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Target vs. Walmart: Holiday marketing’s stakes feel higher this year

The holidays are typically make-or-break for retailers on the sales front. For Target and Walmart, this season will also test efforts to refine and redefine their respective brand images as they compete for price-sensitive shoppers.

Walmart for the past year and a half has been building out a “Who Knew?” platform designed to shift consumer perceptions, highlighting a more on-trend assortment and better deals than people might expect.

Target meanwhile is trying to sustain momentum for a turnaround strategy aimed at recapturing its “Tar-zhay” magic — a cheap-but-chic allure that was diluted during the bumpy post-pandemic years, when the brand got bogged down in culture wars backlash and lackluster store presentation. Performance has been on the upswing so far in 2026 following a CEO transition, but the holidays will be the real proving ground for Target.

Target vs. Walmart: Holiday marketing’s stakes feel higher this year | Marketing Dive

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