MPR has opened up a new blog called The Cities that adds a little bit of discussion space to news about Minneapolis and St. Paul. One of the lead off posts raises an interesting question: why isn’t Target sponsoring the Creating Change conference, the largest strategy meeting for advocates of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender rights in the country that starts today in Minneapolis.
Other sponsors of the conference include big businesses like Best Buy, Xcel Energy, General Mills, and even Chili’s restaurants. But Target’s spokesperson said it wasn’t the right fit for right now, even though a rep from the GLBT Task Force acknowledged that some members of the community are still upset at Target’s financial support for the conservative MN Forward/Tom Emmer donations.
February 2, 2011 at 8:34 am
Maybe Target’s learned a lesson. The more they do, the less it’s appreciated. They were boycotted for contributing to a business group that had nothing to do with LGBT issues.
February 2, 2011 at 8:39 am
I think there is a difference between sponsoring an event and giving money directly to an organization/candidate. When you sponsor an event, you are basically getting exclusive marketing rights to the people at the event.
But, I’d rather that big and small corporations stuck to schools and parks and food shelves for their corporate giving.
February 2, 2011 at 8:43 am
The boycott didn’t hurt Target directly. But the bad press did, and the organization’s obvious lack of a uniform and clear policy on the causes, events and candidates they support made investers nervious.
February 2, 2011 at 8:53 am
Target is Walmart with a better rep. In certain business groups your chance of advancing to a management position if you are GLBT is nearly zero.
February 2, 2011 at 8:57 am
The Target stores boycott continues. Only Michelle Bachmann and the most right wing Tea Partiers still shop at Target.
February 2, 2011 at 9:03 am
As do i, Tony.
February 2, 2011 at 9:04 am
Do you have something to back that observation up with, Tony? My wife bought some merchandise there over the weekend. And she doesn’t fit that description.
February 2, 2011 at 9:07 am
Heck I still shop at Target. I mostly buy groceries and with the 5% back using my Target card you can’t beat the prices on many items. Of course Target also makes very little on groceries and they are really hoping you buy some disposable crap while you are there that has a massive margin like stationery, clothes and housewares.
February 2, 2011 at 9:09 am
Exercise clothing is a good buy at Target.
February 2, 2011 at 11:09 am
The story says they came to a mutual agreement. Which is a nice way of saying Target asked and NGLTF turned them down. This is really interesting, because Best Buy did the same thing Target did, and they’re not getting nearly the backlash while the word-of-mouth against Target (though not, apparently, a decrease in spending) continues. It’s… a pity? ironic? that it’s the Foundation that’s bearing the brunt.
February 2, 2011 at 11:17 am
Best Buy, to my knowlege, has never presented itself as a ‘gay-friendly” organization.
February 2, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Then it should be boycotted regardless! Am I right?!?
February 2, 2011 at 2:54 pm
@kwatt: Best Buy didn’t have the same philanthropic reputation or history around town that Target has. Given the general dissatisfaction re: Best Buy, whether or not it’s “gay friendly” probably pales by comparison to some of the other crap customers have had to put up with. (FTW: “Michael even called the store from inside the store and watched employees work very, very hard at not picking up the phone.”)