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that have gay and lesbian positive corporate policies. Toronto's gay and lesbian cultural fabric today is a reflection of its political history. In 1973, for example, the City of Toronto officially included sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination policies, and the American Psychiatric and Psychological .Association thankfully deemed homosexuals quite sane. Toronto's Gay Pride Parade brings in S60 million to S80 million gay and straight dollars annually, and should not be underestimated or misunderstood. It was and still is very much a march rooted in the communities' history. In 2001. Statistics Canada estimated that b.l>c of the population is homosexual. Yet, only a small percentage of the homosexual population is "self-identifying" or "out." .As sizeable as the community may be, it is not a monolithic purchasing powerhouse. Often, the gay community is referred to as gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered, and it is multicultural to boot. Diversification within this group has resulted in the formation of groups such as GAT, Gay Asians of Toronto. More mainstream marketers are beginning to understand that community segments have their own personalities and purchasing characteristics. This is especially the case with brand managers who are trying to drive up sales by leveraging their products against "community-specific lifestyles." The macho beer business, for example, has invested a lot of cash in local gay sponsorships with very handsome returns. So the questions remain: Are
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communities also requires a dynamic approach. The process of understanding community segments by engaging them, or what I like to call a "metropological" approach, is critical. Not unlike multiculturalism, metropology recognizes and positively accepts groups with community-specific characteristics and cultural beliefs, but it does so primarily to affect the bottom line.Toronto's gay and lesbian community is a politicized demographic. Corporate sponsorship opportunities at Toronto's annual summer Gay Pride parade, or Toronto's AIDS Committee-organized event, Fashion Cares, do not come easy. They are often exclusively offered to companies
NINA PENTEADO is president of BeeCause, a Toronto research company specializing in niche segments. MARKETING
Canadians reach* tor gay-tjigtitd advertising on a national sc; think so. Are creatively challenged creative directors the problem? I don't think so. Are some of the more risk-phobic brand managers, who are still focusing on uni-dimensional approaches the issue here? We do not know. As of yet, no major marketing person has really boldly jumped out of the mainstream marketing closet to find out. "Brand breakthrough" within this valued consumer segment can easily turn into "brand breakdown." Genuinely tuning in to the gay communities' attitudes and opinions, and looking beyond homogenous lifestyle marketing tactics and strategies, are important steps to take if a marketer wants to create a lasting and meaningful marketing presence in this valuable community. d