Why target the gay/lesbian market, and why do it Online?
The buying power
of 17 million gay Americans is estimated to be $464 billion. According
to Forrester*, gays are the technology early adaptors you want. They
are:
- Wealthier
and better educated
The average household income for gay people is $61,300 compared with
$56,900 for heterosexuals. 19% of gays have post-graduate degrees (13%
of heterosexuals.)
-
Influential, trend-conscious, and eager for entertainment
Gays are more likely to agree with the statements: "I'm a natural
leader", "I like to show off my taste and style", and
"I'm influenced by what's hot and what's not".
- Avid
Internet users
80% of gay men, and 76% of lesbians are online, compared with 70% of
straight men and 69% of straight women. And they're bandwidth-hungry:
Wired gays are one-third more likely to have broadband than their
heterosexual peers.
- Online
shoppers and bankers.
From purchasing products to banking, investing, and booking leisure
travel online, gays are out ahead. 63% of wired gays have made a
purchase online in the past three months, compared with 53% of
heterosexuals. The gap is as large for online finance and travel.
- Gay men,
in particular, pick up new Net behaviors and nascent devices.
After adjusting for demographics, gay men are significantly more
likely to have broadband, shop online, use financial tools online . .
. the list goes on. They are also more likely to own portable MP3
players and browser-enabled mobile phones, even after accounting for
their higher incomes and other demographics.
The gay and lesbian market niche is unique in many ways. TV and radio
channels have neglected the market, and gay magazines used to be the
main source of information for gay and lesbian people. This role has
now been almost totally taken over by different Internet properties,
and the Internet is now by far the most important media channel for
the community. In fact, the ONLY way to target a significant number of
gay and lesbian consumers is by advertising online. Bgay.com alone
reaches more people than the 3 largest gay/lesbian magazines combined.
"... gays and lesbians will
research nearly $2.9 billion of travel on the Net this year. Travel
marketers ignoring this market do so at their financial risk." --
Forrester Research
* Forrester Research,
Inc. - "Gays are the technology early adaptors you want",
Consumer Technographics North America study of 60,000 households, June
2003.
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the
gay
and
lesbian
community!
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