in Pokemon fans who want to snap a picture with these giant life-size Pokeballs. Who knows, maybe they will decide they suddenly need something like Pokemon cards or something. Currently, it does not seem they are promoting a new item, so if you’re looking to kick back and relax on Snorlax, you will still need to head over to ThinkGeek.
Fun Fact: These red balls weight over 1,200lbs and can be found in front of more than 400 stores around the U.S. That’s a lot of heavy Pokeballs!
What is your thoughts on Targets approach of gaining attention from Pokemon fans with Pokeball bollards? Share your opinions in the comments below.
