Target is rebuilding its creator commerce strategy after winding down a previous affiliate program that frustrated some partners, introducing two new programs designed to separate everyday customer-creators from established influencer sellers.

The announcement, made May 6, includes Club Target, a gamified platform for smaller creators on TikTok and Instagram, and Target Ambassadors, powered by LTK, an invite-only program for established influencer partners that launched May 1.

A Reset on Creator Strategy

The new programs follow the discontinuation of a creator affiliate program Target introduced in 2023. The wind-down generated confusion and frustration among some partners, according to Marketing Dive.

“In general, transitions can be disruptive for some of our creators. This was particularly disruptive,” Target Chief Digital and Revenue Officer Sarah Travis told Marketing Dive. “Our focus has been and will be on building a stronger and more future-ready model, and I’m confident that we’re putting that in place.”

The creator overhaul also lands as Target navigates a broader company turnaround under new CEO Michael Fiddelke. Net sales fell 1.5% year over year to $30.5 billion in Q4. Two of Fiddelke’s stated priorities are re-establishing merchandising authority and elevating the guest experience across channels, including social media.

Club Target: Gamified Engagement for Everyday Creators

Club Target operates through a tiered, challenge-based model. Creators earn rewards by participating in weekly TikTok and Instagram challenges, generating engagement on those posts, and driving revenue through affiliate links.

Image source: Target

Rewards scale with performance and include Target gift cards, features on Target’s owned social channels, access to exclusive events, and commissions on eligible items at higher tiers. The program requires a minimum of 500 followers on TikTok or Instagram to apply, and its current base skews toward smaller accounts, with an average following of 5,000 or fewer.

About 8,000 creators joined Club Target during its pilot phase, with Travis telling Marketing Dive the brand intends to “significantly scale” the program. Most participants are new to working with Target.

“A lot of our best marketing actually comes from our guests,” Travis said. “This is about giving them a home.”

Target Ambassadors: An LTK-Integrated Tier for Established Creators

Target Ambassadors, powered by LTK, is invite-only and structured around two tiers, including a Premiere level with expanded benefits. The program initially comprises several hundred established LTK creators who regularly post about Target. Eligible creators can access higher commission rates, monthly bonuses, and campaign opportunities based on performance.

Target stated that Club Target is not intended as a pipeline into Target Ambassadors, describing the two programs as serving distinct creator cohorts.

Target noted it is mentioned more than 50,000 times daily in user-generated content and holds the position of most-followed big-box retailer on TikTok. Social commerce in the U.S. is forecast to surpass $100 billion in sales for the first time this year, according to Marketing Dive.

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