High Expectations, ‘ Expectations

But even a superstar such as Target can face problems and fall from its fans’ graces. Diana Ross discovered during her 2000 tour that one surefire way to alienate fans is to create high expectations and fall short at the execution stage. Billed as a glitz and glamour concert extravaganza, with ticket prices to evoke high expectations, Ross missed cues and forgot the words to many of her songs. Critical disdain and fan backlash forced her to cancel the rest of the tour.

Cher also created high expectations for her farewell tour-but unlike Ross, Cher delivered.

“Cher’s entire concert tour sold out because of how she communicates and connects with her legions of fans,” explains Scott Shannon, program director of New York’s legendary FM station, WPLJ.

“Critics can’t stand her; radio certainly doesn’t love her; but her fans are among the most loyal in the business. While Diana Ross fell flat and didn’t connect with her audiences, Cher wowed her fans night after night with a string of high voltage concerts that left fans dancing in the aisles and screaming for more.” One of the risks Target faces in terms of its branding strategy is creating expectations through its advertising that might not be met when customers shop its stores. The images and expectations that slick, design oriented ad campaigns conjure up must be congruent with the experiences inside the store or else retailers risk customer dissatisfaction and fan backlash. Although a fate similar to that of Ross seems harsh, success similar to Cher’s seems unlikely for retailers who fall short of customers’ expectations.