Target: Charitable Donations

Hugh Hewitt has written extensively on Target's decision to banish Salvation Army from their storefronts during Christmas.

To recap, Target says their "attorneys" had advised them to not allow solicitation at their stores, because this would lead to some activities that Target does not desire.....

Many people were outraged at this, and decided not to buy from Target this Christmas season.

Target said that they anticipated this reaction, and planned accordingly.

Did this have any financial impact on Target? According to Hewitt, yes.

Today in my newspaper, The Houston Chronicle, there was a very nice circular that highlights, in a subtle way (as subtle as a full color, tri-fold advertisement will allow you to be), their charitable contributions.

On the front, are nine very nice pictures of people doing variable everyday things over the following caption:

Every day Target gives back
to the community in countless ways.
At every moment
lives are touched.
Possibilities are discovered.
Hope is found.


There's a few people we'd like you to meet.

Inside are pictures highlighting Target's goodness and mercy. I'm sure they are very nice, good corporate neighbors. But you have to ask, why did they feel the need to spend as they did, on such an advertisement to show they are good and kind? I'm sure the Chronicle is not the only newspaper in the nation to have this advertisement.

All this money, all this effort..... they should have cut a check to the Salvation Army (the same size as the what the advert cost) instead of the advert. I think it would have made many of us if not happy, at least OK with Target......