GM Advertising to the Gay Community } Gay Consumers Love 'Volt'

Gay and lesbian consumers prefer fuel-efficient cars, account for 5% of new car purchases and have average household income in the six figures -- more than that of heterosexual households, according to a recent marketing survey.

So it's little surprise that General Motors ran a gay-themed advertisement last month for the Chevrolet Volt, the type of car studies show gay and lesbian consumers tend to like.

GM didn't count on the ad drawing national attention.

First published for $750 in the Motor City Pride edition of Between the Lines, a Michigan gay and lesbian newspaper, the ad ended up being viewed 11 million times through social media.

"This was a good omen," said Jan Stevenson, co-publisher of the magazine. "They put their toe in the water, and it worked out really, really well. If anyone's really paying attention to it, they would say, 'Wow, this is an untapped market.' "

Car companies mostly advertise directly to the gay community in small niche ways, but some experts say the greater general acceptance of the community and the success of the Volt ad could mean more of the marketing is on the way.

"If it's a manufacturer's desire to bring in wealthier, better-educated, younger customers, then the lesbian and gay market would be an avenue to that demographic," said Chris Travell, vice president of consulting for Maritz Research, which surveyed 200,000 consumers in 2011 and found that gay and lesbian households made 10% more money.

The Volt ad "told us that this was something worth undertaking when the opportunities present themselves," said GM spokesman Tom Henderson.

Nissan corporate communications director Travis Parman, who completed a 333-page master's degree thesis on the LGBT community, said the ad may signal a gradual return of gay-themed auto advertising that was virtually suspended during the Great Recession about three years ago.

"As the economy starts to come back, people become more confident in investing in the niche media again," he said.

With the trademark gay rainbow colors striping the Volt ad, it reads, "Whatever revs your engine, we support you 100%."

A caption above the Volt pictured in the ad also proclaims: "Mom, Dad: I'm electric."

Avoid 'gay washing'

Van Buren Township gay couple Nick Graham, 28, and Dustin Dreese, 32, shopped for new cars for six months before settling on a Focus hatchback and an Edge crossover.

The two said it's true that they wanted to buy from a company that shared their values. But like all consumers, they really wanted great vehicles, including space for a car seat if they expand their family in a few years.

"We didn't buy a gay car," Graham said. "At the end of the day, what amenities are you going to give a gay person that a straight person isn't going to enjoy?"

Even so, there are studies that show gay and lesbian consumers have particular wants and auto companies could play to that, experts say.

On average, lesbian and gay car buyers are more likely to embrace fuel-efficient vehicles and high-tech features, experts said. Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevrolet are the most popular brands among gay and lesbian consumers, according to San Francisco-based Community Marketing.

The 2011 survey of 40,000 LGBT consumers also found 17% planned to buy a new vehicle within 12 months.

Thomas Roth, president of Community Marketing, said there could be a "huge opportunity" for auto companies "being first to market" directly to LGBT consumers on a consistent basis.

Rich Ferraro, spokesman for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which monitors advertising, cautioned that brands need to be careful to avoid "gay washing" -- for example "putting two shirtless guys on a beach" and calling it a success.

"Buying an ad in a gay magazine is a start, but companies really have to practice what they preach," he said.

Automakers are also reaching the consumers de facto through mainstream outlets that might have a higher percentage of gay and lesbian viewers.

GM advertised the new subcompact Chevrolet Sonic on the Fox TV show "Glee," which portrays several gay and lesbian characters. Recently, Chrysler's parent company, Italian automaker Fiat, advertised the mini Fiat 500 on the LGBT-themed Logo cable channel.

The company, however, said it didn't tailor the ads specifically to those buyers.

Fiat's advertising must "appeal to all audiences in order to continue to generate and increase brand awareness," Chrysler spokeswoman Dianna Gutierrez said in an e-mail.

Conservative backlash

The major auto companies trumpet their corporate culture -- benefits to same-sex couples and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation -- as a core part of their appeal to gay and lesbian customers. Nearly half of LGBT consumers in a survey say corporate employment and spending policies help direct their buying decisions.

Still, many companies are hesitant to start vocally advocating for gay marriage rights or other gay and lesbian issues.

When President Barack Obama publicly endorsed gay marriage this spring, the auto companies were mostly silent, although a GM plant in Ft. Wayne, Ind., recently flew a rainbow flag to show its support for gay rights.

The American Family Association's One Million Moms campaign recently attacked retailer J.C. Penney's inclusion of gay dads and lesbian moms in catalog ads.

"I'm sure for some companies it could absolutely backfire, but you see more and more companies doing it these days," said Richard Read, acting editor of GayWheels.com.

He said he liked the Volt ad because it was "very fashion-forward, very sleek and contemporary."

But he's skeptical whether LGBT consumers adjust their buying habits based on corporate behavior.

"That doesn't necessarily directly influence their purchases," he said.

He said auto companies shouldn't resort to "photoshopping out the straight couple and dropping in their same-sex counterparts."

Roland Leggett, an openly gay Detroit resident who recently bought a 2012 Chevy Malibu, said "diversity advertising is tremendously important" to him and other LGBT consumers.

"It sends a message to the folks you're trying to sell to that you value diversity," said Leggett, director of field organizing for Equality Michigan. "I'd really strongly encourage the automotive industry to continue to move forward, continue that message of inclusivity, but also put its money where its mouth is and support pro-equality organizations."

Although advertising and events are influential, dealerships still have a lot of reach, too.

The Maritz Research survey also found that about 8.3% of gay and lesbian car buyers were not satisfied with their experience at the car dealership. That compares with 6% of heterosexual car buyers.

"I think gay people in general have hardened skin," Graham said. "I don't know that slapping a rainbow in an advertisement is going to get over that. It's more: Come to my dealership because I'm going to treat you like a human being."

Contact Nathan Bomey: 313-223-4743 or nbomey@freepress.com

More Details: Gay, lesbian consumer demographics

Maritz Research study

• Lesbian and gay shoppers had average household income of $120,641, compared with $109,678 for heterosexual buyers, according a survey of 200,000 consumers purchasing 2011 and 2012 model-year vehicles.

• LGBT buyers also have more education, the survey found.

• And they accounted for about 5% of new-vehicle purchases, according to Maritz.

San Francisco-based Community Marketing surveyed 40,000 LGBT consumers in 2011

• On average, lesbian and gay car buyers are more likely to embrace fuel-efficient vehicles and high-tech features.

• Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevrolet are the most popular brands among LGBT consumers, according to the survey.

• Seventeen percent planned to buy a new vehicle within 12 months.

• About 28% of gay men and 22% of lesbians surveyed say a company's advertising in LGBT newspapers and magazines has a big impact on their purchases.

Love And Pride Sale! Up to 70% OFF on Selected Products Buy Now! Special offers and sales for all products! Up to 70% off, Free Shipping! Buy Now!||||