3 ways Target can avoid a Black Friday PR debacle

Judging from an online petition that’s collected nearly 200,000 signatures, and the torrent of negative comments on Target’s Facebook page, the store is in serious need of immediate crisis PR strategies.

What happens if Target misses its, er, target? The problem here is Target appearing tone deaf to the growing media narrative of corporate greed. As Occupy Wall Street continues to gain more media attention, any high-profile company’s push for the bottom-line at the expense of workers (and perhaps American tradition) will almost certainly cause brand damage.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, which many claim Target has lost sight of, here are basic points to help Target weather the storm:

Show the proof

Despite the many helpings of criticism, Target insists shoppers actually want the store open at midnight. If so, prove it. Put videos on social media feeds that show shoppers clamoring for the earlier store openings.