How Corporations are Profiting from Gay Pride

I guess the "One Million Bitches" and Family Research Council, et al,  will soon be launching boycotts against U. S. News & World Reports.  Why?  Because the magazine is carrying an article that makes the case that supporting gay pride events is good business - something stockholders and business owners need to worry about since they cannot simply shake down simpletons and religious extremists for dollars like the professional Christian set.   The article notes "Sponsoring Pride sends out a message about a corporation's values. It can also pull in lots of new customers (and money)."  This reality is still lost on many Hampton Roads based businesses, but through HRBOR and Out in the Park, hopefully the message will start to sink in more quickly.  Here are some article highlights:

Bud Light commercials often fall into the traditional beer commercial stereotype: Gorgeous women and the bumbling men trying to win them over (beers in hand, of course). The brand plays up its heterosexual side in other ways, as well, like teaming up with Playboy for Super Bowl promotions.

To people not familiar with the gay scene, it may therefore come as a surprise that Bud Light is a major sponsor of several Gay Pride festivals taking place across the U.S. in June, LGBT Pride Month, —look no further than Bud Light's Bud Boyz model contest at Chicago's Pride festival this month.

In fact, a number of the nation's most recognizable brands are behind all of the concerts, parades, and rainbow flags. Though gay rights remain divisive in America, and only a slim fragment of the population identifies as lesbian, gay, or bisexual—around 3.5 percent, by one recent estimate—the decision to promote gay rights is simply good business sense.

[C]ompanies likely see dollar signs when they see packed streets at the local Gay Pride parade. "A larger festival is a better investment for a national company."

Absolut Vodka, Zipcar, Google, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Whole Foods, and Walgreen's are just a few of the companies lending their support to large pride festivals this year. The people attending the festival tend to take notice and patronize those companies.

Sponsoring pride can mean not only new business but repeat customers. "[LGBT consumers] are much more likely to be loyal to a company that markets directly to them," says Drayer.

Sponsoring Pride "most certainly" has drawn customers to Wells Fargo, says Mark Ng, LGBT segment manager at Wells Fargo. "Consumers are just as interested in a company's values as they are with our company's products and services."

And pulling back on support can mean losing the business of the festival itself, says Toms: "The bank we bank with right now pulled back as a sponsor this year. We're going to transfer our accounts to a new bank. We support businesses who support our community."

As the nation as a whole slowly comes to accept same-sex relationships, some companies are coming out of the closet as well, making their views on embracing same-sex couples increasingly prominent. JCPenney recently featured two gay dads in a Fathers' Day advertisement. One new Gap ad features two men inside a t-shirt together. Starbucks recently inspired a boycott from the National Organization for Marriage, an anti-gay-marriage group, when it supported legislation legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington.

While the travel and alcohol industries were among the first to target the gay community, some industries are dragging their feet . . . . .  along with the U.S. population, companies are increasingly willing to put their messages out there, he adds. "The reality is, the majority of Americans do support same-sex marriage," he says.

Yep, the spittle will be flying in the halls of the offices of  AFA and FRC.  Meanwhile, since its strong statement in Washington State in support of marriage equality, I've made a point to spend more at Starbucks.  I also plan on going by JC Penney and buying some summer clothes and household products.