The Target Corporation recently announced its plan for rebranding to combat the sales slump they find themselves in. The new CEO Michael Fiddelke believes the rebranding and return of “Tarzay” will boost profits and pull the company out of his sales slump they have been sinking in for the fourth quarter in a row. However, the solution to target’s problems does not lie in rebranding, it lies in the company’s identity. A point Fiddelke overlooked.
In January 2026, Target’s then CEO chose to follow the rule of the Trump Regime and revoke their DEI initiatives. Prior to this move, Target had already begun making internal changes. The company limited the Pride merchandise during Pride month and began pulling products from black-owned business from their shelves. When Trump returned to the White House, Target doubled down on their efforts by revoking their DEI initiatives. Word traveled like wildfire and their customer base took the move as a slap in the face. Many felt betrayed by their beloved company, who once stood for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This began the sinking of sales for Target.
Eventually, Target fired their old CEO, and Fiddelke took the reins. Fiddelke’s plan focused on customer service in the store. He pushed efforts to bring in more customers, but chose not to reverse the company’s stance on DEI. Now, Fiddelke believes simply rebranding the company and giving it that old chic “Tarzay” vibe will work. Truthfully, it won’t.
Target, like many mega-corporations, continues to underestimate the power of Black and Indigenous People of Color’s dollars. These companies continue to target white America and stand proudly on ignoring the other half of the country. Given the current political climate in America, many BIPOC have supported businesses that prove they care about them. Target once stood for that. They supplied their stores with products BIPOC consumers used. Before January 2025, Target held merchandise supporting Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and more. Now, their shelves and inventory represent the blandness of America we see sprouting under the Trump Regime. An America void of ethnic color and culture.
I was an avid shopper at Target. I had been all my life. I grew up in the state where Target originated and watched it extend from the Dayton Corporation. I fell in love with the store during my teens. When I heard about their stance to follow Trump and ignore BIPOC and the LGBTQ+ communities, my heart shattered. I wasn’t alone. Many shoppers like me flooded social media with claims of boycott. Each of us coming to the same conclusion. If companies refuse to support us, then they do not deserve our dollars. We changed our shopping habits and discovered alternatives to Target. Many black-owned businesses found an online marketplace to offer a shopping experience similar to Target and other Mega-corporations. BIPOC shoppers are committed to not return to a store we all felt betrayed us. True, no store offers loyalty to any customers, we know this, but many of us felt Target would stand up, like Costco did to racial injustice.
Fiddelke can offer rebranding in any form he prefers, but it will not bring customers back to the store. It’s not an issue of rebranding, as they continue to believe it is. At this point, even if Target were to reverse course and announce support for diversity, equity, and inclusion, many people may still opt not to return. I, for one, plan to never shop at the corporation again.
What are your thoughts? Do you think Target can pull itself out of its sales slump by simply rebranding themselves? Or, do you think a permanent boycott of the corporation must sustain? Share your thoughts in the comments below.