Latest news with #GaryHershorn
Black America Web
3 days ago
- Business
- Black America Web
Target, Walmart Warn Investors About Consumer Boycotts
Source: Gary Hershorn / Getty Several companies have learned the hard way that the Trump administration isn't as 'pro-business' as it claimed. The administration's pronounced crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives has resulted in several companies rolling back, if not outright ending their DEI programs, which in turn has inspired consumer boycotts that have directly impacted sales at several companies. In fact, consumer boycotts have proven so successful that companies are now warning investors about the potential risks they pose to their future bottom line. CNN reports that companies such as Target, Walmart, and Home Depot listed consumer boycotts around DEI initiatives as a potential risk in their annual regulatory filings with investors. In recent years, consumer boycotts have become a common trend across political lines. In 2023, Bud Light faced backlash from the MAGA set for *checks notes* doing a brand deal with a trans woman. Wait, I thought we were supposed to be snowflakes? 'Companies face a Catch-22 situation,' Kristen Jaconi, director of the Peter Arkley Institute for Risk Management at USC, told CNN. 'Consumers may be dissatisfied if a company takes a particular position on a social issue or if a company takes no position at all.' I'd push back against the assertion that it's a Catch-22, as evidenced by the fact that we've seen both Costco and Apple maintain their DEI initiatives with little to no pushback, and we've yet to see any legal action taken against these companies by the government. In the case of Costo, its support of DEI initiatives has resulted in increased brand loyalty. The company is predicted to post strong quarterly sales in an earnings report set to be released on May 29. A company choosing to withdraw its DEI initiatives is an active choice to bend the knee to the current administration and only goes to show that their initial efforts weren't sincere, but simply political theater. If they truly believed in it, they'd have no problem standing on business (quite literally in this case). Source: NurPhoto / Getty Companies having to acknowledge consumer boycotts as a financial risk in their filings is proof that boycotts work. The first quarter sales for Tesla and Target show us that boycotts work. Tesla has faced consumer boycotts worldwide as a result of CEO Elon Musk's active role in the Trump administration. The company's first-quarter revenue fell by 20%, and in Europe, sales of Tesla vehicles have dropped 49% compared to last year. Considering that electric cars are predominantly favored by left-leaning individuals and have repeatedly been demonized by President Trump, no less, Musk's heel turn into being a right-wing troll isn't just weird, but also reveals a startling lack of business acumen. Target has been the focus of several consumer boycotts since it announced it'd be sunsetting it's DEI initiatives and ending a program designed to help Black employees advance their careers. Foot traffic has consistently been down in the company's stores, and it recently revealed a drop in its first-quarter sales. No one was surprised Walmart ended their DEI initiatives, given their clientele largely consists of brokies who think 'Buck Fiden' hats are the epitome of style and humor. Target's move was a shock considering how much they courted Black dollars in years past, only to turn around and play in our faces. Listen. I'm a staunch leftist who thinks Ronald Reagan was the worst thing to happen to Black people since Jim Crow, but I'm aware I don't live in a vacuum. America is filled with folks from all different ideological leanings. As a business, if your core clientele largely consists of a particular group, wouldn't it make more sense to double down on moves that engender that base to your business? It's as if these companies still haven't learned the inherent truth of running a business in the digital age: it's impossible to be everything to everyone. Consumer boycotts are inevitable in this day and age, so pick a lane and stay true to the base that's loyal to you. Otherwise, you'll be out here looking like Target, and who would want that? SEE ALSO: Affinity Graduations Canceled Amid Trump's DEI Crackdown California Teen Spurs Outrage With Racist Promposal – They Scared: Target, Walmart Warn Their Investors About Consumer Boycotts was originally published on
New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Manhattanhenge Through a Lens: Tips for Getting the Perfect Shot
Photographer Gary Hershorn hasn't missed a Manhattanhenge in more than a decade. Each year he joins the crowds attempting to capture the fleeting moment when the setting sun perfectly aligns with the island's grid. Over the years he has watched the city and the spectacle transform from behind his lens. 'It's one of those crazy New York events that capture everybody's attention,' he said. Mr. Hershorn, who is the director of photography for ABC News Digital, shared his best tips for capturing the celestial phenomenon, which is scheduled to happen Wednesday and Thursday night shortly after 8 p.m. The sun and the city's grid should align Wednesday evening beginning around 8:13 p.m., but Manhattanhenge will be hard to capture because the forecast calls for overcast skies and rain. Tonight is a 'bust,' Mr. Hershorn said. He may try tomorrow night instead, when there should be some sun come sunset. And if that doesn't work, there will be a second Manhattanhenge in July. Mr. Hershorn recommends viewing Manhattanhenge on a double wide street that has traffic in both directions, such as 14th Street, 34th Street or 42nd Street. He used to shoot along 34th Street to capture the Empire State Building in the foreground of his photos, but the construction of Hudson Yards obscured the view. The same went for 57th Street, a once-good vantage point now encroached upon by the newly built skyscrapers along Billionaire's Row. That leaves 42nd Street. The Park Avenue bridge next to Grand Central Terminal in Pershing Square provides elevation and a good view down the street, but is open to traffic, which means police officers will often shoo away crowds of spectators (and photographers), Mr. Hershorn said. His preferred perch is on a one-way bridge across 42nd Street between First and Second Avenue, though it has suffered from a narrowing perspective over the years, as trees on either of the street have grown larger, rendering what was once 100 feet of view into 25 feet. Also, as Instagram became more popular, the bridge became more hectic during Manhattanhenge. 'Ten or 12 years ago, you could walk up to that bridge an hour before Manhattanhenge happened, find a spot and have no problem doing it,' Mr. Hershorn said. 'In today's world, people are up there at like 9 in the morning.' When Manhattanhenge occurs during the winter, Mr. Hershorn gets a sunrise version by shooting from Weehawken in New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. The cliffs on the Jersey side give him the elevated perspective he looks for, and the sunrise effect is the same, he said. Long Island City in Queens, on the other side of the city, should work the same way for the sunset version of Manhattanhenge, but according to Mr. Hershorn, the United Nations headquarters on 42nd Street takes up too much of the foreground in the photos. 'It's one of those moments where the phone can actually produce a better quality image than a camera does,' Mr. Hershorn said. On a camera, adjusting the exposure for the shadows makes the sun too bright, and adjusting the exposure for the sun makes it impossible to see the street. But on a smartphone, a setting called HDR, or High Dynamic Range, balances the light better than a traditional camera. The sun is the star of Manhattanhenge, but the people it brings out can be just as interesting. 'It's a scene that you want to capture,' Mr. Hershorn said. 'It's a scene that you want to be a part of, like a party.' During this time, 42nd Street becomes 'hysterical,' he said, filled with honking taxi cabs and commuters trying to pick through the crowds. 'All I want to say to them is, just stop your life for five minutes and watch,' Mr. Hershorn said. 'Don't be in such a hurry to get somewhere. The people are not moving. So calm down, open your car door, stand up and just watch.'
Black America Web
23-05-2025
- Business
- Black America Web
Target Messed Around And Found Out, Reports 1st Quarter Sales Slump
Source: Gary Hershorn / Getty Who would've thought alienating part of your customer base would result in lower sales? Clearly not Target, whose months-long FAFO moment has resulted in a pronounced dip in first-quarter sales. According to AP, Target reported a 2.8% drop in first-quarter sales compared to last year, earning $23.85 billion. While that's an ungodly sum of money by any estimation, it fell short of the $24.23 billion Wall Street was expecting. The company expects sales to continue to decline in the low single digits for the rest of the fiscal year. Shares in Target fell 3.5 percent during midday trading on Wednesday after investors learned of the decline. The slump isn't entirely surprising, as foot traffic has been down in Target stores throughout the spring. While just about all retailers are experiencing challenges with the Trump administration's erratic tariff policy, Target's last 12 months in particular have been one long series of unforced errors. Target had spent much of the last decade building a reputation as a progressive brand. In 2020, a full year before Juneteenth was made a federal holiday, they gave employees the option of time and a half to work on Juneteenth or get full pay if they took the day off. Their support of the LGBTQ community and Pride month was so pronounced that conservatives did their own boycott of Target in 2023. Yet Target wasted no time flipping and reversing it after the Trump administration unleashed a flurry of executive orders cracking down on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. Target announced in January that it would end its commitment to programs that helped Black employees advance their careers within the company and would cease the DEI goals they set in three-year cycles. Source: John Greim / Getty Additionally, as a result of the aforementioned conservative boycott, the company pulled back on its support of Pride and LGBTQ inclusivity, which has that community feeling some type of way about the brand as well. As a result of these decisions, Target boycotts have been ongoing throughout the year. Dr. Jamal Bryant, who initially called for a 40-day 'fast' from Target, recently called on the boycott to continue indefinitely until the company makes an effort to meaningfully re-engage with the Black community. Black Children's book author Fredrick Joseph went so far as to ask readers not to buy his books at Target. Even speaking anecdotally, my mom (a Black woman) was a self-proclaimed Target Queen, but that woman has not stepped into a single Target since they announced their pullback from DEI initiatives. Neither have I, just to be clear. Can't have y'all out here thinking I'm a scrub. It's somewhat impressive how effectively Target has alienated the clientele with whom they had built so much brand loyalty. Making Target look even worse is the fact that in recent months, we've seen companies like Apple and Costco stand ten toes down on their DEI initiatives. Costco has always been based, but Apple could've easily done away with their DEI initiatives and faced few, if any, consequences given their global reach and dominance in the mobile phone market. Even when removing politics and looking at Target's moves simply on a business level, they make no sense. Conservatives already weren't messing with Target, and their brand loyalty is clearly with Walmart, as evidenced by the fact that Walmart similarly rolled back its DEI initiatives and actually saw an increase in sales over the last quarter. Why drop your day ones to appease a group who wasn't checking for you anyway? That's a surefire way to lose money, as Target is very clearly learning. SEE ALSO: White Folks Gave Us 'Black Fatigue,' Now They're Trying to Steal It Google Settles Lawsuit Alleging Anti-Black Bias For $50 Million SEE ALSO Target Messed Around And Found Out, Reports 1st Quarter Sales Slump was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Top Stock Moves Now: Charles River Labs, Disney, Supermicro, and More
Gary Hershorn / Getty Images Key Takeaways U.S. equities were little changed at midday with the market focused on comments from the Federal Reserve coming later today. Charles River Laboratories announced a shakeup of its board and the start of a strategic review, sending shares higher. Super Micro Computer warned uncertainty about the economy and new Trump administration tariffs will have negative short-term impacts on its business. U.S. equities were little changed at midday as the market awaited the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision coming this afternoon. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was higher, the Nasdaq was lower, and the S&P 500 was basically flat. Charles River Laboratories (CRL) was the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 after the medical testing company shook up its board and began a strategic review of its operations following pressure for changes from activist investor Elliott Investment Management. Shares of The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) jumped when the entertainment giant posted better-than-expected results as it added streaming subscribers and had revenue growth in all three of its business segments. Electronic Arts (EA) also reported better-than-anticipated profit and sales on higher demand for its sports portfolio. Shares of the video game maker advanced. Shares of Super Micro Computer (SMCI), or Supermicro, declined when the computer server manufacturer warned that economic uncertainty and tariffs would likely hurt performance. Marvell Technology (MRVL) pointed to an uncertain macroeconomic environment as it postponed its investor day and narrowed its revenue outlook. Shares sank. Arista Networks (ANET) shares slid after the cloud networking provider kept its full-year guidance steady because of the potential negative impact of tariffs. Oil and gold futures dropped. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was slightly lower. The U.S. dollar gained on the euro, pound, and yen. Prices for most major cryptocurrencies advanced. TradingView Read the original article on Investopedia
