Great news! According to Target, it seems the recession might be as good as over. How do we know? Just take a look at the trend in the retailer’s TV advertising in recent years.

Think back to before the bottom fell out of the market. The company’s ads focused on glitz and glamour, and they positioned Target as the spot for trendy apparel, housewares and even the most basic staples. They were catchy, fun and just made you want to shop with a simple “Hello Goodbuy!”

Fast forward to sharp losses in the real-estate market, stocks plunging in value and job losses by the hundreds-of-thousands. Target’s holiday ads took a major shift, focusing on price points and positioning the company as the low-price leader for budget-conscious shoppers. It was all so depressing … in an upbeat-Target sort of way.

Well, I think things must be looking up these days (at least at Target) because the retail giant is – thankfully – back to the lighthearted. They’re looking to drive some serious holiday sales with a series of ads that debuted leading up to Black Friday that cracked me up (see below) and others that remind us how decorating the tree and hanging lights on the house can be a little more fun and a lot more stylish if you buy your gear at The Bullseye.

What do you think? Are other ad campaigns signaling better days are yet to come?