Case Study 01
Elevation by Tina Wells
Transforming Work-Life Harmony for Target Shoppers
Client: Target
Objective: Create a unique home office brand to inspire work-life harmony through beautifully designed, functional products that resonate with Target’s customer base.
Solution: Elevation by Tina Wells, a thoughtfully curated, 18-SKU home office collection.
Overview
Target partnered with Tina Wells to launch Elevation by Tina Wells, a brand exclusively available in over 1,500 Target stores. This line brought a new concept to the home office department by incorporating Wells’s Elevation Approach, a methodology for achieving work-life harmony that she developed from her own experiences. As the first home office brand at Target to integrate a book with the product line, the collection was built to support balance and productivity through items like notebooks, journals, planners, vegan leather organizers, and a desk mat.
The Approach
Elevation’s tagline, “work-life harmony starts here,” encapsulated the brand’s mission to blend functionality with wellness, supporting Target customers in organizing their workspace without sacrificing personal balance. The product line drew from Wells’s personal experiences with burnout and recovery, emphasizing practical tools that help people not just work better but also live better. Tina’s book, The Elevation Approach, served as a foundation, offering insights and exercises alongside the physical products to reinforce her philosophy on balance.
Results & Impact
Elevation by Tina Wells effectively resonated with consumers seeking purposeful, aesthetic products for their home offices. The collection empowered customers to bring more harmony into their workspaces, combining retail design with intentional lifestyle solutions—setting a new standard for the home office category at Target. Reaching 7 figures in sales in just 3 months, this unique positioning of product-meets-personal growth helped make the collection a standout in a highly competitive retail environment, reflecting Wellspring Studio’s deep understanding of customer needs and market dynamics.
Case Study 02
WNDR LN
Redefining Travel with Style and Inclusivity
Client: Target
Objective: Develop a travel brand that caters to fashion-forward, diverse travelers while setting new standards in accessibility, style, and functionality.
Solution: WNDR LN, a 13-SKU line of luggage and travel accessories available exclusively at Target.
Overview
WNDR LN, Tina Wells’s second exclusive brand partnership with Target, was designed to bring style, inclusivity, and functional sophistication to the travel aisle. Launched to attract a modern, fashion-forward traveler, the line includes items such as a sleek hardside spinner carry-on, magnetic silicone travel bottles, packing cubes, and a signature overnighter weekender bag that’s both stylish and highly functional. With the “Vogue-ish” design praised by Travel + Leisure for its sophisticated details, the collection makes premium travel style accessible to a broad audience.
The Approach
Target and Wells collaborated to meet the needs of travelers who value both form and function. The design of each product prioritized diverse travel needs and aesthetic appeal. WNDR LN’s items, available in curated colors and prints, offered accessible luxury, while maintaining thoughtful touches like the shoe compartment in the overnighter bag, perfect for organization on the go. Additionally, the brand promoted inclusivity in the travel space, bringing in Evita Robinson of Nomadness Travel Tribe as a brand ambassador, which aligned with the brand’s mission to serve underrepresented travelers in the market.
Results & Impact
WNDR LN immediately resonated with Target shoppers, gaining coverage in publications like Travel + Leisure and Essence, and quickly becoming a favorite for customers looking for affordable yet stylish travel solutions. The line’s early success highlights Wellspring Studio’s ability to deliver high-impact, culturally resonant brands that appeal to a modern, diverse audience. WNDR LN reflects Wells’s commitment to inclusivity and quality, setting a new standard in travel retail.
Case Study 03
The Zee Files
Target’s First Exclusive Middle-Grade Book Series
Client: Target
Objective: Create an engaging, exclusive book series for Target’s young readers, focusing on relatable themes and diverse representation.
Solution: The Zee Files, a six-book middle-grade series exclusively launched in Target stores.
Overview
Tina Wells made history with The Zee Files, her first exclusive book partnership with Target. This groundbreaking collaboration marked Target’s first direct partnership with a middle-grade author, positioning The Zee Files as a unique offering for young readers seeking stories filled with friendship, adventure, and self-discovery. The series follows the protagonist, 13-year-old Mackenzie “Zee” Carmichael, as she navigates the excitement and challenges of moving from California to a new life in London. The books, initially exclusive to Target, are now available in major bookstores due to their popularity and demand.
The Approach
Built on Tina Wells’s best-selling Mackenzie Blue series, The Zee Files extends familiar themes with fresh, contemporary storytelling. The books explore Zee’s journey through friendships, cultural adaptation, and growing up in a boarding school environment. The series appealed to young readers by incorporating themes of resilience, diversity, and personal growth, enhanced with vibrant illustrations. Each book tackles relatable experiences for preteens, from fitting in at a new school to managing long-distance friendships, establishing The Zee Files as both entertaining and educational.
Results & Impact
From launch, The Zee Files quickly gained traction, selling hundreds of thousands of copies and receiving strong praise from both readers and critics. Reviews highlighted its relatable storytelling, with Kirkus describing it as “an enviable hero and appealing wish fulfillment” due to its authentic friendships and life challenges that resonate with young readers. The exclusive launch in Target created a unique in-store experience that boosted visibility and accessibility, and the subsequent expansion to all major bookstores has broadened its reach, allowing Wells’s storytelling to impact an even larger audience. Due to success and category demand, Wells created Honest June and The Stitch Clique, both of which enjoyed periods of exclusivity at Target stores. The ongoing success of these series reinforces Wells’s ability to create compelling stories that resonate with young readers and support Target’s vision of offering diverse and inclusive narratives in retail.