Target (sometimes referred to by it’s chic id as tahr-jay) rose to the top of the retail marketing heap in the ’90’s in large measure by rewriting it’s brand management strategy. In the process it smoked the once dominant Sears mark, torpedo’d K-Mart, and attended the funerals of several like competitors.

Target’s approach is simple. If you don’t have a successful brand strategy, don’t come knocking. Like many other consumer channels, powersports marketers have largely ignored the basics — and the necessity — of branding. Depending for the past decade-plus on growth as a result of consumer generated demand — like counting on spontaneous combustion to heat your house — a softening market is now revealing the inherent weakness of products without proper identity papers.

Target understands how and why consumers shop, and many of the lessons are easily observed. Just go shopping — pay attention to the brands they’ve chosen to market, and how they’ve chosen to display and promote them. Just don’t blame us if you end up buying something you didn’t know you needed.

(Read more about branding here.)