RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And today's last word in business is: Are you ready?

(SOUNDBITE OF TARGET COMMERCIAL)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The holidays are coming, and they're going to be big.

MONTAGNE: Target has aired its first holiday ad of the season.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Let me just get my face out of my palm here. That's right. Forget planning your Halloween costume or picking out a turkey. Target is making its mark early - six weeks before Thanksgiving, in fact. It had a lot of people double-checking their calendar.

MONTAGNE: The Target ad stars the company's mascot, Bullseye the dog, bringing holiday tidings to a snowy Main Street. The strategy is new for Target.

INSKEEP: Traditionally, it's held off on unveiling its Christmas season ads until after Thanksgiving. And social media has buzzed with shock that the chain was breaching holiday decorum.

MONTAGNE: But it turned out Target was far from being first to jump on the holiday bandwagon. Radio station KYXE in Yakima, Washington switched to its all-Christmas music format last week.

INSKEEP: Oh, I'm OK with that, actually. That's fine.

(LAUGHTER)

MONTAGNE: And that's the business news from MORNING EDITION on NPR News. Happy Holidays, Steve.

INSKEEP: Thank you.

MONTAGNE: I'm Renee Montagne.

INSKEEP: I'm Steve Inskeep. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.