27. HARTUNGKEMP
When Target agreed to sponsor New York’s Central Park Conservancy’s park bench fundraiser, the challenge they passed to HartungKemp was two-fold: Design an auction catalog showcasing 52 benches created by artists, designers, entertainers, and other famous New Yorkers, and design a bench for Target itself. According to Stefan Hartung, “We wanted to create something that symbolized the iconic shopping experience.” Hence, lot number 48, a red shopping cart bench with the familiar Target bullseye.

The catalog had many jobs to do: “We had to design something very special that maintains Target’s high design standards,” says Hartung. “To attract affluent people, we needed to make something unusual. In addition, we had to consider Christie’s, the auction house, as one of our clients.” The result is a collection of postcards, each featuring one artist’s park bench interpretation. “The postcard references all the tourists who’ve ever come to New York City. And postcards, like park benches, are meant to be shared,” the designer notes.

On all counts, the promotion was a success. Target made two benches, one for the auction and another for special events; Christie’s dubbed the catalog one of their most unusual, and perhaps most important; and more than $250,000 was raised for Central Park. Laurel Saville