• by Karl Greenberg , July 21, 2011

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) adults are likely to consider brands that support nonprofits or causes that are important to them, according to a new study by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., which has special expertise in the LGBT market.

Nearly nine out of ten LGBT adults (versus about 75% of heterosexual adults) said they are likely to consider a brand that is known to provide equal workplace benefits for all of their employees. Nearly half said they are extremely or very likely to consider such brands.

In survey of 2,357 U.S. adults, of whom 328 identified themselves as being lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender, brand loyalty seems more important than price in certain situations. Seven out of ten (71%) said they are likely to remain loyal to a brand they believe to be very friendly and supportive to their community even if less-friendly companies offer lower prices or convenience.

That is up from August 2007 when about 66% of LGBT adults said so. "Even in a struggling economy, LGBT consumers express an unmistakable and stronger sense of brand loyalty to companies that support their community," said Wes Combs, president of Witeck-Combs Communications, in a statement.

The survey also found that nearly half are more likely to consider purchasing a company's products or services when they see an advertisement that has been "clearly" tailored to a gay audience with gay imagery "and speaks to me as a gay person," compared to 40% who agreed, when asked in January 2007.

Twenty-three percent said they have switched products or service providers because they found a competing company that supports their causes.