While Target has faced Pride Month merchandise boycotts, a lawsuit and a 10% drop in its stock after this year’s controversial collection, the retailer appears to be doubling down its commitment to this market.
Target has promoted Erik Thompson to Senior LGBTQIA+ Strategist and Pride Leader, according to a @LibsofTikTok post on X i Thompson’s LinkedIn profile.
In her new role overseeing Target’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/queer, intersex and asexual marketing, Thompson says she plans to “flip the script and rewrite the CPG narrative.” [consumer packaged goods] retail industries to better serve all segments and thoughtfully and authentically serve *ALL guests, ALL humans, and ALL hearts* that enter our stores and across the country.”
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Thompson has been with Target since 2016 and was previously a buyer for four years in its beauty and cosmetics division. Before that, he was an associate buyer from 2016 to 2019 for men’s sportswear.
In the spring, Target moved to appease conservative groups that expressed outrage over Target’s 2023 Pride Month collection to include “clothing-friendly” boys’ swimwear, removing some of the items .
In May, the retailer’s ( TGT ) stock fell 10% from its March 17 high, while CEO Brian Cornell hailed DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) as a boon for business .
After a lawsuit, a conservative legal organization sued Target on behalf of shareholder Brian Craig. The lawsuit, filed in Florida federal court in August, claims the retailer misrepresented the adequacy of its risk controls when customer backlash over LGBTQ-themed merchandise took it by surprise.
An inquiry to Target to confirm Thompson’s new position had not been returned at press time.
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