US.FrontLine に興味深い記事があった。航空会社や自動車メーカー、金融会社、小売店など多くの業界で、ゲイやレズビアンを対象にしたマーケティング戦略を展開しているという。
同性愛者が重要な販売対象に〜各業界が積極的な広告展開 [US.FrontLine] via.TransNews
USAトゥデイによると、国内の18歳以上の同性愛者は現在1600万人を数え、購買力は6410億ドルに上る。このため、大手企業500社（フォーチュン誌）のうち同性愛者を対象にした広告を展開する企業は、1994年の19社から昨年には175社と大幅に増えた。
同性愛者向け広告は、アメリカン航空やユナイテッド航空、トラベロシティなど旅行業界が強化しているほか、ABCカーペット＆ホーム（ニューヨーク）が同性愛者向けの婚姻登録を提供、ウォルマート・ストアズでは社員向けセミナーを提供している。
また、フロリダ州マイアミやテキサス州ダラス、ペンシルベニア州フィラデルフィア、アリゾナ州フェニックス、アイダホ州ブルーミントンなど大都市でも、ホテルや飲食店、ナイトクラブなどが同性愛者の客を呼び込もうとしている。広告展開を強化している自治体の観光局も多い。マイアミの場合、退職後の定住地というイメージは控えめにし、ナイトライフや美術館、芸能、特定民族コミュニティなどを強調している。
同性愛者に注目する企業が増えている理由として、社会や企業で自分が同性愛者と公表する人が増え、その規模が無視できないほど拡大している社会背景がある。
More marketing aimed at gay consumers [USA TODAY]
The gay market is drawing attention from:
•Companies. Travel industry-related firms from United Airlines to Travelocity have stepped up their marketing to gays. ABC Carpet & Home in New York has a gay wedding registry for same-sex partners. Wal-Mart (WMT) offers seminars to employees, called "Why Market to Gay America."
At American Airlines (AMR), managers George Carrancho and Betty Young head a team that markets to gay travelers and small businesses. The airline sponsors community events and offers a gay-oriented website (www.aa.com/rainbow) with travel deals, an e-newsletter, podcasts and a gay events calendar.
American has focused on gay consumers since 1994, when a gay manager persuaded former CEO Robert Crandall that gay travelers were an untapped market. Crandall agreed. Since then, the company has enjoyed annual, double-digit revenue growth for gay customers.
"We're committed to this market," Carrancho says.
•Cities and tourism bureaus. In years past, local governments and tourism offices — aside from San Francisco and a handful of other cities — "politely ignored" gay travelers and businesses, Roth says.
Now, dozens of cities and convention bureaus are going all out to lure gay visitors. They're spending millions of dollars on print, TV and online advertising. They're showcasing cultural and film festivals, gay parades and gay-friendly hotels and restaurants.
In Miami, tourism officials — downplaying Florida's old image as a retirement site — use splashy travel literature and commercials to showcase the region's nightlife, museums, the performing arts and ethnic neighborhoods. They work closely with the Miami-Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, whose travel guide reads: "Miami: Diversity Celebrated Daily ... Come feel the vibe."
"Gays are good for business and good for our community," says George Neary, director of cultural tourism for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The partnership works."
•Mainstream marketing. Many more businesses engage in crossover marketing, advertising not only in gay media outlets, but also mainstream ones.
Frances Stevens, founder and publisher of lesbian magazine Curve, jokes that the new ads are much classier than the old ones, which featured brawny, hairy men toting beers.
Advertisers are much more sophisticated about the buying habits of gays and lesbians. They know, for instance, that many lesbian couples live in the suburbs, raise children and are very loyal to particular brands, whether cars, cellphones or clothing.
