Target Needs More Than a Vibe Shift to Turn Its Business Around

Let us stipulate that Target knows how to throw a party. On a Tuesday morning in September, the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis is bathed in red, and the seats are filled with 14,000 crimson-clad employees of the discount retailer. They’re here today for a pep rally that’s part of Target Together, the company’s annual four-day corporate jamboree. An 11-piece R&B ensemble serves up a catalog of hits like Uptown Funk. The screens above the stage flash with multiple-choice questions, reminding the crowd of the company’s glory days in the aughts. Who was Target’s “bedrock design partner” during that era? Isaac Mizrahi, of course. Who played a Target employee on Saturday Night Live? Why, Kristen Wiig. There’s a dance cam spotlighting employee booty-shaking, previews of holiday gift items like Kendra Scott-branded Bose earbuds with her signature sparkle, and a reminder that the latest door-busting Taylor Swift album, The Life of a Showgirl, will soon be released in multiple versions, each with a poster available only at Target. Later, there will be an appearance by Kris K., the hunky, dimwitted “Hot Santa” who made his debut in Target’s holiday ad campaign last year. He’d gone viral, providing a welcome dollop of good cheer at a company that’s lately been plagued by political controversy, employee dissatisfaction and slumping sales.