Gay consumers are ready to doll out
their dollars, but more likely only to companies they perceive as
gay-friendly, a new survey said. Of those companies respondents
found gay-friendly, NBC Universal's cable channel Bravo was the
friendliest. Apple, Showtime followed in the second and third spots.
The survey, conducted by Prime Access
and PlanetOut, found four of the top five companies were from the
media and technology sectors. Cable channel HBO was ranked fourth.
A majority (68%) of gay and lesbian
consumers said they are more likely to buy from a company whose
business philosophy appears to be inclusive of gays and lesbians.
Almost three-fourths (71%) of the respondents favored companies that
featured gay imagery in their advertising.
“The study reveals that gays and
lesbians are fiercely loyal to brands they perceive as reaching out
to them,” said Howard Buford, president and CEO of Prime Access.
The study also showed the opinions of
gays and lesbians to be highly influential. “In virtually every
category – from financial services to fragrance – the study shows
that gays and lesbians tend to be ahead of the curve when it comes to
embracing new products and trends. They are early adopters that
their peers look to for advice, opinions and ideas. As a result of
their influence, they impact many more purchases than just their
own,” said Kevyn Aiken, Vice President of Marketing, Media Sales at
PlanetOut.
The early adoption of products and
high-value influence of gays and lesbians explains why they represent
one of the most coveted and active demographics.
Brands scoring the lowest marks from
gay and lesbian consumers included: Wal-Mart, Dunkin Donuts, Cracker
Barrel, Exxon Mobil and Samsung.