 |
 |
 |
|
||
 Home Services Portfolio Press Resources Contact |
|
Does gay shopping whether online or not differ all that much from "straight shopping"? To trot down Church street in Toronto, Castro Street in San Francisco, Commercial Street in Provincetown or any other thoroughfare of note in any gay enclave you'd care to mention, it seems gay men have a pension for trinkets, greeting cards, underwear, rainbow flag merchandise and little else. In fact, do a Google search for gay shopping and you'll find much the same thing. There is, of course, absolutely nothing wrong with pride merchandise. You need only have looked to the streets during the World Soccer Cup to see t-shirts, hats and various flags of support for different countries. People inherently show pride and take pride in their place of origin so it's not surprising that the same should occur for those from over the rainbow. What is surprising is that when it comes to gay shopping, corporate America should hold the gay dollar in seemingly higher esteem than does the gay community itself. Over the past few years millions of dollars have been invested into the gay market in advertising and marketing initiatives, with specifically targeted diversity programs with the ultimate goal of highlighting the gay shopping or diversity experience they offer. Orbitz, American Airlines, Ford, Subaru, Capital One, Louis Vuitton and others have gone beyond the pages of magazine or web sites to court the gay dollar and ultimately, to increase their bottom line. And why not? Research into the gay market has demonstrated a higher propensity for more credit cards and higher balances, more discretionary income and spending, higher loyalty and a higher incidencce of both business and leisure travel. And while nascent in nature, as the research itself and the understanding of the gay market matures, so too does the validity of that research. What then defines the gay shopping experience? While there may be no such thing as a gay car, per se, the likelihood of providing an argument persuasive enough to induce a gay purchase of a car can and has been made with increased success. Subaru and Ford have done so successfully in the lesbian market. And the gay market actually tracks the gay car market segment. In the end, the gay online shopping experience is not so much a lifestyle choice as it is the individual gay consumer's choice about a life with style that extends from everything to the cars they drive, to the companies they invest in, the clothes they wear, the house they buy and the furniture within. Gay shopping online and off extends far beyond pride and the incumbent tsotchkes that go with it. About Wilde Marketing Wilde Marketing is a gay marketing consulting agency offering comprehensive advertising, marketing communications, strategic and public relation services to companies who understand the value of engaging gay consumers in this country. The company is located at 102 Pickering Street, Suite 3, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 3J7: 416.821.3074 phone. For more information, email Wilde Marketing. |
|
||
|
|
© 2006 Wilde Marketing - Gay Shopping Online |