America's top-selling luxury brand, Lexus, has parked itself in gay media for the first time -- joining its edgy sister, Toyota-owned brand Scion, which has been in the market for nearly three years.

The arrival of Lexus means that the top three luxury vehicle marques -- including DamilerChrysler's Mercedes and General Motors Corporation's Cadillac -- are seeking gay buyers. The fourth player, Lincoln, from Ford Motor Co., has not yet specifically done so (and, interestingly, is the only one whose sales are in steep decline).

However, in the May issue of OUT, Ford advertised all eight of its nameplates for the first time to underscore its support of the gay community, following conservative demands that it withdraw its gay advertising. The new Ford print ad shows photo albums emphasizing brand legacy, with a modern photo of each car and the year it was "born," including shots of Henry Ford.

"Toyota is more aware than ever of marketing to all types of groups," says Brian Bolain, national advertising and media manager for Lexus. "It gave the company the right mindset to move forward."

Bolain, a 20-year Toyota employee, led Lexus into the gay market.

"Being gay myself, I'm aware of how critical the market and its income are. I've got all that hardwired into me," he says. "There's a predisposition in our community toward luxury goods, so why shouldn't Lexus be among them?"

Scion keeps rolling

Unlike the safe advertising and design of the Toyota brand, Scion is a bolder concept meant to appeal to youth. The urban-focused Scion arrived in online gay media with its national debut in mid-2004.

Bolain had a role in that too, at the time. "It was a very active decision on our part to have a presence in the gay market, because LGBT people are interested in new things," he says.

"The Scion brand is about personalization -- we celebrate people who enjoy accessorizing their vehicles," adds Deborah Senior, national marketing communications manager. Thus, the advertising targets people who are "creative, innovative and influential."

After starting with online ads, Scion has focused on alternative gay media publications, foregoing the Advocate and OUT for Instinct and smaller titles, with a fold-out spread emphasizing its square shape and bold colors. The brand also sponsored Pride parades in Los Angeles and San Francisco, as well as the Seventh Annual PlanetOut Short Movie Awards in Miami last year.

Neither Lexus nor Scion has yet used dedicated gay-market creative, instead opting for product-focused general-market ads. It's a common advertising creative strategy among car companies: avoiding depicting people in ads means that no one feels unrepresented.

Toyota keeps an eye on sensitivity

Toyota and its dedicated ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles, might be a little gun-shy about gay-market creative. In 2001, a postcard ad showed a close-up of an African-American smile, with a Toyota RAV4 sport utility vehicle carved into the gold cap of a front tooth. Rev. Jesse Jackson denounced it and threatened a boycott.

In response, both Toyota and Saatchi's L.A. offices created separate ad review panels intended to catch minority-insensitive ads. In Toyota's group, seven volunteers representing LGBT and other minority concerns serve two-year terms, meeting nine times annually to review ads for all Toyota brands in the U.S.

Beth Henning, national manager of strategies and communications, explains that the cultural diversity panel is not made of advertising experts and doesn't try to rewrite ads. Instead, the panel points out possible problems.

Ad executives "will go back and relook at it. They have the option to say, 'Thank you very much, we're willing to take a risk on this one,' and make the business decision. But typically, they make an adjustment," says Henning.

Most of the time, things go smoothly, "Especially with Lexus -- so much is just about the product, but sometimes a headline is off-color," she says. "We don't catch a lot, but what we do catch is worthwhile."

A questionable 2004 Toyota Truck commercial, in which a group of men preferred to let their friend die than suck the venom out of his neck, was created prior to LGBT participation in the review panel.

The review panel is assisted by Toyota's ongoing consumer research. Panelists aren't asked their sexual orientation, but some participants volunteer the information, Henning says.

Saatchi's cultural sensitivity panel operates independently of Toyota's. It's made up of six people who meet weekly for up to six months, but there is no minority representation quota. The panel's stated goal is "honoring ethnic diversity, cultural sensitivity and avoiding negative public controversy within the work we do by identifying potential 'triggers'."

Toyota Camry is the country's most popular vehicle for the fourth year consecutively. Will it join Lexus and Scion in trying to pick up gay buyers? "Everything Toyota does is in small steps," notes Bolain. "Scion was a small step; Lexus is another small step."

 

How do you target gay people? What do you put in the car that makes it a "gay" car (no pun intended). Gaydar detector?

 

How about advertise in LGBT publications and actually try to engage that audience rather than buckle to the Christian right and refuse to acknowledge gay customers? I figure the LGBT demographic would have more disposable income since they won't have to worry about child care expenses (unless of course they adopt).

 

Eh... why such an emphasis to promote a product to a certain group of people specifically? Rather then just promote the product to people universally?

Well as long as they dont go to extremes as to alienate the normal population then I guess no harm done. But not sure id appreciate all sudden my vehicle being viewed as a "gay" vehicle. If I were lexus id just show the same universally accepted adds, and would not feel the need to make adds that specifically cater to the gay life style.

 

^^^
I'm guessing that they will be using generic ads, most likely...as across various publications I've seen Lexus use the same brand image-enhancing ads.

And this would be part of promoting the product to more groups of people, while still promoting the product 'universally' (which I take to mean mainstream magazines, outlets that have wide distribution). It's been said that gay people have large amounts of disposable income, so it makes sense that Lexus might want to place some ads in gay publications. It's not making the cars 'gay' per se. Lexus caters to the luxury buyer, and that includes gay and straight buyers.

 

I'm with you on this one....catering TO certain life styles is often just as bad as discrimination....and it just reinforces the old auto stereotype nonsense that I've blasted so many times on CAR CHAT.

 

I'm with you as make a very valid point however we all know firms market products to various socio-economic demographics specifically. I.E. Bentley dealerships don't advertise in the New York Post as that reader is generally not in the market to purchase one. Also you should avoid implying that Gay people aren't normal or are of the abnormal population.

 

every advertisement caters to a certain demographic that is quite small and glbt are jsut a portion. There is no universal ad or publication. For example thosethat read teim wont read blender. those tha read blender probably dont read EGM those that read egm probably dont read people...etc. every ad caters to a distinct lifestyle, take the honda element ads that cater to surfers and road tripping college age people or the fit that cater to people easily amused by funny voices and colors(seriously, i dont get any of the fit ads, wtf honda?). Yuo cant succeed unless you have multiple ad campagains focusing on multiple demographics. There is no "universal" ad and the GLBT is a fairly large group with a good amount of money. Besides why discriminate against GLBT but not say every other group? If it said Lexus focused on advertising in Black Enterprise or Latina Magazine or another mag targeted toward a less politically incorrect demographic, no one would complain.

 

That's exactly what I'm saying. There is virtually no company that doesn't target or at least consider demographics when marketing any product. They just approach each group differently to cater to them and their needs/desires.

 

Why does it matter its not like gay people arent buying lexus or toyota now they probably just keep there sexual preference to themselves. This is just crazy.

 

I think every company knows that there is a market out there for anything.

This type of marketing may not be most profitable. Because of work discrimination, gay people do not climb up corporate ladders easily, hence homosexuals are underpaid and have less income than heterosexual people (in general). I think Toyota/Lexus is doing a part in the community by saying "Hey, we've got something for you, and we're not afraid to market to you."

People can make a bug ruckus about advertising to gays, Middle Eastern cultures, "ghetto" markets (check out GM), women, poor people, etc. People need to realize that American communities comprise of several markets, not just heterosexual Christian rich white men.

 

I have to admit, I'm puzzled where the conclusion "gay people do not climb up corporate ladders easily, hence homosexuals are underpaid and have less income than heterosexual people (in general)." came from...

 

so ive gotta ask this question now


which lexus model would be most popular among the gays?

 

I think the most popular model that attracts gay clientele has to be the RX300. I have sold one to a lesbian couple before.

 

My impressions below on the following quote from the original article:

First - how can an income be critical?

Second - I don't like the sweeping generalizations that marketers use to target groups, any group, and generally I don't like groups. I don't know why people need an ad appearing in their favorite publication in order to feel justified or compelled to shop a brand.

But that's not going to change.

M.