Target apologises for 'racist' Halloween costume as golf brand Good Good axes 'offensive' ad

US retail giant Target has been forced to apologise and pull a Halloween costume from sale after the outfit drew criticism for evoking blackface and minstrel shows.

The costume, described as a "Kids' Glows Under ‌Blacklight Circus Clown Halloween Costume Bodysuit", prompted backlash on social media after some people pointed out it resembled a racist caricature.

On Monday, Target said: "As a company, we know we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry. The costume is offensive and should never have been part of our assortment.

"It is no longer available for sale.

"We know this is especially hurtful for our black guests, team members and partners.

"Removing the costume is an important first step, and the company is looking closely at how this happened and what needs to change to ensure this won't happen again."

The controversy comes as golf brand Good Good Golf came under fire for posting an ad critics said depicted violence against women.

The video, advertising a Callaway driver, showed a man knocking a woman to the ground as she reached for his new driver.

In the video, Garrett Clark rushes over to shove Alexis Miestowski.

"Do not touch my new driver," he says.

Both Mr Clark and Ms Miestowski are golfers and content creators for Good Good.

Good Good removed the video and issued an apology on Saturday, saying: "We posted a video to our channels that ultimately depicted actions that are not aligned with our values as a brand.

"We have since taken that content down, and sincerely apologise.

"Good Good has always stood for making the game of golf more inclusive to all, and we will continue to ensure that is our mission going forward."

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Despite the content creator removing the ad, the video continued to circulate on social media, drawing criticism over how the content was approved.

Good Good Golf was launched as a YouTube channel in 2020 and is now among the largest content creators in the sport, featuring eight men and four women competing in golf and various challenges.

Callaway Golf partnered with Good Good in 2023.

(c) Sky News 2026: Target apologises for 'racist' Halloween costume as golf brand Good Good axes 'offensive' ad