Target Roundel: advertising on Target

This guide is built from Roundel's pages: Target Product Ads, Ad Guide, Display and Measurement. For how Roundel compares with Amazon, Walmart, Instacart and eBay, see our retail media networks overview.

Who can advertise with Roundel

Roundel's pages are written for brands whose products Target sells, and for their media agencies. There is no open sign-up: the Roundel Media Studio page ends with "Complete the form below, and a Roundel team member will be in touch on next steps." Roundel describes Media Studio as "our foundational media solution, giving brands that launch with Roundel access to high-intent shoppers near the point of purchase via Target Product Ads."

Several Roundel reports are based on products sold at Target, such as sales reporting for "which of your products are sold at Target", so the main products assume your items are on Target's shelves or website. Off-site programmatic is also aimed at media agencies.

Self-service or managed service

Roundel's About page says: "We offer both self- and managed-service solutions across search, video, social, audio, display, and programmatic media." Its Ad Guide labels each product:

• Target Product Ads: "Self-service only."
• Programmatic (Roundel audiences in your own demand-side platform): "Self-service only."
• Display, CTV, Search, Social and Influencers: "Managed service only."

The Ad Guide adds that "Timelines and pricing are current as of last publish date" and points you to a Roundel sales representative for the latest. Roundel publishes no standard prices on these pages.

Target Product Ads

Target Product Ads are Roundel's sponsored products: "Premium, native ad placements on Target.com and the Target App." Points from Roundel's page:

• Pricing: "With a cost-per-click (CPC) format, you only pay when guests actively engage with your ad".
• Keywords: you choose keywords "with automated or manual capabilities".
• Speed: once you choose the products, "ads go live within 24-48 hours."
• Reporting: closed-loop reporting connects ad performance with sales data, with "direct sales reports from select partners".
• Partners: Roundel lists premium partners that can run the ads for you.

If you sell on other retailers too, the format works much like Amazon's or Walmart's sponsored products; see our Amazon Ads and Walmart Connect guides.

Display on Target.com and the app

Display is managed by Roundel. Its Display page says advertisers "can utilize display placements on Target.com and the Target app to influence and capture guests who are actively browsing, searching and buying products at or near the point of purchase." Formats it describes:

• Carousel ads: several products (TCINs, Target's item numbers) in one scrollable frame.
• Highlight Ads: premium units on the homepage, at the top of product pages, in the right column under the add-to-cart button, and at the top of search results.
• Order Ready Ads: shown on the "Your order is ready" screen in the Target app, while guests wait for drive up or pickup.

Display can also run off Target's sites, across Roundel's Bullseye Marketplace of premium publishers.

Off-site media: search, social, CTV and programmatic

• Search: Search Ads by Roundel runs Google ads with Target audiences, including Shopping Ads "only available through a Google Merchant Feed (i.e. Roundel)", with in-store and online sales reporting.
• Social: ads on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat, with the option to co-brand using the Target handle.
• Connected TV: video on premium publisher content, with closed-loop sales reporting and shoppable creative options.
• Programmatic: Roundel audiences in "the DSP of your choice", with sales metrics through The Trade Desk or Roundel's reporting tool.
• Bullseye Marketplace: Roundel's private, publisher-direct marketplace; its page says "you can run across 150+ premium-publishing partners on display and video through self- or managed-service models."
• Influencers: co-branded content on Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok through a Target-approved influencer network.

Target first-party data

Roundel's main selling point is Target's own shopper data. On its Programmatic page Roundel cites "First-party data from 100M+ Target Circle™ members" and says custom audiences "based on behaviors and Target purchases" come "at no additional cost." Those audiences include people who bought in Target stores, not only online.

These are Roundel's own figures. In practice, the value is that you can target and measure by real Target purchases of your category or brand, both on and off Target's sites.

Measurement and reporting

Roundel says its measurement "is grounded in insights from first-party data across in-store, in-app and online shopping behavior." Its measurement page describes:

• Closed-loop measurement: linking ad exposure to verified Target sales.
• Incrementality: lift measured with "methodologies like synthetic control, matched market and randomized controlled trials".
• New guest growth: who you reached for the first time.
• A consultative measurement team plus a self-service reporting destination.

That self-service tool is Reports, which covers "multivendor, programmatic media, Google search, social and sponsored product ads" in near real time, with custom dashboards and scheduled exports.

How we would start with Roundel

This is our own view, not Roundel's guidance:

• Start with Target Product Ads on the products that already sell best at Target, since they are cost per click and self-service.
• Check your Target.com product pages first: images, titles and reviews decide whether paid clicks convert.
• Ask Roundel early which reports and lift studies your budget level includes, since some insights depend on investment level.
• Add managed display or off-site media once sponsored products show a clear return, and compare results on Roundel's sales reporting, not on clicks.

If you want help planning retail media, see our services.

Frequently asked questions

What is Roundel?

Target's media business. It sells ads on Target.com and the Target app and off-site media targeted with Target shopper data, with sales measurement from Target purchases.

How do I start advertising on Target?

Fill in the Roundel Media Studio form and a Roundel team member gets in touch; Roundel also lists partners who can run Target Product Ads for you.

How are Target Product Ads priced?

Cost per click: you pay when a guest clicks the ad. Roundel publishes no standard click price and points to a sales representative for current pricing.

Is Roundel self-serve?

Partly. Target Product Ads and programmatic are self-service only; display, CTV, search, social and influencer media are managed service only, according to Roundel's Ad Guide.

Can Roundel ads run outside Target's website?

Yes. Search on Google, social, connected TV, programmatic and Bullseye Marketplace publishers all run off Target's sites, using Target audiences and sales reporting.

For other retail media, see retail media networks, Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect and Instacart Ads. To plan a campaign with us, see our services.