Kristin Wiig has appeared as Target’s latest spokesperson by reprising her role as the Target Lady from Saturday Night Live. The Target Lady character has been a popular role for Kristen Wiig, so many are no doubt pleased to see her back in a new series of television commercials. However, some viewers – namely fans of the music artist Prince – are upset by the newly-released Target commercial.
As you can see below, the new Kristen Wiig Target commercial features a piece of Prince’s music. Specifically, it’s the song “Baby I’m a Star.” Fans have reacted negatively because they feel as though the song deserves a better treatment than being used as the background music for a Target advertisement.
Here are some tweets added below that have been shared by Prince fans on social media in response to the commercial. As you can see, many of them are shocked to see “Baby I’m a Star” used and they feel as though the estate didn’t need money that bad that they should have to license it to Target.
Prince did not die for Baby I’m a Star to be on a Target commercial… I know that estate is not that desperate for money… 😑
— GrandLady and Tati (@BlHistoryQueen) April 2, 2024
Target got that “baby I’m a start” X Prince in the latest commercial… see how they do u? Who getting paid off that?! SMH
— Jill Jones (@Q6hPRN) April 2, 2024
Boo. I understand economics, but Prince never intended his art to sell toilet paper. It’s sad. 😢
— James (@JamesJdcxc) April 2, 2024
I just saw a .@prince song (“Baby, I’m A Star”) used in a Target commercial. What’s next? Applebee’s?
I would like off this planet at the nearest convenient exit. #Prince4ever pic.twitter.com/gB8rPxyeW6
— Shawn (@spfarrelltweets) April 3, 2024
Obviously the Target commercial with Kristen Wiig as the Target Lady is far from the only use of popular licensed music. Prince fans feel a special need to defend the late artist’s catalogue of work, however, given that he was so selective about how his music was used in life. In fact, Prince was involved with various lawsuits against those he felt misused his music. Nevertheless, this is where we are today.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates on this potential situation as we have them. For now, it’s clear that Prince fans aren’t happy with the way his estate has allowed his music to be used for television commercials. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen if his estate will actually license his music more carefully – as the musician did when he was alive – or if this is merely one small glimpse of what’s to come.