Off-Target Crisis Communications… Again
It’s only just turned September, but the shops are already in full Halloween mode, with endless shelves of ghost masks, themed sweets, and pumpkin-flavoured everything.
Nowhere has scary season come earlier than at the American retail giant Target.
Their PR team has spent the past week in crisis-communications mode over a shocking and offensive Halloween clown costume that made us all look away in horror.
Last week, a jaw-dropping clown costume that clearly evokes racist blackface and minstrel shows went on sale via Target’s website to millions of people across fifty states. (I’m providing a link here rather than showing an image of the costume, as I personally don’t want to see it again, and neither will countless others.)
Hard to fathom how the obviously evocative costume was signed off in the risk-averse corporate universe that must be Target, after its much-publicised recent woes. Somehow, the offensive item didn’t set off alarm bells in their internal review process and still made it to market.
Another head-in-the-hands moment for the retailer, the social media backlash was immediate, and rightly so.
To its credit, Target moved fast to contain the damage and take accountability for the error with this instant mea culpa:
“An apology from us: We removed an offensive Halloween costume that should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer for sale. As a company, we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry.” Target Press Statement
Not everyone was happy with their apology, including Oscar winner Viola Davis:
“Target, I do not accept your apology, and I do not believe that you understand the impact… the pain… the dehumanization of the above [image of costume].
These images laid the foundation and the ideology for every atrocity that has been committed against my people.
We MATTER!!You have shown us that you are not on OUR side.”
Actress Viola Davis
Tough Times at Target
It’s yet another crisis in a long line of missteps from the world’s ninth-biggest retailer.
Tangled up in damaging culture wars, it first hit the panic button in 2023. The company faced heavy criticism for pulling some Pride Month merchandise from its shelves amid growing pressure from right-wing critics.
Another controversial decision last year to roll back several of its prominent diversity initiatives made matters worse. Target faced major brand backlash, including a high-profile 40-day “Target-fast” consumer boycott that cost the retailer billions in market value.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has long been central to the company’s brand identity, and this sudden, unceremonious move called into question its commitment to DEI as a core value.
The policy U-turn was widely viewed as a ‘betrayal’ of Black Americans who had long supported and propped up the retail giant’s fortunes. The backlash led to a tanking share price and to its CEO stepping down, as LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and Black community leaders widely criticised its crisis handling.
99 PR Problems
And the controversies kept rolling for Target. Earlier this summer, rapper Jay-Z sparked fan backlash over his ongoing collab with the retailer.
Jay-Z does crisis comms differently. He coolly responded, in typical Jay-Z style, with a freestyle rap at Yankee Stadium:
“They say I sold out. Yeah, I did sell out. Three nights. I sold Yankee Stadium the hell out.” Rapper Jay-Z
He challenged what he described as “selective outrage” among his critics, who he said were “picking and choosing” which companies to boycott while continuing to use Amazon and other major companies whose business practices have also drawn scrutiny.
Values Drive Connection
The latest fallout over an appalling Halloween costume will certainly cause further reputational damage for the retailer as serious questions about its stance on corporate diversity resurface.
Target’s recent woes offer an important lesson in damage limitation: never compromise your brand’s core values.
Forget Mr Beast and Molly-Mae. Well-embedded core values can be a brand’s biggest influencers, and senior management at many companies often miss their key role in organisational success.
Strong values attract and retain key talent. A happy workforce knows its identity, is treated with respect, and understands its core mission and purpose. Mission, trust and respect. At every level. That’s how you keep your best people. Externally, values also build trust and drive connection by communicating to the customer who you are.
Target’s three core values are these: inclusivity, connection, and drive. The company’s Code of Ethics clearly defines each one, including, under the inclusivity section: “Valuing diverse voices and approaches, being authentic and respectful, and creating equitable experiences.”
Target’s fundamental lapses in its commitment to diversity and inclusivity damaged trust among staff and consumers alike because they represented sudden departures from its long-established brand values and principles.
And, of course, once that damaging media narrative is in play, every move is heavily scrutinised, and every mistake makes headlines.
Unfortunately, as they battle crisis after crisis, Target’s scary PR problems look set to run and run well beyond Halloween.
Crisis communications is a recurring theme on our blog, and you can read our most popular post on the topic here.
Need help with your PR strategy? Not sure about your next move?
We offer a full range of bespoke services, from campaign creation and brand building to crisis communications.
As trusted experts in our field, our friendly team provides personalised and specialist PR advice.
Book a free consultation today.
Katherine Porter is a former TV journalist with extensive PR experience. She has worked in senior public sector roles, including as PR manager for the London Olympics and as a Director of Communications in the US. Most recently, she worked in charity sector comms before setting up her own PR agency. She also writes regularly on Substack.
