BlogHer - Automotive Companies Reaching Out Gay Market - Comments

Subaru? or VW?

Amana — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:19:59 -0500

So what car did you buy?

I'm biased but...

Lelonopo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:02:25 -0500

...I think it's great when mainline businesses recognize and tap into the LGBTQ market. The more visibility we have, the better, I think. To see ourselves reflected in mainstream media, such as this story itself, and to see such large sponsors as this at our events? I think it's great, and it's about time. The thing about GM doing this, it's authentic. They walk their talk and their internal structures support their marketing to us. I would be way pissed if a company is marketing specifically to us, to get our dollar, but is working against us with internal policies or political contributions to support policies antithetical to LGBTQ community.

As to my bias? Look closely at the photos in that Marketplace story online and you'll see my design work. They're a client. :)

Subaru and u-Haul

Denise — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:06:51 -0500

The grounds around that Subaru plant in Illinois are great. We drove right past that on our way to Illinois - with a uHaul, which is not a relationship killer in this case. ;-)

Unfortunately, we no longer have our Forester - we left it with our 18 year old and we bought a Toyota Prius. We miss the Forester though and if Subaru ever gets their stuff together and releases a good hybrid, we'll go back to Subaru.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

I agree, it's fantastic that

no_I_am_zoe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:38:18 -0500

I agree, it's fantastic that corporations are beginning to see our market power, and that they know it will take more than slick advertising to buy our market share. I hope that the few who are standing up to the boycotters will give others the courage to follow suit.

Yes, props to Subaru for being vanguard. I love my Forester, I'll be a customer for life. Aside from their direct marketing campaign, their 100 rating with the HRC, they also are a zero landfill company, and they truned the property surrounding their Indiana factory into a wildlife sanctuary. They also donate a lot of money to the communities they are in.

U-Hauls are a relationship killer...

I too hope that the whole

no_I_am_zoe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:18:32 -0500

I too hope that the whole McDonalds thing becomes a turning point, but I think it might take a few more giants standing up to these bullies before the real turn happens.

I am glad that so many companies are changing their practices and starting to offer benifits to domestic-partners, I guess the motivation behind the change shouldn't be important as long as they change stand behind their policies. Fortunately for us, the bigger ticket items we would prefer to buy are made by companies with good corporate practices because we won't buy from companies who don't.

I should also mention that I too like Kai's program, this particular one just got under my skin a bit.

Not vanguard, but an indictor of improvement

debontherocks — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 09:17:47 -0500

Great piece. I agree it would be much better if they were authentic in their attempts to build relationships with our powerful demographic, but it is ultimately hopeful that corporations are starting to get our market power, our role as cultural influencers, and our priorities and politics. It's a good sign that a few are feeling strong enough to "come-out" as gay courters against the Big Right Machine. I love seeing major media ads that incorporate gay inclusivity--even if it is watered down--because that models cultural acceptance with the type of exposure that goes a long way to shifting cultural norms.

(Props to Subaru for being the vanguard, years ago! My first big crush drove a Subaru, and both she and the car were HOT. And then we got a U-Haul, and it all went downhill from there.)

Deb

www.3smartgirlz.com

www.debontherocks.com

when life throws you on the rocks, it's time to get your rocks off

There probably is a difference...

nelle2nelle — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 04:48:48 -0500

between placing an ad in Girlfriends that is subtly aimed at gay folk, but that is fine. It is sorta nice to see an ad with two women snuggling together rather than the usual overwhelming wave of hetero images...

the whole McDonalds thing seems to have the potential to be the Edward R Murrow vs Joesph McCarthy turning point in these attempts to bully companies into treading lightly on gay issues. Bullies have no substance with which to stand someone telling them to buzz off.

I'm familiar with Kai and his programme, normally enjoy it if I'm actually tuned to NPR (rare these days) and in the car post 6 pm. I imagine for most this is a rather interesting change, and it might serve to encourage smaller businesses to address this market as well. I'm pretty sure lgbt media marketers will be quick to test whether it is true.

What really matters for me in the end are their corporate practices... for instance, I've long had issues with iVillage because of the make up of their Board of Directors and Corporate Officers (majority has been consistently male) though I do still play there. If I'm actively buying product, it follows companies with poor records won't get my business.

As mentioned in the McD's thread... that sort of stand up and be counted statement caught my attention and raised my perception of the company a goodly amount. Hopefully, other companies will start taking notice this might be the way to go.

nelle

Automotive Companies Reaching Out Gay Market

no_I_am_zoe — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:44:35 -0500

While listening to the radio the other day, I heard a teaser for an upcoming Marketplace (7/7/08 show, Racing after gay consumer segment) that made me stay by my radio to wait for the show air. The teaser was something to the effect of, and I'm just giving you the gist of what I recall, 'car manufacturers race to advertise to the untapped gay market.' My immediate response to this promo was to talk back, and I do mean to speak out loud, to my radio, "What!? What do they mean untapped market? Subaru has been advertising to us for years. Wasn't Volkswagen one of the only sponsors to not pull their commercials for the Ellen "coming out" episode and after? So who just now discovered this market? Or rather, who feels it's now a safe risk marketing to gay consumers?"

I don't know why it makes me feel better to make commentary as if the radio can hear me and will respond, but I can tell you my dogs seemed quite interested in what I had to say. They sat quietly, ears perked, cocking their heads to the side as if listening with great interest. Of course for all I know they were probably hearing, "What good dogs. Who are my good dogs? Is it time to go for a walk? Who wants to go for a walk?" They didn't get their walk as they hoped, we had to wait for Marketplace.

When the show finally aired, it left me a little ruffled, and I can't exactly pinpoint what about it bothered me so. Right off, I found myself disagreeing with the assertion in the intro that GM was cutting edge in marketing to the gay population. I don't know, perhaps they are and I just over look their print ads and television commercial spots featuring gay couples, printed or aired in gay magazines or on television. Or maybe it's just because companies who did it first are the ones who stick out in my mind, and always will. I remember the companies, like Subaru, who were the first to buy air time on LOGO when it was a brand new channel. And I remember quite clearly the first time I saw a television commercial targeted directly to us, featuring gay couples. It is not to diminish that GM was at the Detroit Pride event with some clever marketing, and that they are trying to reach a the gay market, but that isn't enough for me to call it cutting edge.

I think what bothered most though was the bit with Adam Bernard, the chairman of GM Plus, the company's resource group for its GLBT employees. He was discussing how GLBT customers are likely to consider employer practices, treatment of GLBT employees, and workplace equality when buying a car. And with that point I will not disagree, I know that was a large point of consideration for us when we bought a new car last year. He went on to say that because we factor these things in when buying a car, they made sure they had all of their company policies in line and that they offered things like domestic-partner benefits, before they marketed to GLBT customers. Which, while it was the smart thing to do, because I sure wouldn't buy a car from them if they didn't, it bothers me because they should be offering these things to their employees and treating them all equally because it's the right thing to do. Not just because they want our money. For the record, GM got 100 rating on the HRC Corporate Equality Index. Perhaps that is not how his point was meant to come across, and maybe the way the piece was edited together the sound clip ended up out of context, I cant' say. All I can say is that it didn't come across quite right to me.

The segment finished by bringing up The American Family Association's boycott of Ford, after Ford placed ads in a gay magazine in 2006. It goes on to imply that this is why other car companies are reaching out to gay consumers in more subtle ways. It would seem to put customer driven businesses between a rock and a hard place when it comes to advertising, especially if you are a company who is struggling and can't afford to lose any customers. It's not that I expect to be marketed to as a gay person rather than, you know, just a person, but I expect that if am marketed to as a gay person, it's genuine. And by that I mean, the company welcomes me, as a gay person, and has no fear in me representing their image.

This made me think about how advertising played into our decision when we bought our new car last year. And actually, I think absence of targeted advertising was just as important as targeted advertising in influencing the "I like car" choices. It's not that I don't watch television that isn't LOGO, or that I don't read magazines that aren't gay magazines, so I see plenty of car commercials and advertisements. But the ones the have greater influence on me are the ones that are more reflective of me. If I see a commercial with a lesbian couple, I might think to myself, yeah I could see us in that car. But, play that same commercial with a straight couple and it probably won't register with me as anything special. I guess too, I figured a company that would advertise on a fledgling gay channel, and would create an advertising campaign specifically for that channel and the GLBT market, and do not worry about boycotts for making this advertising choice, probably has a commitment to making sure all it's employees are treated equally because that's how is should be, not just because they want the gay piece of the market. When it came down to it, we looked at every most every car in a specific class. Do to advertising, some stuck out more than others. We ruled out the ones that had manufacturers who didn't rate well with regard to employee practices by using sites like Gaywheels.com. When we narrowed it down to a few choices, we looked it the company's environmental record and practices and there was one clear winner.

Maybe I was just in a mood when I listened to that segment of Marketplace. Maybe advertising is just too, I don't know, cold and calculated for me. I'm just not sure. What's your take on it?

Related articles and posts:
Working Mother vs. HRC by Dana, posted at Mombian. Dana compares the HRC's 2008 corperate Equality Index to Working Mother magazines 100 Best Companies list.

MergeMedia writes at LGBT Marketing. CEO of Merge Media writes mostly about LGBT marketing.

Commercial Closet: Subaru's gay TV commercials by Michael Wilke. A look at Subaru's advertising history, specifically in affiliation with LOGO.

Automotive Advertising in the Gay Market by Matt Skallerud, posted at Pink Banana Media Matt give a great overall look at this topic.