Bullseye Blunder: Target Pulls Kids’ Clown Costume Amid Blackface Backlash, Admits ‘We Got This Wrong’
- Target pulled controversial Halloween costume after backlash over its racist imagery
- Costume seen as offensive minstrel-like depiction, highlighting concerns about Target’s diversity initiatives
- Incident adds to Target’s ongoing challenges with Black consumers and brand reputation
Target is issuing an apology after a kids’ Halloween clown costume sparked backlash over its resemblance to Blackface and racist minstrel imagery.
The retailer recently listed a children’s Halloween costume called the “Kids’ Glows under Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit” from its Hyde and EEK! Boutique line for $25. But instead of shoppers seeing a spooky circus clown, many pointed out that the costume’s troubling resemblance to racist Blackface caricatures and imagery historically associated with minstrel shows.
And baby, the reviews came QUICKLY.
Shoppers headed straight to Target’s review section to hand out one-star ratings and question how a costume with imagery this controversial ever made it onto the company’s website and app in the first place. The outrage quickly spilled onto social media, where Target’s comment sections were dragged to pieces.
One user wrote, “TARGET let’s ADDRESS that prejudice Halloween costume.”
Another added, “This is minstrel. This is why DEI @ companies are important.”
And one commenter did not mince words, writing, “Whoa! Might as well throw a watermelon and chicken wing in there for accessories. They still don’t get it.”
The costume has since been pulled from Target’s website following the backlash, and Reuters reports that the retailer issued an apology saying,
“As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” Target said in a statement. “The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment. It is no longer available for sale.”
The controversy also comes at a particularly terrible time for Target’s relationship with Black consumers.
The company has faced criticism since announcing in January 2025 that it was scaling back several of its diversity initiatives, including ending its three-year DEI goals and its Racial Equity Action and Change program. The move came during a larger corporate retreat from DEI efforts following President Donald Trump’s return to office and his administration’s actions targeting federal diversity programs.
That decision sparked boycotts and calls for Black consumers to take their dollars elsewhere. While leaders behind the organized “Target Fast” announced in March that their campaign was concluding, plenty of participants made it clear they had absolutely no plans to return to Target.
Now this costume has added even more fuel to the fire.
At this point, the nonsense is not only unacceptable, it is also exhausting. There was once a time when people joked about going into Target for toothpaste and leaving two hours later with candles, throw pillows, snacks, and $200 missing from their bank account.
Target was an experience.
Now, for some longtime shoppers, that affection has turned into disappointment as controversy after controversy continues to chip away at the brand’s reputation.
And when consumers immediately recognize imagery that apparently slipped through multiple levels of a major corporation, people are naturally going to question who is sitting in those rooms making decisions.
So what do YOU think? Was Target’s costume an offensive oversight?
