Brief Summary In 2012, Target used predictive analytics to assign a “pregnancy prediction score” to customers based on their purchasing behavior. The algorithm identified a teenage girl’s pregnancy, prompting her father to complain after she received baby-related coupons. Target later admitted to interspersing baby offers among general household ads to reduce creepiness, but the incident sparked a national outcry over privacy and personalization. Company Involved Target Corporation Marketing Topic Public Reaction or Consequences Why It Matters Today Highlights the tension between hyper-personalization and consumer trust. Serves as a caution for AI-driven lifecycle targeting which is still a privacy concern in