4. Target Accused of ‘Rainbow Capitalism’
What happened?
In May, Target came under scrutiny after announcing plans to pull some of its Pride-themed clothing and product collection following what a corporate spokesperson described as “threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work.”
The brand had been supporting Pride month for over a decade through the range. However, in 2023 consumers on the right began to seize on Target’s fairly par-for-the-course LGBTQ+ supportive marketing efforts, taking to social to encourage a boycott of the retailer.
Target’s reversal was not well received by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, who believed the brand had failed to stand by and commit to diverse communities.
Erik Carnell, a transgender designer whose products were pulled from Target’s stores, accused the business of “rainbow capitalism” in an interview with Reuters.
Lesson learned:
Carnell, founder of brand Abprallen, added: “It’s a very dangerous precedent to set, that if people just get riled up enough about the products that you’re selling, you can completely distance yourself from the LGBT community when and if it’s convenient.”
The lesson for brands here is similar to the one Mulvaney taught Bud: Live and breathe your brand values, which means if you’ve come out in support of LGBTQ+ communities, stick with that stance.
“Businesses that are silent or are retreating at a time when anti-LGBTQ+ hatred, from statehouses to social media platforms, is at an all time high are abdicating their responsibility to stand by their values of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the nonprofit Human Rights Campaign.
“We’ve seen it again and again: Businesses that stand up for the values they espouse send a powerful message to their employees, shareholders and customers that equality is not up for debate,” she aded.
