Target Company’s Coupons and Text Criteria

One of the criteria for text analysis taken into account by Target when sending out coupons to consumers is intentionality. Intentionality brings out the attitude and purpose of the writer or speaker. The target indicates its attitude and purpose to its consumers through coupons. For example, sending coupons to women who are likely to be expectant indicates that Target has a caring attitude. The coupons also show Target’s purpose, which is to increase sales of its products among pregnant women. Target also takes into account the criteria of acceptability when sending coupons to consumers. Acceptability refers to the perception of the reader or hearer that the message will be useful or relevant. Target included a variety of baby products in its coupons and sent them to potentially pregnant women, knowing that these women would find this information useful.

Target also applied the criteria of informativity when sending out coupons to consumers. Informativity refers to the degree to which the contents of a message are known or unknown by recipients. Target informed women who are likely to be pregnant about various baby products and discounts they will receive on purchases. In addition, Target informed pregnant women about products such as dippers in the early months of their pregnancy, before these women thought of purchasing such products. Situational is another factor considered by the target while sending coupons to consumers. The criterion of situational states that the situation under which a message or text is produced influences the production and reception of the message. Target produced its coupons and tailored them to meet the needs of pregnant women, knowing that these women would react positively to the message.

Lastly, Target also took into account the criteria of intertextuality while sending coupons to its consumers. The criterion of intertextuality states that a text at all times is related to a previous or a simultaneous discourse. In addition, this criterion also states that texts are normally grouped into different genres based on formality. Target used coupons as a means of communicating with its customers because of the knowledge that the customers were familiar with coupons or other related texts. Therefore, the customers could easily understand the meaning of the text.