Plus: The White House now has a TikTok; foundations raise money in hopes of saving local public media.
During its earnings call this week, Target announced its new CEO.
The company said its board of directors voted unanimously to appoint long-time Target executive Michael Fiddelke as CEO, replacing Brian Cornell, who is retiring. The transition will take effect in February, Target said.
Fiddelke, who has been with Target since 2003, made his motive clear, saying he plans to lead with an “urgent commitment” for “better results.”
He said in a release from the company:
“After more than 20 years at Target, I know the power of our brand, the talent of our team, and the special place we hold in retail. My history with the company also deepens my sense of responsibility for where Target goes next, and I step into the role with an urgent commitment to drive growth and deliver better results.
“I am eager to refocus our strategy and build on the assets and capabilities that have made Target a beloved destination for incredible products and a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. And to be clear, we have work to do to reach our full potential. Now’s the time to take full advantage of our strengths, embrace change with pace and purpose, and regain our momentum.”
The announcement piggybacks on Target’s better-than-expected Q2 earnings (sales fell nearly 2% YoY) but shares of Target still dropped by 10% in premarket trading following the results.
“On a call with reporters, Fiddelke, 49, described his two decades with the company as ‘an asset.’ He said he knows what the big-box retailer can be at its best – and what it must recapture – and isn’t waiting until February to make changes, “CNBC reports.
Why it matters: Fiddelke is moving forward with full steam, whether or not stakeholders feel assured at this point. He placed emphasis on making changes, and quickly. He reaffirmed his experience, understanding of the brand and used terms like “refocus” and “embrace change” to convey his vision.
Cornell said of Fiddelke in the release: “He brings a remarkable level of resolve in the face of complex challenges, a deep passion for growth, and a natural ability to inspire those around him to define what’s next.”
Fiddelke also shared action items with reporters following the earnings call, CNBC reports.
“He laid out three priorities: Reestablishing Target’s reputation as a retailer with stylish and unique items, providing a more consistent customer experience and using technology more effectively to operate an efficient business,” the outlet said.
It’s clear that Fiddelke hopes to be a refreshing influence on the company’s priorities and make the necessary changes to help the chain restore its reputation. His message shows that he’s already established a list of tasks to bring the brand back on track and earn stakeholder trust.
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- There’s a new twist in the TikTok ban saga. The White House has created its own official TikTok account. This follows Trump’s efforts to have the app banned, though the deadline has been extended three times since January, with the latest stop-date being in mid-September. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that, “The Trump administration is committed to communicating the historic successes President Trump has delivered to the American people with as many audiences and platforms as possible,” The Guardian reported. “America! We are BACK! What’s up TikTok?” the account’s first post caption says. The video itself is a montage of Trump, with an excerpt from a speech in which he says, “I am your voice.” This move brings into question whether or not that September deadline is relevant any longer. Initial worries from businesses concerned over the app’s ousting have faded since January when the app went dark in the U.S. for about 12 hours. The creation of an official White House account says they’re probably right to let that worry keep fading.
- Recent federal funding cuts to public radio and television will affect nearly all eligible media outlets – though it may impact small news stations in rural communities most. Losing these essential mediums for communication would mean that businesses are affected too,. But the tides may be turning. Several philanthropic foundations, including the Knight Foundation, are trying to raise money to keep local stations alive. The funding will go to newsrooms and radio stations that receive more than 30% of their funding from the government, the New York Times reports. “Some of those philanthropists are banding together in hopes of staving off that worst-case scenario by providing an emergency $26.5 million cash injection to stabilize the stations most at risk. The group is aiming to raise additional money for the fund and hopes to reach $50 million this year,” the outlet said. Long term, this supply of cash won’t sustain, so the foundations are encouraging more supporters to join the cause. But for now, it appears that organizations that depend on local newsrooms to reach target audiences may be safe for a bit longer.
- When OpenAI unveiled the latest version of its chatbot, ChatGPT-5, they didn’t predict there would be blowback. Yet, consumers were quick to share their grievances in losing the familiar comfort they found in the previous version of the AI tool. Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, discussed the rollout, what the feedback taught them and their plans to make future changes easier on consumers in a rare media appearance on a podcast with The Verge. He said, “I think we really need to think harder about how we change and manage such a large population of users. In retrospect, not continuing to offer 4o, at least in the interim, was a miss and we’re going to go fix that and make it available to our ChatGPT Plus users. Secondly, I was also surprised by the level of attachment people have about a model. It’s not just change that is difficult for folks, it’s also actually just the fact that people can have such a strong feeling about the personality of a model,” Turley told the outlet. While Turley said there are plenty of benefits, including simplicity, built into the newer version, he recognizes that companies can’t ignore consumer preferences. “We’ll communicate if we ever have a date where we want to retire (ChatGPT 4oWhat Turley shows here is attentive listening and actionable response to backlash. This wasn’t on the company’s radar, but now that it is, they want to know more, and they want to problem-solve. This response breeds credibility and it instills trust.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
The post The Scoop: Target emphasizes history, urgency with CEO selection comms appeared first on PR Daily.
