There was a toy in Target that didn’t come with instructions, so I asked them for some guidance…
Dear Target Toy Team:
In your toy section, I came across a product called “Party Paratroopers,” — plastic Army men with parachute packs. Since this toy is marketed under the Target brand, I hope you will hit the bullseye with the answers to my questions.
Kids aren’t very tall, so dropping Paratroopers from a height of 2 or 3 feet isn’t all that thrilling. Have you done any studies to determine how high your paratroopers can jump down without the parachute giving way? Could they be dropped from a 17th story apartment or the roof of a skyscraper and sail safely onto the sidewalk for a smooth landing? Would they survive being fired from a slingshot high into the sky without their plastic backs suffering whiplash? How windy would it have to get for a Paratrooper to be blown off course? When I used to launch toy rockets, they never landed anywhere near where I expected. Do you see anything wrong with attaching a Paratrooper to one of those toy rockets for some flight training fun?
Geronimo-ly yours,
“Me”
A Target Guest Relations Representative responded with:
Thanks for taking the time to write about the “Party Paratroopers” you’ve seen at your local Target store.
I’ll be sure to share your comments with our Merchandising team to further review with our buyers. We’ll keep working to provide you with the high quality items you’ve come to expect at Target.
We look forward to showing you what’s new at Target.
Final Thoughts: This response was way off target. They didn’t answer any of the questions in the inquiry! It would have been helpful if Target offered some information about how much action this team of 12 Paratroopers can handle. On a positive note, the soldiers did endure a variety of tough high-flying missions and all returned home safely.
If you’re looking for some fun things, try the toys at Target. Although, before jumping to any conclusions about a product you’re not sure how to use, chute off a letter and Write The Company.
2 Responses to "Landing on Target"
Jon Beals
February 15, 2010 at 10:52 am
Any idea on how to attach the parachute? There are no instructions.
Write The Company
February 15, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Here’s what I did: Untie the strings wrapped around the Paratrooper. There are 4 of them. Unfold the parachute and you’ll see 4 holes. Loop one string through each hole. Insert the ends from the two sets of strings looped through the parachute holes on the left through the plastic loop on the Paratrooper’s left shoulder. Tie a knot around the loop to secure them. Do the same with the two sets of strings on the right, connecting them to the loop on the Paratrooper’s right shoulder. Good luck and don’t worry if it doesn’t hold. Mine seem to have a high tolerance for pain.