2
FULL SERVICE INCENTIVES POINTS PROGRAMS LOYALTY PROGRAMS INCENTIVE PR» DEALER PROGRAMS^JjAF The many shades of pink Gays refuse to conform to one-dimensional identities BY NINA PENTEADO P assive, middle-of the-road, mass market segments no longer exist. More than ever before, Canadian consumption patterns are reflecting changes not only in popu- lation demographics, but also changes in real attitudes often exclusive to vocal and dynamic niche groups. Canadian shoppers do not single mindedly make lifestyle purchasing decisions that override community- specific cultural differences, or "sex- ual boundaries." Brands like the Toronto Blue Jays. A&P. Absolut \odka, Labatt Blue and Moison ' Canadian have done extremely well by specifically targeting the gay com- munity, while others that have neg- lected to do so have not fared nearly as well. Purchasing decisions are not made in a vacuum. A gay profes- sional will probably choose a prod- uct or service by a company that exer- cises gay-positive corporate citizen- ship, or if its advertising is specifical- ly targeting the gay community. Pur- chasing decisions, therefore, absolutely do go beyond mainstream lifestyle aspirations. Over the years, multiculturalism has adapted itself to include "diversi- ty." Groups are differentiated not only by ethnicity, country of origin and language, but by sexual orientation as well. Toronto is a city with a pop- ulation of more than 2.5 million peo- ple, where more than 200 languages are spoken, and where more than 200 cultural groups, including the gay community, coexist. Multicultural- ism is a dynamic and ongoing process, so marketing to multicultural that have gay and lesbian positive cor- porate policies. Toronto's gay and lesbian cultural fabric today is a reflection of its polit- ical history. In 1973, for example, the City of Toronto officially included sexual orientation in its anti-discrim- ination policies, and the American Psychiatric and Psychological .Asso- ciation thankfully deemed homosex- uals quite sane. Toronto's Gay Pride Parade brings in S60 million to S80 million gay and straight dollars annu- ally, and should not be underesti- mated or misunderstood. It was and still is very much a march rooted in the communities' history. In 2001. Statistics Canada esti- mated that b.l>c of the population is homosexual. Yet, only a small per- centage of the homosexual popula- tion is "self-identifying" or "out." .As sizeable as the community may be, it is not a monolithic purchasing pow- erhouse. Often, the gay community is referred to as gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered, and it is multi- cultural to boot. Diversification with- in this group has resulted in the for- mation of groups such as GAT, Gay Asians of Toronto. More mainstream marketers are beginning to understand that com- munity segments have their own per- sonalities and purchasing character- istics. This is especially the case with brand managers who are trying to drive up sales by leveraging their products against "community-specif- ic lifestyles." The macho beer busi- ness, for example, has invested a lot of cash in local gay sponsorships with very handsome returns. So the questions remain: Are One Great Perf* Deserves An PLATINUV "*- PLUS PLAT I \UM COMBO Rewarding your employees and clients h Take them out for a night at the movies, < own personal escape. Our Corporate Discount Program is flexi offerings to suit any budget ClNEPLEX' ODEON Call to order (416) 323-7259 or 1-W-3I3-MH cineplex.coiBor galaxycinemas.con Please note the following <x that was polyfoagged with the Notodbcr 22, 1 Best POP Single: Lotus Title Wfekome Agency: Hot Tomafi Advertiser: Window Stick Aims Creative Director: Thomas Art Director: Thomas Stringham/Chris Copywriter: Thomas Stringham/Chris Fernandez-Concha For further information, please contact: Julie Selby, co-chair 3Mt La ANNOUNCEMENT

The Many Shades of Pink

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Page 1: The Many Shades of Pink

FULL SERVICE INCENTIVES

POINTS PROGRAMS • LOYALTY PROGRAMS • INCENTIVE PR»

DEALER PROGRAMS^ JjAF

The manyshades of pinkGays refuse to conform to one-dimensionalidentities BY NINA PENTEADO

Passive, middle-of the-road,mass market segments nolonger exist. More thanever before, Canadianconsumption patterns are

reflecting changes not only in popu-lation demographics, but also changesin real attitudes often exclusive tovocal and dynamic niche groups.

Canadian shoppers do not singlemindedly make lifestyle purchasingdecisions that override community-specific cultural differences, or "sex-ual boundaries." Brands like theToronto Blue Jays. A&P. Absolut\odka, Labatt Blue and Moison

' Canadian have done extremely wellby specifically targeting the gay com-munity, while others that have neg-lected to do so have not fared nearlyas well.

Purchasing decisions are notmade in a vacuum. A gay profes-sional will probably choose a prod-uct or service by a company that exer-cises gay-positive corporate citizen-ship, or if its advertising is specifical-ly targeting the gay community. Pur-chasing decisions, therefore,absolutely do go beyond mainstreamlifestyle aspirations.

Over the years, multiculturalismhas adapted itself to include "diversi-ty." Groups are differentiated not onlyby ethnicity, country of origin andlanguage, but by sexual orientationas well. Toronto is a city with a pop-ulation of more than 2.5 million peo-ple, where more than 200 languagesare spoken, and where more than 200cultural groups, including the gaycommunity, coexist. Multicultural-ism is a dynamic and ongoingprocess, so marketing to multicultural

that have gay and lesbian positive cor-porate policies.

Toronto's gay and lesbian culturalfabric today is a reflection of its polit-ical history. In 1973, for example, theCity of Toronto officially includedsexual orientation in its anti-discrim-ination policies, and the AmericanPsychiatric and Psychological .Asso-ciation thankfully deemed homosex-uals quite sane. Toronto's Gay PrideParade brings in S60 million to S80million gay and straight dollars annu-ally, and should not be underesti-mated or misunderstood. It was andstill is very much a march rooted inthe communities' history.

In 2001. Statistics Canada esti-mated that b.l>c of the population ishomosexual. Yet, only a small per-centage of the homosexual popula-tion is "self-identifying" or "out." .Assizeable as the community may be, itis not a monolithic purchasing pow-erhouse. Often, the gay communityis referred to as gay, lesbian, bisexualand trans-gendered, and it is multi-cultural to boot. Diversification with-in this group has resulted in the for-mation of groups such as GAT, GayAsians of Toronto.

More mainstream marketers arebeginning to understand that com-munity segments have their own per-sonalities and purchasing character-istics. This is especially the case withbrand managers who are trying todrive up sales by leveraging theirproducts against "community-specif-ic lifestyles." The macho beer busi-ness, for example, has invested a lotof cash in local gay sponsorships withvery handsome returns.

So the questions remain: Are

One Great Perf*Deserves An

PLATINUV"*- PLUS

PLAT I \UMCOMBO

Rewarding your employees and clients hTake them out for a night at the movies, <own personal escape.Our Corporate Discount Program is flexiofferings to suit any budget

ClNEPLEX'ODEON

Call to order(416) 323-7259 or 1-W-3I3-MH

cineplex.coiBorgalaxycinemas.con

Please note the following <xthat was polyfoagged with the Notodbcr 22,1

Best POP Single:LotusTitle WfekomeAgency: Hot TomafiAdvertiser: Window Stick AimsCreative Director: ThomasArt Director: Thomas Stringham/ChrisCopywriter: Thomas Stringham/ChrisFernandez-Concha

For further information, please contact: Julie Selby, co-chair 3Mt La

ANNOUNCEMENT

Page 2: The Many Shades of Pink

communities also requires a dynam-ic approach.

The process of understanding com-munity segments by engaging them,or what I like to call a "metropologi-cal" approach, is critical. Not unlikemulticulturalism, metropology rec-ognizes and positively accepts groupswith community-specific characteris-tics and cultural beliefs, but it does soprimarily to affect the bottomline.Toronto's gay and lesbian com-munity is a politicized demographic.Corporate sponsorship opportunitiesat Toronto's annual summer GayPride parade, or Toronto's AIDS Com-mittee-organized event, FashionCares, do not come easy. They areoften exclusively offered to companies

NINA PENTEADO is president of BeeCause, aToronto research company specializing in nichesegments.

Canadians reach* tor gay-tjigtitdadvertising on a national sc ;

think so. Are creatively challengedcreative directors the problem? Idon't think so. Are some of the morerisk-phobic brand managers, who arestill focusing on uni-dimensionalapproaches the issue here? We do notknow. As of yet, no major marketingperson has really boldly jumped outof the mainstream marketing closetto find out.

"Brand breakthrough" within thisvalued consumer segment can easi-ly turn into "brand breakdown." Gen-uinely tuning in to the gay commu-nities' attitudes and opinions, andlooking beyond homogenous lifestylemarketing tactics and strategies, areimportant steps to take if a marketerwants to create a lasting and mean-ingful marketing presence in thisvaluable community. d

;:--*• •: \--. -: : ::: :-

MARKETING