Bullseye is a fictional Bull Terrier and the official mascot of Target Corporation. The dog is featured in Target's commercial campaigns and in-store signage, and is used in various marketing campaigns. Despite being presented as a male character, Bullseye is portrayed by female dogs. [1]
The original Bullseye mascot that debuted in a 1999 commercial [2] and was portrayed by American Kennel Club Champion Kingsmere Moondoggie, known as "Smudgie". [3] In 2014, the mascot was depicted by a dog named Nikki. [4]
There are multiple dogs who play Bullseye, taking turns during different promotional campaigns. [5] Each Bullseye actor has a pure white coat and has the logo of Target, shaped like a bullseye, painted around its left eye, which is the origin of the mascot's name. The makeup used on Bullseye is all-natural and non-toxic. [4] Bullseye dogs live on a ranch just north of Los Angeles trained by David McMillan, operator of Worldwide Movie Animals (WMA). [5] In 2004, American artist Amy Brazil was commissioned to paint an 8-foot by 8-foot portrait of Bullseye, which now hangs at Target corporate headquarters. [6]
Bullseye is used for marketing and merchandise has been produced based on the character. The first toy depicting Bullseye, a stuffed toy, was released in 1999. [1] The mascot has since appeared in various forms of merchandise, including a Transformers toy. [7]
