• by Seana Mulcahy , April 12, 2004

A while back, I wrote an about the diminishing audiences of young men toward TV viewing habits. The Spin board got a bit heated and prejudiced (to no endorsement of mine). Several young men wrote that programming wasn't what it used to be. Many complained that everything was either, "reality or gay."

It made me think about content. As a real time medium, our industry is taxed with the daunting task of continuously coming up with new and fresh ideas. If content looks or sounds old, we are as good as dead.

Content tied with online activities revolves around psychographics. As a media person, I, among many others, strive to crack this code.

I often teach young (and old) online media darlings. I tend to use this scenario: When you think about how best to target an individual or group of people online think beyond demographics. It is critical to think of technographics, psychographics, and usage habits as well. For instance, if you are trying to place a campaign for a major fast food joint, age should not be the main factor. This frequent drive-through patron could be white, upper middle-class, educated, of high income, and with children. The bottom line is they are not just buying cheeseburgers for their kids after soccer practice.

The same goes for emerging markets: Afro-American, Hispanic, and Gay to name a few. What TV writers have done is scratch below the surface of mainstream, middle-class, white issues to a more diverse level of content. Are they doing it because they realize America is not vanilla or are they doing it for shock value? Or perhaps Americans are becoming more and more open-minded and tolerant? (I'll keep my jaded opinion to myself here as I still think ignorance prevails.)

Nonetheless, high ratings for such shows as Will & Grace and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy have made marketers and advertisers scratch their heads. Not only does America at large spend a great deal of time interested in such topics, there is finally programming outside the norm. The gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) market shouldn't be overlooked by advertisers.

Some top line facts are:

National surveys indicate that the Gay and Lesbian community exceeds 18.25 million people in the United States.

The gay community has disposable incomes well above the national average. More than 29% of gay Internet surfers have yearly household incomes of at least $90,000.

62% over $40,000 a year

25% over $60,000 a year

13% over $90,000 a year

39% of this population are between 20 - 30 years old

29% are between 30 - 40 years old

More than 73% of gay Internet surfers have a college degree. The majority of gay Internet surfers are men (79%)

The Gay and Lesbian community is three times more likely to be online than many average Americans.

Gay consumer buying power is at estimated $485 Billion (USD) and represents about 17 million people.

Gay market reports that 78 percent of gay online users prefer to buy from companies that advertise to the gay market.

Gay men and lesbians go out more, buy more, have more disposable income and are extremely loyal consumers

Gay and lesbian consumers purchase from companies/brands that advertise in gay media, deliver product messages in gay-specific advertising, support gay and lesbian community causes and are good to their own gay and lesbian employees

Gay consumers are four times as likely to spend more than $150 on long distance a month, and twice as likely to spend $250 on cellular service

More than 90 percent of gay consumers took a domestic trip this year

60 percent took a foreign trip in the last three years

65 percent identify themselves as having to have the "latest" product model

68 percent upgrade to a product's latest model

57 percent "prefer to buy top of the line"

59 percent buy themselves whatever they want

Source: Selig Center (African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American Buying Power), U.S. Census estimates, and Witeck-Combs Communications and MarketResearch.com (GLB Buying Power), 2003., Wired Digital, 2004.

I share these stats with you, dear readers, as something to watch. However, I will not advocate intolerance toward such groups on the Spin board. Advertising should not be about personal biases. And as advertisers, marketers and sales folk, we owe it to consumers to appeal toward their preferences. Archie Bunker is in the archives and queer eyes have raised many brows.