I usually find Target excruciatingly brain-dead and boring. It's one of many formula reality TV programs, dumbed down into easy digestible chunks so as not to be too taxing on the "average" viewer. The motel industry is one of Target's perennial favorite haunts and I only endure these regular segments due to my motel industry fetish.
To view this week's episode: Click HERE
In this week's episode, the usual MO ensued with Target wielding a covert camera checking-in to four separate motels and evaluating; guest facilities, room amenities/condition, fire evacuation signs, smoke detectors, room keys and window latches before unleashing the much anticipated shock horror part of the show that involves identifying nasty bacteria with swabs and the obligatory black light.
We see that Napier Motel Association President Tim Stephens issued a timely press release that has attempted to put a positive spin on Napier motels starring on Target. Usually any protest attempt would get little public sympathy and would be counterproductive however the press release seems to have been a positive therapeutic exercise for Napier's moteliers without causing further collateral damage.
This ambush, reality TV style can be most upsetting to moteliers. Although we could question some of Target's methods, there is simply no defence for finding less than high cleaning standards in the motels that are featured.
Overall the Napier motels featured fared reasonably well, however shows like Target will never promote the motel industry and it is unfortunate that long-lasting niggling doubts of the general motel product will be embedded with some consumers.
So what was the biggest misdemeanor that was uncovered in a motel?
I am a fan of silly signs in motels and took special note of the following tacky sign that made an appearance on Target. We are sorry to say that similar signs make a regular appearance in motels, often affixed with blue-tack. This Napier property's sign does get some bonus points for font selection and use of lamination, however we believe that this is one of many signs that menopausal moteliers should desist from using immediately!
