The Scoop: How Target, Macy’s and more are handling Pride month

2025 is shaping up to be a quiet Pride month for brands. This was expected, given major shifts to the political and cultural climate in the United States. But with the month now underway, we’re gaining a clearer picture of just what that means.

Target, which faced backlash in 2023 for the sale of trans-inclusive products and also faces criticism for dialing back DEI efforts, is trying to find a balancing act between the left and right.

“As we have for many years, we will continue to mark Pride Month by offering an assortment of celebratory products, hosting internal programming to support our incredible team and sponsoring local events in neighborhoods across the country,” a spokesperson told CNN. But those products are only available online and in select stores. Plus, a “senior leader” who spoke to CNN under anonymity confirmed that the displays are smaller and less prominently displayed. And while Target might tout its involvement in local Pride events, it was kicked out of its own hometown Pride over its DEI stances.

Last year, Macy’s sent a press release touting its Pride activities, including window displays and donations to The Trevor Project. This year, the brand tells CNN they’re doing similar things, but without the announcement.

Additionally, LGBTQ+ content creators told Digiday that they’ve seen a significant downtick in brand deals this year and especially related to Pride. Christopher Rhodes, a trans creator, told the outlet that in 2023 he signed 20 brand deals, 10 in 2024 and just one this year so far.

Why it matters:

Companies, especially B2C companies, are stuck in a tight spot when it comes to Pride. The administration is taking a hardline stance on queer issues, especially when it comes to transgender people. And it isn’t afraid to make examples of companies it feels go against its agenda.

At the same time, many brands had spent a decade or more actively courting LGBTQ+ consumers. Target, in particular, is finding out what happens when audiences learn that the accusations of rainbow washing were true, and brands will walk away when the going gets tough.

If your organization has decided to make this a quiet June, understand you won’t be able to turn the support back on like a faucet when or if the political winds change again. A choice is being made today — potentially for good reasons. But it isn’t a choice that can easily be undone in three years.

Your Pride plan needs to look at not just today but at next year and the year after and five years from now. None of us knows what the situation will look like then. But we do know that consumers on both sides of this issue are watching and making purchasing decisions based on what’s done today.

Understand who your audience is at its core and what you stand for today and tomorrow.

Editor’s Top Reads

• United CEO Scott Kirby is blaming a “media storm” for a steep decline in ticket sales to Newark Liberty Airport. In the immediate aftermath of the well-publicized air traffic control issues at the United Hub, passenger load fell 15 percentage points, though it has since rebounded to decline just 3 points, the Wall Street Journal reported. “This has been a huge perception issue,” Kirby said during a WSJ event. “Newark is safe.” While it’s true that Kirby has stressed throughout this situation that flying in and out of Newark is safe, it’s also true that writing headlines such as Kirby’s FoxNews op-ed “Newark Liberty Airport needs action now” contributed to that media storm he now decries. For the many Americans who won’t read past the headline, they wouldn’t see Kirby’s assurances of safety. They may only have seen aggregated headlines using his op-ed line, calling it “a broken system.” When working in media relations, remember the power of headlines and individual quotes. Kirby’s own statements and media relations helped contribute to the concern over Newark’s safety, not merely media reporting. Now, he’s dealing with the fallout.
• Today’s Scoop is truly all about thinking through how your actions today will impact you tomorrow. The New York Times reports that many entry-level jobs are being replaced with AI. This is borne out through data, as new college grads show an unusually high 5.8% unemployment rate. “Employers are saying, ‘These tools are so good that I no longer need marketing analysts, finance analysts and research assistants,’” Molly Kinder, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, told the Times. This is impacting tech fields first, but PR will certainly also feel the impulse to automate writing press releases, research and other tasks typically assigned to the least experienced professionals. But without those training grounds, how will the profession keep a strong pipeline of mid- and senior-level talent? Perhaps the hope is that AI will grow to replace them too by the time that becomes an issue. However, consider the long-term implications of reducing this vital pipeline.
• Steve Stoute owns a music distribution business and a marketing agency. But he’s also the go-to guy for giving advice from everyone from Adam Silver to Jay-Z, from the mayor of Miami to the CMO of Google. In a candid interview with The New York Times, Stoute shared what these power players are asking him about today. The biggest advice he’s giving today? Calm down. “Most of what I’ve been advising clients around is the idea of not overreacting to anything in a press cycle,” he said. That includes AI: “…I think that trying to figure it out and overreact to the press around it in order to appease your boss or seem like you know what you’re talking about requires more time than what you’re giving yourself.” The whole interview is worth a read, including his thoughts on DEI and more.

Allison Carter is editorial director of PR Daily and Ragan.com. Follow her on LinkedIn.