Commercial Closet DaimlerChrysler and Ford Give Gay Market A Test Drive By Michael Wilke

Aug. 7, 2002

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Commercial Closet

DaimlerChrysler and Ford

Give Gay Market A Test Drive

By Michael Wilke
DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor Co. have separately embarked on seeking out the American lesbian and gay market for the first time, though they are taking very different approaches.
Several years after adding benefits for gay employees' partners, the big auto firms have decided it's now safe to give the once-taboo gay market in the U.S. a test drive...long after Subaru, Saab and Saturn have. In April, when Chrysler put its estimated $40 million Black and Hispanic advertising business into review, it added gay and Asian consumers in an acclaimed marketing shift to a newly combined "urban audience."
Suddenly, new strategic alliances formed among minority-focused and gay agencies to win the huge account. But Chrysler's review took a political turn when Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson threatened action if the business went to a non-minority owned agency...with gay-owned agencies not meeting the definition.
In the end, Chrysler announced that it would retain its incumbent, GlobalHue... which did not announce gay or Asian agency partners until it won...suggesting to some that Sharpton's and Jackson's involvement muddied the review with politics and inside baseball. The Black leaders negotiated that agencies be certified as minority-owned by the National Minority Supplier Development Council, which does not include gay-owned businesses in its definition.
GlobalHue Hires Celebrity PR Man
as Gay Market Consultant
GlobalHue is a recently formed conglomeration of Innovasia Advertising, Montemayor y Asociados and Don Coleman Advertising, which has worked with Chrysler for African-American ads since 1994. To cover the gay marketing element, GlobalHue hired Los Angeles celebrity public relations executive Howard Bragman as a consultant. This allowed it to sidestep the minority-ownership requirement, though GlobalHue earlier hoped to acquire small gay agency Osmosis Media Lab.
Bragman founded PR firm Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, whose clients include Whoopi Goldberg and Cameron Diaz. It also represented Tanquery AIDS Rides, Levi Strauss & Co. for its 1998 Dockers "Heros" campaign in OUT magazine (http://www.commercialcloset.org/cgi-bin/iowa/portrayals.html?record=565), as well as events for GLAAD, AmFAR and other organizations. Bragman recently sold the company to Interpublic, which also owns a large share of GlobalHue.
One agency said Chrysler asked pitching agencies if they had ties with Jackson or Sharpton to help "call them off." Incumbent Don Coleman of GlobalHue reportedly had the closest ties with the men. In fact, its win was informally announced by a Chrysler executive at Jackson's Rainbow/Push Coalition event in Chicago July 25.
A GlobalHue source who asked not to be identified defends the win, saying, "I felt we were judged on our merits...it wasn't about connections."
It is unclear how quickly a campaign will materialize from GlobalHue, which car brands it will involve, how it might look or be structured. An agency source indicated that independent messages to the various niche communities remain likely, not just diverse mainstream ads.
When asked why Chrysler has an interest in the gay market now, spokesman James Kenyon says, "It's just a reality of the marketplace...maybe we just woke up recently to realize this, but it's less of an issue now. It's something we have to approach with care, as with any other audience with other audiences watching you."

Ford Motor Studies the Gay Market
By contrast, Ford Motor Co. is taking a more analytical approach. The firm hired Witeck-Combs Communications, Washington D.C., for an in-depth study of the gay brand equity of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mazda. Witeck-Combs works closely with Harris Interactive to conduct research that is carefully weighted for sample bias, and includes comparative straight consumer responses.
"We'll be looking at developing a strategy and which of the seven brands will be the best target for the gay market, since some will resonate better than others," says President Wes Combs. The effort is expected to be complete by year end, with advertising in 2003.
Ford's substantial research effort remains uncommon among the multitude of corporations in gay marketing, and ranks it as Witeck-Combs' largest client yet by annual billings. Only a handful of others have invested in major proprietary research, including Subaru, American Express and IBM, which looked closely at gay business owners.
These will be the first marketing efforts for Ford or Chrysler in the U.S., even while Jeep, Focus and Volvo have been advertised to gay markets in Europe and Australia for some time. In Germany this year, a corporate Ford ad even pictured two men holding hands. In Australia's Blue magazine, a Volvo ad carried the headline, "Volvos Are No Longer Straight."
Gay marketing executives hail the arrival of Ford and Chrysler for the power they represent to other major corporations as a sign that the water is warm. If other new arrivals are serious about the market, more of them will take Ford's lead and do their homework. After all, consumers don't just buy cars without doing a little research first either.

Commercial Closet is a column covering gay issues in advertising, marketing and media. Its 800+ image archive is at www.CommercialCloset.org.

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Aug. 7, 2002

All publications Front Page Nightspots Blacklines En La Vida Out! Resource Guide Current WCT Issue	Commercial Closet DaimlerChrysler and Ford Give Gay Market A Test Drive By Michael Wilke DaimlerChrysler and Ford Motor Co. have separately embarked on seeking out the American lesbian and gay market for the first time, though they are taking very different approaches. Several years after adding benefits for gay employees' partners, the big auto firms have decided it's now safe to give the once-taboo gay market in the U.S. a test drive...long after Subaru, Saab and Saturn have. In April, when Chrysler put its estimated $40 million Black and Hispanic advertising business into review, it added gay and Asian consumers in an acclaimed marketing shift to a newly combined "urban audience." Suddenly, new strategic alliances formed among minority-focused and gay agencies to win the huge account. But Chrysler's review took a political turn when Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson threatened action if the business went to a non-minority owned agency...with gay-owned agencies not meeting the definition. In the end, Chrysler announced that it would retain its incumbent, GlobalHue... which did not announce gay or Asian agency partners until it won...suggesting to some that Sharpton's and Jackson's involvement muddied the review with politics and inside baseball. The Black leaders negotiated that agencies be certified as minority-owned by the National Minority Supplier Development Council, which does not include gay-owned businesses in its definition. GlobalHue Hires Celebrity PR Man as Gay Market Consultant GlobalHue is a recently formed conglomeration of Innovasia Advertising, Montemayor y Asociados and Don Coleman Advertising, which has worked with Chrysler for African-American ads since 1994. To cover the gay marketing element, GlobalHue hired Los Angeles celebrity public relations executive Howard Bragman as a consultant. This allowed it to sidestep the minority-ownership requirement, though GlobalHue earlier hoped to acquire small gay agency Osmosis Media Lab. Bragman founded PR firm Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, whose clients include Whoopi Goldberg and Cameron Diaz. It also represented Tanquery AIDS Rides, Levi Strauss & Co. for its 1998 Dockers "Heros" campaign in OUT magazine (http://www.commercialcloset.org/cgi-bin/iowa/portrayals.html?record=565), as well as events for GLAAD, AmFAR and other organizations. Bragman recently sold the company to Interpublic, which also owns a large share of GlobalHue. One agency said Chrysler asked pitching agencies if they had ties with Jackson or Sharpton to help "call them off." Incumbent Don Coleman of GlobalHue reportedly had the closest ties with the men. In fact, its win was informally announced by a Chrysler executive at Jackson's Rainbow/Push Coalition event in Chicago July 25. A GlobalHue source who asked not to be identified defends the win, saying, "I felt we were judged on our merits...it wasn't about connections." It is unclear how quickly a campaign will materialize from GlobalHue, which car brands it will involve, how it might look or be structured. An agency source indicated that independent messages to the various niche communities remain likely, not just diverse mainstream ads. When asked why Chrysler has an interest in the gay market now, spokesman James Kenyon says, "It's just a reality of the marketplace...maybe we just woke up recently to realize this, but it's less of an issue now. It's something we have to approach with care, as with any other audience with other audiences watching you." Ford Motor Studies the Gay Market By contrast, Ford Motor Co. is taking a more analytical approach. The firm hired Witeck-Combs Communications, Washington D.C., for an in-depth study of the gay brand equity of Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mazda. Witeck-Combs works closely with Harris Interactive to conduct research that is carefully weighted for sample bias, and includes comparative straight consumer responses. "We'll be looking at developing a strategy and which of the seven brands will be the best target for the gay market, since some will resonate better than others," says President Wes Combs. The effort is expected to be complete by year end, with advertising in 2003. Ford's substantial research effort remains uncommon among the multitude of corporations in gay marketing, and ranks it as Witeck-Combs' largest client yet by annual billings. Only a handful of others have invested in major proprietary research, including Subaru, American Express and IBM, which looked closely at gay business owners. These will be the first marketing efforts for Ford or Chrysler in the U.S., even while Jeep, Focus and Volvo have been advertised to gay markets in Europe and Australia for some time. In Germany this year, a corporate Ford ad even pictured two men holding hands. In Australia's Blue magazine, a Volvo ad carried the headline, "Volvos Are No Longer Straight." Gay marketing executives hail the arrival of Ford and Chrysler for the power they represent to other major corporations as a sign that the water is warm. If other new arrivals are serious about the market, more of them will take Ford's lead and do their homework. After all, consumers don't just buy cars without doing a little research first either. Commercial Closet is a column covering gay issues in advertising, marketing and media. Its 800+ image archive is at www.CommercialCloset.org.