We were recently privy to a presentation on how to market to the gay community. I giggled when I heard of the recent publications in the marketing community as it finally turns its focus at a macro level to advertising to the gay community niche. I giggled because this is progress. Having spent time in Silicon Valley, the epicenter of the technological world that makes this blog possible, it's been common practice for YEARS in high-tech to hire whoever was the best in what they do. Corporations figured out a long time ago to be color, religion and preference "blind" when making hiring choices. In order to stay competitive and attract the best minds, if the person was gay or not, didn't matter to the company bottom line. So, I knew when the advertising market started to take the gay community seriously, the barriers built upon discrimination would continue to fall, like the Berlin Wall.
There's so much money at stake at ad agencies, a false move loses millions of dollars. But they are also the risk takers. With more television, film, book and online content created for, by and to the gay community, advertisers are psyched to get a piece of the discretionary income pie in a marketplace oft filled with singles and couples without kids. Cha-ching.
So, here's some stats from the presentation that you may find interesting.
- There's 15+ million GLBT adults (over 18 years old) in the US (this is a severe conservative underestimation)
- Approx 8 million men, 6 million women who self-identify as "out"
- Gays live in 99.3% of the US Counties
- Over 2 million known gay coupled-families with kids under 18, one in four same-sex couples
So, if you're struggling, by sheer numbers, you aren't alone. You are not the only gay person in town. Plus, perhaps this helps make sense why people want the tax breaks and government acknowledgment for marriage...to protect families, in whatever shape and form they may come in.
I have many many more stats and will share them here and there in this blog. For reference on the latest book published on marketing to the gay community, check out Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Gay Consumers
There's so much money at stake at ad agencies, a false move loses millions of dollars. But they are also the risk takers. With more television, film, book and online content created for, by and to the gay community, advertisers are psyched to get a piece of the discretionary income pie in a marketplace oft filled with singles and couples without kids. Cha-ching.
So, here's some stats from the presentation that you may find interesting.
- There's 15+ million GLBT adults (over 18 years old) in the US (this is a severe conservative underestimation)
- Approx 8 million men, 6 million women who self-identify as "out"
- Gays live in 99.3% of the US Counties
- Over 2 million known gay coupled-families with kids under 18, one in four same-sex couples
So, if you're struggling, by sheer numbers, you aren't alone. You are not the only gay person in town. Plus, perhaps this helps make sense why people want the tax breaks and government acknowledgment for marriage...to protect families, in whatever shape and form they may come in.
I have many many more stats and will share them here and there in this blog. For reference on the latest book published on marketing to the gay community, check out Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Gay Consumers
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