Target is heating up the holiday season with their newest team member that has the internet swooning – a sexy Santa.
Last month, the retail giant launched its untraditional Christmas commercials featuring their new employee, Kris K., who differs from the traditional image of a plump and jolly Santa known worldwide.
Instead, this Santa has a more modern and rugged way about him – and clearly has been hitting the gym to work off the milk and cookies.
Target dropped this year’s holiday commercials with titles like ‘Born to Be Kris’ and ‘He’s Hot, But These Turkey Deals Are Hotter’.
The commercial titled ‘He’s Hot’, which has garnered over seven million views on YouTube, presents Kris K. as a stylish gentleman in khaki pants and a fitted red quarter-zip sweater that accentuates his physique.
In the brief 15-second advertisement, Kris K. approaches a Target customer who is excitedly discussing the great deal of 79 cents for a pound of turkey with a friend over the phone.
Upon seeing the new and improved Saint Nick, the woman tells the person on the other line that she just met Santa Claus, and that he’s ‘weirdly hot’.
The new face of the store’s holiday season even traded in his reindeer for a new mode of transportation – a cherry red Ford Bronco with the license plate that reads ‘SLEIGH’.
In another commercial advertising the store’s Black Friday deals, Kris K, can be seen bicep curling a Christmas tree as he eagerly shared his excitement with his coworkers over delivering gifts around the store.
And of course he loves the holiday ‘way more than the next guy’.
‘Actually, way more than anyone we know,’ Target wrote about Kris K. in their YouTube description. ‘Actually, more than anyone anyone knows.’
‘But hey, that’s not important. What is, is that shiny red Bronco and perfectly coiffed beard.’
Viewers across the internet started instantly swooning over Target’s new employee after the advertisements began going viral across platforms such as X and TikTok – even going as far as submitting requests for in-store meet and greets with Santa.
‘I showed my hubby the commercial of Kris driving… let’s say our hubbies are definitely jealous of Kris this year!’ read one comment on TikTok.
Another read: ‘Target, can you wrap up your Santa and have him waiting under my tree?’
‘Never wanted to sit on Santa’s lap until now!’ said another.
The commercials gained so much traction across the internet that it even scored a mention from actor Amy Adams while appearing on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ on Wednesday.
While discussing People’s ‘Sexiest Man Alive’, Adams said her answer to who should receive that award would have been Target Santa.
‘If you don’t know Target Santa, yeah, go look it up,’ she said.
But the handsome figure isn’t a stranger to Christmas at all.
Hot Santa is played by 41-year-old actor and model Brent Bailey, who has starred in three holiday movies himself, as well as Netflix’s hit show, ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ and the Apple+ series, ‘The Morning Show’.
While some have argued that the new face of Santa may not resonate with children, Target’s decision to modernize their brand proved to work wonders as they continue to receive widespread engagement from more-than-interested customers.
Lisa Roath, Target’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, called their new Santa ‘joyful, helpful and optimistic’ while speaking to AdWeek – ‘characteristics that embody the brand’.
‘He has that witty edge, and he’s roguishly handsome,’ she added. ‘He represents our incredible team members, who are heroes during the holidays and beyond.’
But it may not be the last time we get to see Bailey as the big man.
A total of nine ads were planned for television, social media and streaming platforms as a way for the company to create a more memorable campaign for the holiday season – five of which have already dropped, The Columbus Dispatch reported.
And his tight-fitting red sweater – which has also gained popularity across social platforms – can be found in Target stores and their website to purchase for $24.99.
