Target Reverses Course, Removes Hundreds of 'Pride' Items from Collection After Having More than 2,000 Last Year
Backlash from Target’s disastrous LGBT “pride” marketing scheme in 2023 is causing the retailer to reverse course in 2024.
The New York Post reported that this years’ “pride” collection for Target will only feature 75 items. That’s a substantial decrease from the 2,000+ items in the 2023 collection.
A company representative told Business Insider Target will offer an expanded “pride” collection online on a separate LGBT page but said the company will only put displays of the merchandise in certain “select” store locations.
Calls for a boycott of the 2023 collection came when customers witnessed the absolute depravity by Target executives, marketing “pride” items to children and selling items conservatives deemed satanic.
When Target tried to step back from its 2023 collection following criticism, conservative commentator Benny Johson posted a video on social media platform X to show that many of those items were still for sale.
🚨 TARGET IS LYING TO YOU🚨
TARGET: “We removed Satanic items”
Reality: Here they are
TARGET: “PRIDE section is for Adults only”
Reality: Groomer child mannequins, toddler onsies, books
TARGET: “We relocated the PRIDE display”
Reality: Front of store, KIDS Section
WATCH: pic.twitter.com/Sv3fVo3Pfm
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 25, 2023
Among the more disturbing items were “tuck-friendly” clothes for babies.
Target had tuck friendly baby suits for Pride month. Target had multi-display Pride marketing effort at front of store and tiny 4th of July Freedom display in back. CEO can’t carve truth for convenience. pic.twitter.com/xuWw8BKjfe
— DustInTheWind 💎💎💎 (@counsel4ubaby) November 3, 2023
Target felt the impact of its “pride” marketing quickly. The Post also reported in May 2023 that the company lost $10 billion in market valuation in 10 days over the controversy.
The “Bud Light Treatment” seems to have gotten Target’s attention.
Trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney collaborated with the beer company with a post to his Instagram page in April 2023, featuring a Bud Light can with his image. Soon after, calls for boycotts from regular Americans and high-profile conservatives alike caused the brand to take a massive hit.
Sales plummeted as beer drinkers opted for other options. The brand is still feeling the effects in 2024.
As pride month in June approaches, marketing is sure to be as cringeworthy and insufferable as always, but could Target’s shift indicate the volume of woke capitalism’s effort will be lesser?
Brands like Target and Bud Light find themselves between a rock and hard place in 2024.
With conservative consumers rejecting “pride” and LGBT marketing efforts, the most obvious course would be a complete reversal. But, in doing so, the deranged mob of leftists and child groomers who make sexuality their entire reason for existence will be enraged.
What’s a company to do?
The answer is to abandon all “pride” and LGBT efforts and tune out the mob. Screeching leftists make up a small minority. The regular consumer does not care for any of it.
Target doesn’t need to dedicate an entire month to those values. Brands simply need to keep their mouths shut, sell the things they are going to sell, and let that be it.
Hopefully, Target’s latest reversal is a sign of things to come. By 2025, “pride” marketing should be a thing of the past.
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