You've seen him. Maybe you were half-scrolling through TikTok or just trying to watch a football game when a guy with a salt-and-pepper beard and a surprisingly fitted red sweater popped up on your screen. He’s driving a red Ford Bronco with a "SLEIGH" license plate, blasting Steppenwolf, and looking... well, according to the internet, "weirdly hot."
That’s Kris K. He’s the fictional "team member" who has basically hijacked Target’s holiday branding for two years straight. But the man behind the beard isn't a retail worker plucked from a Minneapolis suburb.
The Face Behind the Beard: Who Is Brent Bailey?
The actor who plays Kris K in the Target commercials is Brent Bailey.
Honestly, if you think he looks familiar, it’s because he probably is. Brent Bailey isn't some newcomer who just fell into a red suit. He’s a prolific veteran of the "hey, it's that guy!" school of acting. Before he was the muscle-bound version of St. Nick, Bailey had already clocked in over 150 commercials. That is a staggering amount of time spent selling everything from cars to insurance.
But his career isn't just 30-second spots. You might recognize him from:
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- The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix.
- NCIS and Criminal Minds.
- The Emmy-winning web series Emma Approved, where he played Alex Knightley.
- The 2017 film LBJ, where he played JFK’s speechwriter Ted Sorensen.
Born in Tucson, Arizona, Bailey has a natural, "guy-next-door" charisma that makes the whole Kris K gimmick work. If the actor were too stiff, the "Hot Santa" thing would feel creepy. If he were too goofy, it wouldn't be funny. Bailey hits that sweet spot of being genuinely charming while clearly being in on the joke.
Why the Internet Is Obsessed with "Hot Santa"
It started in 2024 with a commercial titled "Born to Be Kris."
The premise was simple: Kris K is a Target employee who just happens to be Santa (or a very Santa-adjacent human). One of the most famous early spots features a shopper on her phone telling a friend, "It was Santa Claus, and he’s like, weirdly hot."
That line was the spark.
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Suddenly, #TargetSanta was a thing. By the time the 2025 holiday season rolled around, Target realized they had a hit on their hands. They didn't just bring Brent Bailey back; they leaned into the "thirst trap" persona. They had him doing bicep curls with Christmas trees and launching a "Not Santa" sandalwood soap collaboration with Dr. Squatch.
It’s a Shift in Marketing
Target used to be all about the "vibey" lifestyle montages. Now, they're using character-driven storytelling. Kris K isn't just an actor in a costume; Target has built a whole lore around him. According to their 2025 press releases, Kris is a football fanatic, an amateur DJ, and an avid traveler.
Is He a Real Target Employee?
Nope.
While the commercials do a great job of making him look like he’s just "one of the team," Kris K is a purely fictional character created by the agency Mythology and directed by Wayne McClammy (the same guy who directs those big-budget Super Bowl ads).
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The goal was to make holiday shopping feel less like a "transactional chore" and more like something joyful. Or at least something you’d want to watch for 30 seconds without hitting the "Skip" button.
Beyond the Red Sweater: What's Next for Brent Bailey?
Brent Bailey’s success as Kris K has definitely boosted his profile, but he’s still a working actor and director. He’s often sharing behind-the-scenes clips of his "commercial pile-ups" on his social media, and he’s been vocal about how much fun it is to play a character that people actually look forward to seeing.
It’s rare for a commercial character to achieve "meme status" without being annoying. Think about Progressive’s Flo or the Allstate Mayhem guy. Kris K has joined that tier of commercial icons, but with a more modern, social-media-savvy twist.
How to Follow the Kris K Trend
If you’re looking to keep up with the latest ads or want to see more of the actor behind the character, here are a few things you can do:
- Check the #TargetSanta Hashtag: This is where the newest spots usually leak first, often with hilarious commentary from fans.
- Look for Brent Bailey on IMDb: If you want to see his non-Santa work, his filmography is surprisingly deep, ranging from indie dramas to procedural hits.
- Watch the "Born to Be Kris" Original: If you missed the start of the phenomenon, the 2024 debut commercial is still the gold standard for how to reboot a holiday icon.
The "Hot Santa" era of Target marketing shows no signs of slowing down. As long as Brent Bailey keeps donning the red threads, expect Kris K to be the face of your Black Friday and December shopping hauls for the foreseeable future.
To see more of Brent's work beyond the red suit, you can browse his professional portfolio on IMDb or follow his Instagram for behind-the-scenes looks at how those "weirdly hot" commercials actually get made.