Survey: Target Apology Not Enough

Sorry may be a good start, but an UpTake survey indicates it’s not enough for people boycotting or spending less at Target. They are upset because of Target’s political donation to a group running TV ads supporting Republican Tom Emmer for Governor of Minnesota. Emmer has ties to anti-gay groups.

As we showed you last week, those anti-gay ties prompted a Twin Cities woman to return her purchases to Target and cut up her Target credit card.  Since then more than 250,000 signatures have been gathered on petitions protesting Target’s donation.  Thursday, Target’s CEO Gregg Steinhafel said he was “genuinely sorry” the $150,000 donation disappointed some workers as well as the public.

The UpTake contacted 240 people who had previously indicated they were cutting back their spending at Target because of the political donation. As a group, their total spending at Target was somewhere between $7,688 – $10,388 a week, or $399,776 – $540,176 a year.

So far 89 people have responded.

91 % said Target’s apology was not going to change their decision.

11% indicated no matter what Target did, they would never shop there again.

83% indicated that Target needed to do something else to win them back as customers.

That “something else” is very often pledging never to make political donations out of its profits again, asking the donation be returned, and/or giving an equal amount to benefit a campaign opposing Emmer.

Continue reading to see the specific suggestions our survey respondents say would win them back as customers for Target. … Continue Reading

Target HQ Gets 240,000 Boycott Notices

By Bill Sorem

High noon, August 6, 2010.

Irate activists visited Target headquarters about the boycott of Target Stores for the $150,000 contribution the corporation made to a group supporting Republican Tom Emmer. Activists say Emmer is seen as an enemy of LGBT people, immigrants and other groups.

Randi Reitan, the woman seen by more than 250,000 people in an UpTake video last week cutting up her Target charge card to protest Target’s action was joined by her husband Phillip and Son Jacob to deliver signatures of 240,000 people across the nation to the Target CEO.

Target security blocked the public skyway entrance leading to the 2nd floor lobby forcing the group to deliver their petitions to the foot of the frozen escalator. Later, a Minneapolis police Lieutenant said that Target “is very happy to have you here”.

Immigration Added To Target Contribution Woes

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Today’s UpTake: Target Sorry & Fly-Around Friday | Aug 6, 2010

Target CEO Says “Sorry” For Political Donation

As we’ve been reporting, Target’s $150,000 donation to a group that is funding TV ads for Republican Tom Emmer has cost the company as people cut up their Target credit cards and are boycotting the retail giant.  On Thursday’s Target’s CEO Gregg Steinhafel tried to salvage what he could from this PR train wreck and issued an apology for the donation. However, gay rights activists are still planning to visit the company’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters at noon today with more than 250,000 signatures on petitions.

This all came about of course because of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision that said it was OK for corporations to spend money on political ads.  The impact of that decision is going to play out in many different ways this election.  In this Capitol Report video, Larry Jacobs of the Humphrey Institute discusses that decision and its impact on Minnesota’s 2010 elections.

It’s Fly-Around Friday for Minnesota political campaigns today. Just four campaigning days until the primary polls open.  Final debates and a DFL dust-up over No Child Left Behind when you continue reading. … Continue Reading

Corporate Spending Figures Heavily In 2010 Elections

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250,000 Signatures To Be Delivered To Target

Profits Paying For Politics

Gay rights activists will descend upon Target’s downtown Minneapolis headquarters tomorrow (Friday) at noon to deliver more than 250,000 signatures on petitions protesting the retail giant’s donation to a political fund that is running TV ads for Republican candidate for Minnesota Governor Tom Emmer. Emmer has ties to anti-gay groups, and has called members of those groups “good people.” Watch for live coverage of the event on The UpTake.

How Will Target’s Political Spending Affect Your Spending?

Profits Paying For Politics

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling allows corporations to pay for political advertising. But just because a company can do something, it doesn’t mean it should. Case in point: Target’s $150,000 donation to Minnesota Forward, a group that is promoting Republican Tom Emmer’s candidacy for Minnesota Governor. Target has come under criticism not only because Emmer’s politics are far-right, but also because of his association with anti-gay groups.

Last week The UpTake showed you how one woman was voting with her dollars and boycotting Target. How many other people are doing the same? Here’s your opportunity to help us find out. Sign up to take our survey. We’re asking if you approve of Target’s donation, how much you usually spend there per week, do you plan to change your spending because of the donation and how much you’ll be reducing (if any) your spending at Target.

When you sign up, you’ll get an email asking you to confirm that you did sign up. Once you reply to that, you’ll get a link to the survey. It may take several hours to get the survey link because the process is not automated and our volunteers are sending them out. We’ll be updating the results of our survey daily for the next few weeks. Feel free to let others know of the survey and have them sign up here too.

The point here is to somehow quantify the dollar impact of Target’s donation on its bottom line. Your help in covering this story is appreciated!

Survey Results as of August 6, 2010 7 AM CT

You can register for our survey by continuing to read. … Continue Reading