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Target just teamed up with popular streamer Kai Cenat and his group AMP to launch a new personal care brand called “TONE,” sold only at Target.
The group includes Kai Cenat, Duke Dennis, Agent 00, ChrisNxtDoor, and ImDavis. They kicked things off with a fun livestream sleepover inside a Target store, which got a lot of attention online. But not everyone was celebrating.
Many people pointed out that Target is still facing a boycott from Black communities across the country. Target rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, programs and hasn’t really made things right. Instead of fixing that, it seems like the company is hoping big-name partnerships with Black creators will distract people from the real issues.
Some see this as a smart marketing move, but others call it performative. Journalist Jemele Hill didn’t hold back. She compared Target’s actions to what the NFL did when it partnered with Jay-Z while ignoring calls for justice around Colin Kaepernick. Hill said, “Target is spineless. They don’t want to upset people like Donald Trump, so instead of apologizing or making things right, they’re just handing out checks to famous Black people, hoping we forget what they did.”
For a lot of people, that’s exactly the problem. It’s not about the creators themselves, who are clearly talented and influential. It’s about Target using them to avoid real accountability. Until Target addresses the harm it caused and makes serious changes, no flashy partnership will be enough to win back trust from the Black community.
Check out some of the reactions of AMP collaborating with Target below.
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