Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and reading about Target’s latest mishap, and I just can’t help but think, “what were they thinking?” The retailer apologized and pulled a Halloween costume from sale that critics said evoked Blackface and minstrel shows. I mean, come on, who thought that was a good idea? The product, sold as the “Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume,” prompted a backlash on social media, with some consumers saying it resembled a racist caricature. You can’t make this stuff up, right?
The costume was sold under the retailer’s seasonal Hyde and EEK Boutique brand, and Target declined to comment on who designed the product or the process by which it was green-lit for sale. In its statement, Target said it was “looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change.” Well, that’s a good start, I suppose. The company acknowledged that the costume was “especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners.” No kidding.
Some Black shoppers, who felt alienated after Target’s 2025 DEI rollbacks, expressed fresh disappointment on Monday. Sheletta Brundidge, a Minneapolis-area business leader, views the costume as an indirect result of the DEI decision. “You rolled back diversity,” she said, “so who’s in the room, now, to say ‘hey, this is wrong?'” That’s a fair point, if you ask me. Target acknowledged in its statement that the costume was “especially hurtful for our Black guests, team members and partners.” That’s a step in the right direction, at least.
Target, which has had back-to-back strong quarters, is beginning to see results from efforts to cut prices and freshen its merchandise, with new CEO Michael Fiddelke so far earning plaudits from Wall Street. But the company – which cannot compete with Walmart and Costco on price – has little room for error when it comes to managerial or optical missteps, said Brett Husslein, an analyst at Morningstar. “As Target begins to gain traction in repairing its brand reputation, this is exactly the kind of stuff they want to avoid,” he said, adding that any headwind – optical, managerial, or macroeconomic – “could lead to further market share losses.” That’s just common sense, if you ask me.
In the end, Target’s shares were up 2.7% in afternoon trading, so I guess that’s a silver lining. But seriously, folks, who comes up with this stuff? It’s just a big ol’ mess, and I’m glad I’m not the one who has to clean it up. As I always say, “you can’t make this stuff up,” and this story is just another example of that. So the next time you’re shopping at Target, just remember, they’re still working on getting it right. And that’s a wrap, folks! 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
