Target’s Decision to Move Pride Merchandise Sparks Backlash and Complicates Brands’ Campaigns

For years, companies have seen Pride Month as an opportunity to tap into the buying power of the growing LGBTQ community. However, this year’s political environment has made Pride campaigns more complicated for brands and marketers. Retail giant Target has received criticism for its Pride collection, which includes clothes and books for children. The company has now moved its Pride displays from the entrances of some stores to the back, citing concerns for employee safety after some customers had acted aggressively towards staff members and thrown the merchandise on the floor.

One-piece, tuck-friendly swimsuits for transgender individuals and children’s books on transgender issues and gender fluidity are among the items that have angered some conservative customers. A TikTok video of a woman expressing her anger at Target’s Pride merchandise went viral, and she called for a boycott of the retailer.

While some may see Target’s decision to move the Pride displays as a means of protecting employee safety, others argue that it may alienate the LGBTQ community. Conservative backlash against Bud Light after it worked with a transgender influencer has reportedly caused the beer’s sales to drop by over 23% from a year earlier in the four weeks ending in mid-May.

Many brands that understand their core beliefs well have embraced the gay and transgender community in the past, such as Nike and Starbucks. Consulting firm Strategic Vision PR Group’s CEO David Johnson said that “when they embrace the gay or transgender community, it’s not out of line with their core beliefs”.

Though some brands are moving forward with their Pride Month plans, advocacy groups fear that the backlash could create a chilling effect and limit the representation of the broader LGBTQ community in advertising.

Credit: nytimes.com

ENND