Dollhouse browsing: A commuter fantasy in New York

13 : 05 : 2013 Target : Visualise : Grand Central Terminal

New York – To promote its Threshold home décor line, Target has built a life-size dollhouse in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.

Threshold was released in autumn 2012, and items have continually been added. The dollhouse, which features 3,500–4,000 products, enables potential customers to visualise how items will look in their homes before they shop for them.

Kelli Frazier, senior vice-president and executive producer of the experiential group at Deutsch Los Angeles, the agency behind the idea, said the dollhouse is ‘designed for exploration’ by the terminal’s half a million daily visitors. Situated just off the main concourse, the dollhouse is easily accessible to commuters, without being in their way. Visitors who want to linger can have a makeover in the dollhouse bathroom. 

The idea of a life-size dollhouse – a miniaturised home scaled back up to normal size – might seem to be a contradiction, but it is a clever blend of reality and fantasy. For more, read our Faction Marketing macrotrend.

Discover More Daily Signals
The Trend: Human by Design

Daily Signals

The Trend: Human by Design

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity.
Design : Creativity : Branding
The Big Idea: Branding in the Age of Elasticity

Daily Signals

The Big Idea: Branding in the Age of Elasticity

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity.
Design
The Campaign: New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

Daily Signals

The Campaign: New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity. 
Design
The Viewpoint: Rehumanising 3D Design

Daily Signals

The Viewpoint: Rehumanising 3D Design

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity. 
Design
The Space: Glossier unveils immersive experience for Fleur fragrance launch in Paris

Daily Signals

The Space: Glossier unveils immersive experience for Fleur fragrance launch in Paris

LS:N Global’s coverage of design in 2025 explored humanising design and branding in the age of elasticity.
Design
The Trend: The Great Beauty Blur

Daily Signals

The Trend: The Great Beauty Blur

2025 marks a critical inflection point for beauty. The sector, once defined by diversity and creativity, has grown increasingly monotonous, as glob...
Beauty : Wellness : Identity
The Big Idea: Neo-community Market

Daily Signals

The Big Idea: Neo-community Market

Brands are redefining engagement by transforming followers into communities where belonging is the ultimate currency.
Beauty : Engagement : Community
The Campaign: The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

Daily Signals

The Campaign: The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

In a provocative campaign in October 2025, skincare brand The Ordinary called out the beauty industry’s reliance on pseudo-scientific language.
Beauty : Skincare : Cosmetics
The Viewpoint: Reframing Ageing

Daily Signals

The Viewpoint: Reframing Ageing

Jacynth Bassett, founder and CEO of Ageism Is Never In Style, is reshaping the conversation around ageing, positioning it as a privilege rather tha...
Beauty : Marketing : Ageing
The Space: Koyia perfumery asks customers to pay with time rather than money

Daily Signals

The Space: Koyia perfumery asks customers to pay with time rather than money

In September 2025, Swedish fragrance brand Koyia introduced a forest-based retail concept where the only currency is time.
Beauty : Retail : Fragrance
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN