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Speaking of bumper stickers, I have another question, why do lesbians like the Subaru's so much? I have seen tons of them with rainbow stickers and other gay rights stickers on them?
Driving sales: car companies find success advertising to gay consumers and supporting groups that work for equality
Advocate, The,
Nov 9, 2004
by Fred Kuhr
A decade ago, Subaru--the car company that has reached icon status among gays and (especially) lesbians--had no intention of specifically targeting gay consumers through its advertising or promotions. But when the company dewed into a massive project to find out just who was buying their cars, they discovered a surprising demographic: a high-density pocket, mostly female, from the lesbian mecca of Northampton, Mass.
"Lesbians were fiercely loyal customers of Subaru, and their word of mouth was like gold," says John Nash, whose New York based Moon City Productions oversees GLBT marketing and advertising for Subaru. The car company began to aggressively court gay and lesbian consumers, with notable advertisements with such slogans as "It's not a choice. It's the way we're built."
During the past few years, other car companies, including General Motors and Volvo, have realized the value of the gay market. Yet they are also realizing that gay and lesbian car buyers are more likely to support companies that support them.
General Motors, for example, recently held a press event targeting only gay media outlets. Ford Motor Co. offers its customers a way to donate to gay organizations. Subaru sponsors community events like the AIDS/LifeCycle charity bicycle ride in California.
The automotive industry is much less skittish these days when it comes to targeting gay and lesbian consumers. "Most companies don't want to be a pioneer, but at this point they don't have to be. There is safety in numbers for these companies," says Michael Wilke, who tracks gay images in advertising and marketing with his online clearinghouse, The Commercial Closet.
I've driven Ford trucks since I learned to drive. Why on earth are they getting into this gay nonsense? Good grief.
